Low End Mac Archive for April 2

April 2 in Low End Mac History

IBM and Microsoft announce OS/2 as an alternative to Windows, which was still DOS-based in those days. When IBM and Microsoft parted ways, it became the basis for Windows NT and the future of Windows.

Gee3: Let's have an inexpensive Mac! "...there must be some way to sell a G3 for about $1,000." (Six weeks later, Steve Jobs unveiled the iMac.)

iMac troubleshooting, Evan Kleiman, Mac Happens. "The iMac, unlike any other Mac, needs to be fixed differently."

Promises to keep, Geoff Rosenberg, My Turn. Apple promised, "Your iMac web site is free for life!" - and now defines that as 2.5 years.
PowerBook value, Jonathan Ploudre, Back & Forth. A PowerBook may be perfect for you, or there may be better values.

MacLeisure, Steve Watkins, The Practical Mac. Six leisure time programs for your (and your Mac's) down time.

Upgrading to AIM 4.7: 2 steps back, Adam Robert Guha, Apple Archive. One step forward, but bigger windows and reduced performance makes it more of a downgrade.
The Logo Creator: Useful but quirky design software, Jeff Adkins, Mac Lab Report. Program helps the "design challenged" create logos, but the interface is unconventional.
Exploding batteries, replacement LCDs and backlights, double or triple AirPort Extreme range, and more, The 'Book Review. XPostFacto improved, deals on AppleCare, SideTrack enhanced trackpad driver, RAM Disk Creator, bargain 'Books from $155 to $2,795, and more.

The state of Mac OS 9 compatibility, upgrades, resources, and hacks in 2007, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings. Discontinued five years ago, Mac OS 9 remains fast and stable, but its software hasn't kept up with Web changes. What Macs support it, where to buy it, and how to update to version 9.2.2.
Using Apple's Lisa for real work, Ted Hodges, Vintage Mac Living. The Lisa Office System has some advantages of modern computers for word processing and other production work.

Office 2008 a mixed bag for Mac users, Alan Zisman, Zis Mac. Office 2008 is more convetional than the Windows version and runs smoothly on Intel Macs, but it's slower than 2004 on PowerPC Macs.
2 useful online genealogy resources, Dan Knight, Mac Musings. Geni is a free online tool for building your family tree, and Genealogie can be a wonderful source for those with Dutch roots.
Fading magic at Apple, Major League Baseball's rebound, and an iMac that won't boot from a CD, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings. Reflections on Apple's success as a business, CD-ROM problems in a G3 iMac, and Pismo processor problem solved with thermal paste.

How Apple could change the face of digital music, Tim Nash, Taking Back the Market. Internet radio is a great way to try out new music, but what do you listen to when you're away from the Net? How about podcasts designed to showcase different kinds of music.

How Secure Are Macs?, Low End Mac Round Table. Researchers keep saying that Macs are insecure, but do you really need to run antivirus software?
Sleep Your MacBook Faster, Tablets to Displace Laptops?, Mirror iDevice to Mac Screen, and More, The 'Book Review. Also changing tablet market to blur line between tablets and laptops, Waterfield Designs homage to 'The Artist', and more.
Half of US Homes Have Apple Products; New iPad Durability, Heat, and Battery Life; and More, iNews Review. Also iPad 2 vs. new iPad, Logitech's AirPlay speaker, solar power for the iPad, lots of new iPad cases, and more.