Greatest Tip Shop score EVER!!!!!!!!! Sage iMac DV+!!!

[Scott Baret]

I have a 400MHz iMac (in Indigo) and run OS 9.1 on it. Of course, I don't do any web surfing on it, and am content to use it with iMovie 2 (got it mainly to do smaller video jobs and maybe down the line some word processing). Plus, I value performance over compatibility sometimes with old machines--it's why I run 9.1 on my iBook and System 6 on my maxed-out Classic (and Snow Leopard over regular Leopard on my MacBook--even if I did lose floppy drive support, which matters only to us in the .001% of the Mac population that needs them to move files to and from vintage Macs).

I think as more and more of the iMac G3s become recognized as vintage/hobby computers and the mainstream web passes up their capabilities, the debate over running 9 or X will become a question of either performance/compatibility or nostalgia, much like System 6/System 7 is with our 680x0s.

 

[Mars478]

My choice on the G3 iMacs would be:

Slotloaders: OSX

TrayLoaders: 9

 

[H3NRY]

Awww, man. That Goodwill maintains a museum. Guess where all the really good vintage stuff goes.

Yeh, but they have more S-100 and pre-1980 stuff than they can display or store already. The newest item they have is a 20th Aniv. Mac, the next newest is an original NeXT cube. They look on G4s as low-end systems for resale, or scrap. At one point they had 30 iMac G3s out for $10, and when they didn't move they were scrapped (except for the pick of the litter I took home and fixed up). There are a few jewels in with the 250 tons of Dells and HPs that pass through every week. It's a good place to find 512MB PC133 RAM, or G4 upgrades. This week the Apple items that caught my eye were a Quicktake 150 and a Snow Airport Base Station at $20 ea. I already have one of each, so I resisted. The oldies corner this week had an Amiga 1000, a TI-99/4, and a Woz edition GS for sale.

I run Tiger 10.4.11 on my 500 MHz slot loader, and it handles it nicely.

 

[LCGuy]

Well scored there LCGuy! Getting the machine over 512MB will make a big difference in OS X - but it should still run adequately. And they make great DVD players, especially with those lovely HK speakers.
If you have a subwoofer of some kind, you can run both together - either plug in the sub and then reactivate the speakers in the Sound control panel/prefpane, or gently plug the 3.5mm socket for the sub half way into the headphone socket - you should be able to get signal without switching the speakers off.

As much as I'd love to take it up to say, a gig...I can't imagine being able to find 2 512MB PC133 sticks around here for anywhere near a price that I'd want to pay.

And thanks for the tip about the sub...what I'd really love to do though is get my hands on an iSub, I heard one once, many years ago....just beautiful. Pretty much no chance of getting one around these parts though.

 

[redrouteone]

Austin's Goodwill Compter Works is excellent, and there are several other computer recycle / resale operations, as you'd expect in a university town.

What are some of the other good computer resale shops in Austin? I've found Goodwill Computer Works and Discount Electronics.

Discount Electronics isn't bad if you are looking for newer stuff. Though I am in the market for the more esoteric stuff. I've found Best Byte computers over of Lamar and Braker. They have a lot of old PC parts there and I've bought a few things from them. Found a really nice Enwin desktop case there for $25.

 

[Mars478]

Another note, I use tiger as my OS of choice on my 350MMHZ Slotloader and 'tis is fine.

 

[Bunsen]

As much as I'd love to take it up to say, a gig...I can't imagine being able to find 2 512MB PC133 sticks around here for anywhere near a price that I'd want to pay.

Are you allowed to use ebay yet? I've seen them for $15 plus postage, and even one would make a noticeable difference.

 

[LCGuy]

Basically, I am, but I'm not. Like, I can use it, but I have to put up with my parents telling me about how Tracy Grimshaw or whoever the hell it is that does A Current Affair these days says that everyone gets ripped off on eBay....which is really more trouble than its worth. Unfortunately thats what happens when your parents are stuck in the dark ages and refuse to have anything to do with one of those newfangled "intarweb" thingies.

 

[MultiFinder]

Tiger runs like a peach on my 600MHz slotloader. Just throwing that out there

Nice score by the way! I've fallen in love with my iMac in the short time I've had it thus far - it's quite the computer!

 

[LCGuy]

Yeah, I've since loaded it up on my machine, and I'll agree, it runs beautifully. I've even installed my copy of iWork '08 on there, and since learnt that "G4/500 required" is merely a suggestion. The iWork apps are a bit slow to launch, but apart from that they actually work rather well. But yeah...I'll agree, even though they're now 10 years old, they still are really quite a nice machine to use.

 

[JRL]

LUCKY! :O :O

The Goodwill here has few computer-related things most of the time, but there was one time where I went there, and they had probably 20-30 computers in total. Only Mac there was a PB 170, which I picked up.

-J

 

[niccyb]

Nice score! I got my original beige plus from a Lyons club (junk) store a while back. $5 with a keyboard and mouse. Even though it's power unit has since failed, it's still being the parts donor to my pet Platinum plus . I remember seeing a 500mhz indigo the same shop once for 15 bucks. I thought I'd come back later that day and grab it up when i had the cash on hand but before I could come back fate took hold - it was sold just as I was coming into the store. I saw the guy walk out with it... xx(