Getting the Most from Your Older Mac

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 […]

Going Ten, Part 3: Progressing Slowly

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 […]

Why OS X Doesn’t Need a RAM Disk

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.

Why Microsoft’s .NET Is .Not for Me

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 […]

Beige Power Mac G3 Benchmarks

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.

Going Ten, Step 1: Preparation

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.

Good Surveys and Bad Surveys

I get some interesting letters about the Best of the Mac Web survey each time I run it. I suspect I’ll get more about the Rest of the Mac Web survey we’re launching today. Let’s look at some of the common threads:

Tanzania and Tanzania II Motherboards

The Tanzania motherboard was introduced in October 1996 and supports PowerPC 603e and 604e processors on a 40 MHz system bus. This motherboard was used in the Power Mac 4400, Motorola StarMax 3000 and 4000, Power Computing PowerCurve and PowerBase, and Umax SuperMac C500 and C600, as well as some lesser known clones.

Service and Freedom

In light of last week’s events and a lifetime of watching kids grow up in America, on Monday I suggested the time is right for mandatory national service when each American turns 18.

9-11: The New ‘Normal’

Change is the only constant. Last Tuesday’s terrorist attacks on the Pentagon and World Trade Center are changing everything for the United States and the world. Things are getting back to normal – but only because normal has moved. This Monday is very different from last Monday.

Class Act, Mac Web

At about 8:45 a.m. on Tuesday, September 11, 2001, a hijacked airliner smashed into one tower of the World Trade Center. Within two hours both towers had been hit and become piles of rubble. A third airplane caused massive damage to the Pentagon, and a fourth hijacked plane crashed in rural Pennsylvania.

9-11: More Questions than Answers

Was it just a coincidence that the terrorist attack on America took place on 9-11 – the phone number we dial in an emergency? Or was it only a coincidence that the attack took place on the first day of celebration of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year? Again, maybe the perpetrators just wanted to […]

Uncluttered Organization

Nothing is more annoying that a cluttered desktop. It is nice to create aliases to your favorite applications and files, but it is not very nice to have them all over your desktop. Just like for a real desk, a cluttered computer desktop can be less functional and can distract you from your work.

Abandonware and Copyright

Yesterday we took a strong line against pirated MP3s, warez, and other copyright violation. We received some excellent feedback, particularly with respect to discontinued or abandoned software.

SETI@home: Team 6100

2001 – Team 6100 has 18 members and has completed 301 work units since May 2, 2000. Over the last dozen work units, we are averaging 111 hours, 42 minutes. The total contribution of Team 6100 is 3.68 years of CPU time.

Not Franchising Apple Stores

McDonald’s, Burger King, Subway, and a host of other businesses successfully sell franchises around the country – and sometimes around the world. Last week John Scheeser proposed Apple do the same thing with its retail store in an article published on The Mac Mind.

LapBottom ‘Book Cooler, CMS PC Card Hard Drive, PowerBook Hoods, and More

2001-07-27: LapBottom keeps ‘Books cooler. PC Card drive from CMS. PowerBook hoods. More ‘Book news. Willow i/Ti Slipcases Ease Slip-Sliding Away The LapBottom CMS Launches Mac Support with Pocket and PC-Card Hard Drives New PowerBook G4 Sleeve from J.R. Hill and Company Hoodman PowerBook Hoods Reconditioned PowerBooks Apple Is Honoring Both PowerBook Sales Promotions Bargain […]

MacWorld Expo, New iBook and TiBook Bags, PowerBook Upgrade Center, and More

2001-07-20: Macworld Expo report. New iBook and TiBook bags. PowerBook upgrade center. More ‘Book news. Macworld Expo Spire Introduces the Icon Backpack for TiBook and iBook Dr. Bott LLC Has iceBook Bags for iBook Tom Bihn BrainBag MadsonLine G4 Saver SmartDisk Introduces 8x FireWire Portable CD-R/W and FireWire Portable Thin Drive Designed to Match PowerBook […]

Brenthaven Cases at Apple Store, Micro USB Flash Drive, OS 8 for $22, and More.

2001-07-13: Apple Store selling Brenthaven cases. Tiny KangururMicro USB flash drive. Get OS 8 for $22. More ‘Book news. Brenthaven ‘Book Cases at Apple Store MacCase and MacPacks on Special at Jam Online Store Interactive Media Corporation USB Flash KanguruMicro Drive My Replacement WallStreet Power Adapter Is on Its Way A Really Expensive PowerBook Hinge […]

DSL Diary

Monday, July 9, 2001: I finally got DSL up and running over the weekend. It’s been a long story that started last summer when EarthLink announced DSL service for Grand Rapids (MI). I put my name on the waiting list – and waited and waited and waited.

Apple Okays Field Repair of TiBook and iBook, WallStreet Hinge Repair Page, and More

2001-07-06: Newest ‘Books now okay for non-Apple warranty repair. WallStreet hinge repair page. $100 FireWire/USB enclosure. More ‘Book news. Apple Reauthorizes Apple Specialist Servicing of PowerBooks WallStreet Hinge Repair Page Posted Kensington TripleTreks FlapOver PowerBook Case at Small Dog SK 2.5 FireWire/USB Combo Enclosure for $99.99 VST 3 GB FireWire Drive for $100 Cool, Homemade TiCase […]

Memory Card Speed Matters

2001: All CompactFlash cards are not created equal. Just as some hard drives and CD-ROMs are much faster than others, some memory cards are faster than others.

Thoughts on SiliconFilm

2001: I’m a 35mm photographer from way back. Much as I’d love a digital camera that takes my Nikon lenses, until now they’ve been preposterously expensive. So I use a wonderful little Canon PowerShot A50 for digital shots and my Nikon N6006 when I want more control.

Video CD Reconsidered

2001: About a year ago I discovered Video CD (VCD), a low cost, low tech alternative to DVDs. In Is Video CD a Real Alternative to DVD?, I looked at the quality of VCD and found quite quite a bit of variance. The best offer the same quality as a top notch videotape and may […]