The Blue and White
PowerMac G3 is now seen as a relic of the early iMac age, when
semi-translucent plastics in various colors where hip and putting the
letter i in front of product name implied it was technologically
advanced
After seven years, can this engineering marvel still be useful as an
everyday machine?
The short answer is yes.
Before I elaborate on my conclusion, let me describe how the company
I work for is organized. We have roughly 100 computers: all but three
are running some version of Windows (98% NT Based), and the remaining
three are Unix based (Macs included).
All of these access one file server, one Microsoft Exchange (email)
server, and one SQL database server. The entire network is laced
together by a series of three HP 10/100/1000 (gigabit) ethernet
switches, a Cisco firewall, and two Linksys wireless routers (soon to
be replaced, since they do a sub-par job).
The primary purpose of all these machines varies widely. Some
function as office machines, some run CAD software, and others are
controllers for larger manufacturing machines.
The Problem
Our problem was simple: What was the easiest way to manage all of
these computers from one central location without the threat of viruses
and spyware commonly associated with Windows PCs?
The simple answer was to use my PowerBook. However, since it's my
main computer, I needed a constant presence and a way to have access to
my systems even if called to a remote office in another building.
Enter my trusty old Blue and White 300 MHz G3.
At the time of its
launch, the G3 Power Mac was one of the fastest machines on the planet,
a feature that was matched only by its beautiful and practical case
design. A successor to the beige G3 Power Macs, the Blue and White did
away with onboard SCSI, Apple's RS-422 serial ports, and the floppy
drive. It was the first computer to include FireWire, along with two
USB ports and a legacy ADB keyboard/mouse connector.
I was about to sell this machine or donate it to a school, since its
original purpose as a video editing machine had ended when I purchased
the G4 PowerBook, but I kept having second thoughts about parting with
this gorgeous machine.
I had even been asked by an acquaintance if I could turn the it into
a Windows PC, an offer I was disgusted by and refused, since doing so
would be almost blasphemous.
The Solution
Then I decided that my office would be the best place for this
classic Power Mac, and it would serve as a companion to my
PowerBook.
Over the years I had made several modifications to the system's
hardware: Its 300 MHz PPC 750 CPU was overclocked to 400 MHz with no
problems, memory was boosted to 768 MB, and it's gone through many hard
drives in the past few years. Its final configuration is a 20 GB 7200
rpm Western Digital Caviar, more than enough given its task.
System software was my next concern. This machine had been quite
unstable under OS X 10.3.x, for reasons unknown, but it functions
flawlessly in OS X 10.4.3, so the choice was obvious.
Next I needed remote access software that would function in
conjunction with the Cisco VPN (virtual private network) we had at
work, and that would allow me to control Windows PCs, and vise
versa.
The only option I found was Timbuktu Pro by
Netopia. This software is nothing short of spectacular, allowing me
access any computer on the local and virtual network with ease, even
with my Dell tower back at home.
Next I needed a good FTP program, and I was divided between Captain
FTP and Rumpus FTP by Maxum.
I liked Captains' interface and overall features, but I had problems
connecting with Windows XP in some cases, so I had to go with the
latter.
I also wanted the B&W to download email from all our major
accounts on our Exchange Server and be able to delete any virus
infected messages that the server didn't screen. For this I needed
Microsoft Entourage 2004.
Until now, I had used Apple Mail included with OS X Tiger, but
I've switched to
Microsoft Entourage with overall satisfaction. I've noticed a
dramatic increase of spam filtering in Entourage compared to Mail,
although its calendar appears to be incompatible with Microsoft Outlook
2003's calendar at the moment.
Conclusion
It's been about a week that I've had this configuration running, and
it hasn't let me down yet. The Blue and White can't compete with a
$3,000 Power Mac G5, but it performs its job with little or no slow
down, if you bear in mind its hardware limitations.
The next step is going to be adding a CD-RW drive (preferably
internal) and possibly upgrade its CPU to a G4.
I haven't been able to find good network monitoring software,
although I confess that I haven't been looking too hard at this
point.
Overall, it's an adequate machine for the office and a good
supplement for my PowerBook G4. The Blue and White G3 is a great buy
for any Macintosh aficionado. 
