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December 2002
2002 – There are several attitudes toward Mac OS X on the Mac Web. Some have become cheerleaders, strong advocates that everyone abandon the classic Mac OS as quickly as possible and jump on the OS X bandwagon. Some even go so far as to recommend you dump all your Classic Mode software and replace […]
I sometimes wonder if there’s a special place in hell for self-important, small-minded people bent on destroying things they don’t like, understand, or approve of.
Teardown guide for WallStreet PowerBook, third-party USB startup key, new laptop bags, and more.
2002: Wired recently tackled the supposed addiction that Mac users have to their Macs. If you can’t be bothered to read the story, the nutshell idea is that Mac users put up with a lot of crap from Apple that indicates some sort of masochistic tendency (among other things).
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November 2002
Bringing Location Manager to OS X, Macsense FireWire CardBus card for PowerBooks, new Metal Gear, hard drive deals, and more.
Low cost Combo drive for Lombard and Pismo, Iomega mini USB flash drives, 24x USB 2.0 CD burner, and more.
In my previous article, I discussed the care and maintenance of the venerable Mac Plus. Well, I displayed my imperfections as a Triassic Mac user. I know a number of things about old Macs. However, I am a writer, not an engineer (with apologies to the late DeForest “Bones” Kelley).
Apple improved the popular iBook by boosting CPU speeds another 100 MHz. The entry-level 700 MHz model has a CD-ROM drive, while the 800 MHz one includes Apple’s Combo (CD-RW/DVD) drive. The new iceBooks use ATI’s Mobility Radeon 7500 with 16 MB or 32 MB of VRAM. The 700 MHz model was the first opaque […]
First 2.5″ 80 GB notebook hard drive, Logitech QuickCam for Notebooks, handle for Titanium PowerBooks, Apple addresses Sleep of Death, double-speed USB floppy drive, and more.
When we published Flash Cards: A Solution for Low Memory Macs in June 2000, Maxwell Cabral suggested using CompactFlash (CF) for virtual memory. The scenario: Pop a CF card into a PC Card (formerly PCMCIA) adapter, plug that into the PC Card slot on your PowerBook, format it as a Mac volume, open the Memory control panel, and […]
New iBooks and PowerBooks, Combo drive upgrade for dual-USB iBooks, SkyLINE 802.11b WiFi PC Card, and more.
The November 2002 14″ iBook runs at 800 MHz, 100 MHz faster than its predecessor. The new Mobility Radeon 7500 graphics offers improved video performance and has 32 MB of video memory, twice as much as the previous 14-incher. MacInTouch has called the dual USB G3 iBooks Apple’s most unreliable notebooks ever. According to their […]
A bit more than six months after bumping the fastest TiBook from 667 MHz to 800 MHz, Apple once again updated the titanium workhorse with faster processors (867 MHz and 1 GHz) and ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 graphics (with 32 MB of video memory on the slower model, 64 MB on the faster). The 867 MHz […]
Of all of the Triassic Macs, the Mac Plus has the most sentimental value among the Low End Mac community. For many 1980s computer users, it was the first Mac they ever owned. For others, it was the first device they used as a replacement for the venerable typewriter.
PowerBook LCD and screen backlight replacements, colorful iBook bag, other cases, and more.
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October 2002
Except as noted, prices are in US dollars. PowerBook 1400 G3 Upgrade Deal RadTech: New Online Supplier of ‘Book Accessories Dana PDA-based Alternative to a Laptop Computer Netgear MR314 Wireless Cable/DSL Router with 4-Port Switch for $79.88 PowerPad High Capacity Laptop Accessory Batteries PC Card Modem/Ethernet Cards Bargain ‘Books PowerBook 1400 G3 Upgrade Deal Megamacs […]
What is happening to email? Once upon a time, email was nothing more than plain text that came to you on a blank screen in a font that could be read by just about anyone. Now two new forms of email have appeared. The first is mildly annoying; the second is wildly impractical for Macs […]
Triassic Macs? Since the creation of the Abandonware Petition in the late 1990s, the use of epoch terms for the evolution of life started to be applied to low-end Macs. The battle cry Allow Jurassic software to roam free became a common phrase among vintage computer users.
2002 – I was going to spend last Wednesday putting a bigger, faster hard drive in our Beige Power Mac G3 and tell everyone what a big difference it made on Thursday. Well, things didn’t work out that way.
Wireless laptop charging, LapCop lets your stolen ‘Book phone home, Newer Tech G4 Pismo upgrade, OWC Mercury drives gain USB 2.0 support, and more.
2002 – I had big plans for today. I was going to tell everyone how easy it was to put a big, fast hard drive in a Beige Power Mac G3 – and how much that improved performance. At least that was the plan.
New PowerBook G3 repair service, iBook monitor spanning, using the Escape key during startup, Palm Zire introduced, and more.
2002 – As I said last time, the more I use Mac OS X, the more I like it. This is especially true since replacing the stock 10 GB Toshiba drive (4200 rpm, 1 MB cache) with a larger, faster 20 GB IBM Travelstar drive (5400 rpm, 8 MB cache).
The latest thing in laptops is using them as desktops. Devices such as the Lapvantage Dome and forthcoming Oyster Laptop Dock let you move your ‘Book off the desk to position the screen at a more comfortable, more ergonomically correct height.
2002 – One thing that has really been overlooked about the Mac is its excellent compatibility with Windows. While compatibility has long been a part of the Mac OS (including PC Exchange and DOS cards for Quadras and early Power Macs), in the past couple years it really has been ignored as a feature.
Fix for PowerBook audio glitch in OS X, user guide for HomePlug networking, tiny 4-port USB hub, and more.
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September 2002
New Oyster laptop dock, OWC and CMS cut hard drive prices, replacement hinges for Titanium PowerBook, and more.
2002: The Komando has landed with both feet planted squarely on the iMac. Now, don’t get me wrong: Criticism of the Mac is perfectly acceptable and, in fact, necessary to keep Apple on its toes. And, of course, an opinion is just that: an opinion.
G3 upgrade for PowerBook 2400c, Hubzilla 4-port FireWire hub, lighted PowerBook G4 keyboard, and more.
2002 – A few weeks ago, I jumped five years of computer history. I switched from a 200 MHz 603e-based Motorola StarMax 3000 Mac clone to a recently discontinued 933 MHz Quicksilver 2002 Power Mac G4.
2002 – For years the Mac faithful heard promises about Apple’s next generation operating system. Copland or Rhapsody (or whatever it was being called at the time) would be fully buzzword compliant, would run on any Power Mac ever made, and have us chomping at the bit to upgrade.
PCMCIA to CardBus PC Card upgrade, hot rodding the PowerBook 3400, PowerBook Sleep of Death, and more.
While researching this series of articles on small form-factor PCs, I was not entirely altruistic in my motives. I was also looking at a way of putting together a small form-factor computer of my own. My goal was a computer that I could take places without breaking my back or my wallet.
As commentator Paul Harvey is fond of saying, “It’s not one world.” The events of September 11, 2001 brought that home to Americans, who usually felt safe and secure at home. And now we worry about terrorism.
MacResQ PowerBook G3 screen replacement, MCI offers 60 GB iBook drive upgrade, CardBus PCI expansion box for PowerBooks, and more.
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August 2002
Info on iBook video port, OS 9 for Classic Mode in Jaguar, BetterTrackpad driver, RageLTPro patch for Lombards running OS X 10.2, and more.
Mac OS X 10.2 Jaguar was released on 2002.08.24 and was last updated on 2003.10.03, when the 10.2.8 update was released. There were rumors that 10.2.9 would be released in mid-2009 to address several bugs and vulnerabilities that remained in version 10.2.8, but that never happened. Jaguar was the first version of OS X […]
Pismo users with more than 512 MB RAM are having problems installing OS X 10.2, Lapvantage laptop stand inspired by iMac G4, 750 MB Iomega Zip drive, and more.
Ethernet MP3 player, PowerBook 1400 cover inserts, a flexible keyboard, and more.
Apple hit the 1 GHz mark with the Quicksilver 2002 in January 2002 and 1.25 GHz with the Mirrored Drive Door (MDD) in August 2002. Even the entry level 867 MHz Power Mac G4 now has dual processors. This was the last Power Mac to natively boot Mac OS 9. Beware Apple’s claim of “four […]
Apple hit the 1 GHz mark with the Quicksilver 2002 in January 2002 and 1.25 GHz with the Mirrored Drive Door (MDD) in August 2002. Even the entry level 867 MHz Power Mac G4 now has dual processors. This was the last Power Mac to natively boot Mac OS 9. Beware Apple’s claim of “four […]
Not long ago, I threatened you all with the end of the PPC Linux column. In response, many of you wrote in to ask for it to stay. (One person suggested that I let it die a graceful death for reasons which I happen to agree with, but he was outvoted.)
America Online started in 1985 as Quantum Computer Services, offering Q-Link, an online service with a graphical user interface for Commodores; it expanded to include Apples (AppleLink) and Macs in 1989, adding Tandy and other DOS PCs (PC-Link) in 1991.
SimpleTech introduces SD card-based USB mini-drive, new ‘Book bags, and more.
VIA FEDERAL SUPPRESS AND EMAIL RE: Notice of Infringement DATE: August 8, 2002 Dear Steven Jobs:
The late Douglas Adams once said, “I love deadlines. I love the whooshing sound they make as they fly past.” It is in this spirit that I present the latest Mac Life.
Yes people, it’s another review of Yellow Dog Linux.
Internet access on the Mac has been getting a lot of bad reports, since it is slightly slower opening a page on the Mac than opening the same page on a PC. Choosing a good Internet connection is key to getting pages to load quickly on your Mac.
MCE has a Combo drive upgrade for early Titanium PowerBooks, Toshiba’s new notebook drive includes a 16 MB buffer, Amazon is taking preorders for OS X 10.2 Jaguar, and more.
2002: All memory cards are not created equal. CompactFlash and SmartMedia have been duking it out over price, speed, size, and capacity for several years. Sony threw a wrench in the works with its Memory Stick technology (which hardly anyone except Sony uses), and just recently the tiny Secure Digital card has come into play […]
As the dust settles on Apple’s decision to charge us for the intangible iTools services (see Kiss iTools Good-Bye, Free mac.com Email Becomes Fee Mail, and The iTools Bait and Switch), people begin to ask how this will affect Job’s plans for the digital hub.
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July 2002
The votes are in. PPC Linux is here to stay, but please don’t expect a weekly column (unless you all want to micropay me individually). Today I want to look at a specific application program named Runtime Revolution – it runs not only on Linux, but also in Mac OS, Mac OS X, Windows, IRIX, Solaris, […]
Okay folks, it’s time for some democracy in action. As you probably know by now, I’m writing a new column on Low End Mac (LEM) called Mac Life. Now, between this and everything else I write, as well as the odd bit of graphic design, my fine art practice and my academic research, time is becoming […]
This week, notebook hard drives reached 60 GB, trackers for stolen laptops, $20 OS X 10.2 Jaguar upgrade from Apple, and more.
Do you use a Mac at work? Have you ever?
The biggest news of Macworld week for Apple portable fans didn’t come from the keynote, in which there were no laptop hardware announcements at all, but rather from Sonnet and Newer Technology, both of which released 500 MHz G4 processor upgrades for WallStreet G3 Series PowerBooks from the former and a WallStreet/Lombard G4 upgrade from the latter, joining […]
The first computer I can remember using was our family’s Amiga 500. We got it around 1990, when I was 10. It continued to be used by everyone for five years, until both my father and I decided independently of each other that we’d like our own PC.
Announced at the Macworld Expo on July 17, 2002, the 17″ G4 iMac has a wide aspect ratio “cinema” type screen and displays 1440 by 900 pixels – just perfect for DVDs. The new screen is about 1.6″ wider than the one on the 15″ iMac and just a bit taller, and the 17″ iMac […]
Last week we looked at the symptoms; now it’s time for the diagnosis.
Computers are just tools. Like hammers are tools. Like washing machines are tools. You know it, and I’ve publicly argued it. So, there we go. That’s the end of that.
Last time we discussed overclocking your Macintosh, but we never really got into the nitty-gritty of actually changing the settings inside your computer, since this can be come a very complicated thing to do. This time we’re finally going to get into it and actually do some over clocking. Today we’ll be learning how to […]
2002 – There’s been a fair bit of talk on the Mac Web this week about people going 100% OS X. I have a feeling that I’m never going to be one of them.
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June 2002
One of the most common complaints computer owners have is that their computer is too slow. Unless you own a shiny new G4, you have probably had this complaint in one form or another throughout daily use of your computer.
Despite the use of the PowerPC in other computers, such as the IBM RS/6000 and even TiVo digital video recorders, the Apple Macintosh dominates the world of PowerPC computing, and as such, it’s Macs that Yellow Dog Linux (YDL) 7.2 is squarely aimed at.
This article was published on The Painful Truth website, “a collection of Facts, Opinions and Comments from survivors of Armstrongism and The Worldwide Church of God.” This was written after Rodney moved from Georgia to Minnesota.
Rodney O. Lain was one of the most erudite, informed, opinionated, and iconoclastic writers on the Mac Web. In other words, he thought for himself, spoke his mind, and did it well.
These articles penned by the late Rodney O. Lain are from websites that no longer exist. We’ve fixed a few typos but essentially left these articles as they were originally published.
Apple’s Mac OS X has been gaining a lot of column inches in the computer press, and for good reason. As you are no doubt sick of hearing, the new Mac operating system is not just another revision of a bloated and moribund, though elegant, desktop OS. It is Unix – BSD Unix to be […]
2002 – It was nearly two months ago that I shared my frustration at trying to install the Mac OS X 10.1.4 update on the 2 GB partition I’d created for OS X when I bought my TiBook.
You would be forgiven for thinking that the open source in business debate had been finally put to bed with the likes of IBM backing Linux and even the notoriously secretive Apple opening parts of Mac OS X to the public. However, you’d be wrong.
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May 2002
We’ve all heard it: Linux has no applications. Despite the availability of many professional desktop applications for Linux, such as Star Office and Corel WordPerfect Office, the rumour of the dearth of applications for Linux persists. In fact, it does have some truth in it, at least for users of nonstandard versions of Linux such […]
2002 – It all started with the purchase of a refurbished iceBook three months ago. No longer would I have to retreat to my study to check my emails – instead I could sit in the lounge, keeping half an eye on the TV, and being part of the family at the same time. Other […]
Okay, you are using Linux on a Macintosh. The chances are that it’s not on a server, so what do you do with it?
Didn’t think 600 MHz was fast enough? The May 2002 14″ iBook runs at 700 MHz and has a 512 KB level 2 cache, twice as large as its 600 MHz Early 2002 ancestor. The new Mobility Radeon graphics is also up to 35% faster, according to Apple, and it also has twice as much […]
Apple improved the already popular Dual USB iBook by boosting CPU speed 100 MHz and using a newer version of the G3 with a twice-as-large 512 KB level 2 cache. The entry-level 600 MHz model has a CD-ROM drive, while the 700 MHz one includes Apple’s Combo (CD-RW/DVD) drive. The new Mobility Radeon is up […]
The Mac. Graphic Design. These phrases are practically inseparable. Before 1984 there was an entire career option missing, that of “Mac operator.” The next generation Unix OS, Mac OS X will no doubt cement Apple’s domination of the creative industries further with its improvements to the system such as the Acrobat-based Quartz display layer, preemptive multitasking, […]
After years of repackaging off-the-shelf Macs for use as servers, Apple introduced Xserve in May 2002 as its second attack on the server market – and the industry’s first 1U dual processor RISC server. Xserve supports up to 480 GB of internal storage, one or two 1 GHz G4 CPUs, dual gigabit ethernet, RAID, hot swappable drives, […]
Anyone with an interest in computing – especially in Unix-based OSes – cannot have failed to notice the hype surrounding the release of Mac OS X. OS X is a whole new ball game in Macintosh computing. For many years Apple have been trying to find a suitable replacement for their sophisticated (but rapidly dated) Mac OS.
One of the problems facing the computer industry today is the fact that so many computers are thrown out each day. You might think that when you toss your old 286, it’s gone for good. Think again – the world has probably not seen the last of your ancient PC.
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April 2002
A bit more than six months after speed bumping the TiBook to 550 and 667 MHz, Apple overhauled the titanium workhorse with still faster processors (667 and 800 MHz); a brighter, higher resolution screen (1280 x 854 vs. 1152 x 768); and ATI Mobility Radeon 7500 graphics with 32 MB of video memory. This is […]
Rumors of a 17″ iMac had been circulating since 1998. Apple finally did it by introducing the eMac to the education market at the end of April 2002 – and to the consumer market that June. The base 700 MHz CD-ROM model does not include a modem; all other models have one. The top-end 800 […]
2002 – I tried to update Mac OS X to version 10.1.4 last night – and ran into the same problem I had with one of the earlier updates.
2002 – Aren’t you sick to death of everyone on the other platform telling us how Apple has to adopt “x86” (i.e., the same Intel and AMD processors used for Windows and most Linux boxes) to survive? I know I am.
The concept of Luddite Mac appeals to me at the gut level, because I am temperamentally resistant to change. When I have found something that works well for me, I’m happy to stick with it and reluctant to move along to the next big thing.
Everyone is talking about how great the GS/OS is for the Apple IIGS. Sure, it looks good, and it’s rock solid, but I think I’m going to stick with ProDOS for a few reasons.
The first Mac didn’t quite cut it. With 128 KB of RAM, a single-sided 400K floppy, and no native support for a hard drive, it was a proof of concept machine…
Q: My Dual 450 MHz G4 keeps crashing when I try to load one of my daughter’s games. I recently upgraded to OS X, and I believe the problem is occurring when classic mode is booted. Can you help?
I’ve been thinking about this for a while now, and I’ve come to the conclusion that Macs are contributing to the moral decay of America.
2002 – The G4 has finally reached the 1 GHz mark. This comes even as chips from Intel and AMD surpass the 2 GHz level. Will Apple ever catch up, let alone surpass its PC counterparts in MHz? The answer may lie in revisiting a decision made over eight years ago.
It all started with the keynote. The lucky few who were there, the invitees in the stores and the streaming video downloaders all knew…
Luddite Mac is a somewhat tongue-in-cheek celebration of vintage Macs — and even Apple IIs. The point we always try to make at Low End Mac is that until it dies no computer is ever less capable than it was when you bought it, so try to make the most of it. Our other focus […]
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March 2002
2002 – I had a couple more thoughts plus some email regarding my comments about AppleWorks last week, and thought I’d share them with you.
I didn’t always shun Microsoft software. Indeed, for half of my decade as a Mac user, Microsoft Word (first version 4, then version 5.1) was the application I used most in those pre-Internet years.
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February 2002
2002 – Here are four free (not shareware) programs you might find handy when teaching math, physical science, astronomy, or biology. Everything works under Mac OS X either natively or in Classic Mode except as noted. Enjoy! Graphing Calculator original Mac calculator OS X calculator If it weren’t for Graphing Calculator, the only option open to […]
With the second generation (2G) iPod, Apple replaced the rotating scrollwheel with a touch-based one, replaced the 1G 10 GB iPod, and added a 20 GB model capable of storing 4,000 songs. Apple retained the 5 GB 1G iPod as its entry-level model. Visually, the 1G and 2G iPods look the same. Only the scrollwheel […]
2002 – I’ve spend a few more days working in and out of Mac OS X 10.1 Puma. I sometimes ask myself why I’m doing this. It is just to be on the cutting edge, just so I can be familiar with OS X, just to attract readers (you seem to love articles about OS X), or for […]
2002 – One of the things that limits the ability of semiconductor manufacturers to make large chips is the nature of optics.
2002: Is it just me, or is Apple making waves with its latest round of products? It seems every time I turn to Wired there’s an Apple story somewhere on the main page.
2002 – Let me be right up front and state that it’s going to be a while before I stop booting into Mac OS 9.x to get my work done. I’ve developed habits that depend on classic Mac features like a series of popup windows at the bottom of my screen and being able to […]
I’ve been using ramBunctious for years and have mentioned it several times in my writing, but I never got around to writing a review until now. Why now? Because as I migrate to Mac OS X, I have to leave ramBunctious behind. I will miss it – a lot.
2002: As noted elsewhere today, I’ve been using ramBunctious, a classic Mac OS RAM Disk program, for years. Although it works in Classic Mode under Mac OS X, the RAM disks it creates are inaccessible to OS X, so I’ve retired a real workhorse program.
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January 2002
2002 – I obtained my first full copy of Mac OS X on Wednesday afternoon. I’ve got a second copy on order, since I know I’ll be migrating my TiBook and want to have a legal second copy for all my testing.
My first Mac wasn’t even mine, but it had a sufficient impact on me that I never forgot it. That, I figure, is much the same thing.
2002 – Many new (and some longtime) Mac users have never heard of SyQuest. If that’s you, you’re in for a shock. There is a very fast, cheap removable storage medium that can store tons of your data.
Apple first hit the 1 GHz mark in January 2002 – and doubled 1 GHz G4 performance with a dual-processor model. Although these look like the earlier Quicksilvermodel, they run 800 MHz, 933 MHz, and dual 1 GHz G4 processors. These were the first Macs to officially support hard drives over 128 GB on the built-in […]
2002 – My students sometimes joke with me that if they don’t say they like Macs, I’ll ruin their grades. Of course, I wouldn’t ever make my computing preference a factor in a grade; other than the fact students must complete assignments on a computer, I’m not so narrow-minded (or unethical) as to do such […]
For months now, the Beige Power Mac G3 has been the most popular profile on Low End Mac, indicating to us that it’s the hottest low-end Mac out there. We recently rated it a Low End Mac Best Buy – but with reservations if you plan to run Mac OS X.
Like many of you out there, I had been salivating over Mac OS X since it arrived last year. There was one small issue: I was using a Umax SuperMac S900, and 604e support was less than forthcoming from Apple, so unless there was a new Apple G3 or G4 machine in my future, I was […]
2002 – This is the first on an ongoing series as Low End Mac prepares for and jumps into the world of Mac OS X. Unlike others who submit articles for 10 Forward, I haven’t used 10.1 yet, but I’m preparing to.
2002 – Could it be that Apple is undergoing a radical mutation and growing a new backbone?
Macworld San Francisco 2002 has come and gone, and the new flat-panel iMac has finally arrived. The iWalk was shown to be a Photoshop daydream, and the 1.0+ GHz Power Macs predicted by the rumor sites are still in the future.
Apple addressed perhaps the biggest objection to the otherwise nearly perfect iBook by introducing one with a 14″ screen at the January 2002 Macworld Expo in San Francisco – all in a package just a pound heavier than the 12″ iBook. The larger screen doesn’t have any more pixels, but the pixels are bigger, making […]
The 2002 iMac is definitely different with its 10.5″ hemispherical base and 15″ flat panel display. Definitely different. Steve Jobs says the design was inspired by a sunflower. All three versions feature a G4 processor and can burn CDs. The less expensive models have a 700 MHz G4, and the middle of the line has […]
