Old acquisition, but nearing their day.

[directive0]

I was told to clean out our office storage locker and I came upon these beauties from days gone past. I actually got these around January but they have been sitting around while I make a decision regarding which one to keep.



Mac Classic

Mac Classic II

Mac Se/30

Mac Plus.

Not sure if the plus and Classic work, but the Classic II boots into system 7.1 and the SE/30 is a simasimac.

I can only keep one. If I get it working I'm thinking the SE/30 is the one worth holding onto.





I will get some pics of the screen tonight, but without opening her up I won't know too much about what she needs.





Whats your advice folks, of the bunch which is worth keeping?

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

If the Classic is stock and on the list be fixed, I've got the RAM module and an extra MoBo for you. Untested, pulled from a Rainy Day CurbSnatch made about ten years ago. To you they'd be a free for the cost of shipping deal for this project.

If it can't be fixed, I have a home for the shell cables, A/B etc. If the Plus is DOA, I could use an extra A/B and MoBo for the attempts in reviving one of mine. [] ]'>

I guess the upgradeable SE/30 is most worth the effort to keep, though it's the ugliest of the three case types, IMHO. The Classic II would be my nominee as a Classic Mac Keeper. Anything a maxed out (very expensive project, that) SE/30 can do, you'd be far better off with a IIfx or even a IIx as a MacToy. I lost my SE/30 in the Great Storage Room Tragedy, bit I've felt no real desire to find a replacement, despite having collected several nice cards for it along the way. Those are for the recently acquired IIsi now.

 

[directive0]

Yeah to be honest, the classic holds little to no interest to me. I could probably do with parting it out. |)

I will check the Plus, but its up there on my list if it works. :approve:

 

[krye]

You keep them all. It's as simple as that!

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

I will check the Plus, but its up there on my list if it works. :approve:

Agreed, that'd be my second choice as a keeper. Is the Classic II the most rare of the three? That's a major consideration as well.

Have you got the KBD/Mouse for the Plus? That'd be a another major consideration for me. I bought a second Plus at a flea market, two years ago to the day, just to get the KBD/Mouse for my project ('030 upgraded) 128k/Plus. The AppleCD SC and 20SC I nabbed along with it were only minor considerations at the time. [] ]'> Availability of a ZFP HDD would be the third, though not a major, consideration when it comes to keeping the Plus.

The Classic II you can KV(sans)M with any combo of ADB Macs for MacToyTime. :approve:

I'd fix and sell the SE/30 just for the practice and to get some upgrade money for the keeper.

 

[directive0]

Is the Classic II really a good find? It runs well, boots up with no problems and seems to have full functionality. I'd like to open it up and replace the caps just to keep it going long term but maybe I'll just get rid of it as is, save myself the time. Its a cross between having a historical important collection piece (somewhat unimportant to me) and having a piece that will be a little more capable long term (more important).

The SE/30 is on the block for recapping and battery replacement. I think I'd be more inclined to keep it if I could get it on the network with a NUBUS enet card. We'll see. I opened it up recently and it looked good, but I'd like to get some alcohol and give the board a good soak in it to remove any residue and dirt before I really go to town with a solder iron.

Sadly I cannot keep them all...between the two, which do you recommend I keep (assuming the SE/X will work?)

 

[beachycove]

Don't chuck them all out, as I could trade you something for that Classic II....

I have one but am looking for a better example — or at least a replacement front bezel.

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

One of the least desirable of the PDS EtherNet Cards for the /30 went for something like $60 on eBay very recently. They rarely come up for auction, mostly being available for much higher priced Buy It Now deals. The internal HDD of the Classics would be another major consideration in the Plus/Classic conundrum.

The 8MB upper limit on the Classics make them far more useful as MacToys than all the 68000 compacts except for the PDS equipped SE. But that's as ugly a case design as its lookalike SE/30 offspring. The 128/512k/Plus in Snow White form and the Classic Snow White/Espresso design language blend are far superior to the SE twins to my graphic designer/artist/sculptor's eye. The SE was the cat's meow in terms of design when it was new and I used mine daily. However, time has treated the Classic's lines well and the original CompactClunkiness of the Plus will remain iconic design for all time.

As I said, it'd be Classic II for me, with the Plus as runner-up. That's just my opinion based upon considerations of design, possible rarity, usefulness at a reasonable price point and shared peripheral convenience on a KVM.

 

[directive0]

You guys have me thinking now. Hmmmm... :b&w: or :beige:

I wont chuck any of them, but I am considering donating the ones I can't find liberators to the http://www.pcmuseum.ca

 

[tt]

The 8MB upper limit on the Classics make them far more useful as MacToys than all the 68000 compacts except for the PDS equipped SE.

Classic max RAM: 4MB

Classic II max RAM: 10MB

The 128/512k/Plus in Snow White form and the Classic Snow White/Espresso design language blend are far superior to the SE twins to my graphic designer/artist/sculptor's eye.

Argumentum ad verecundiam!

Just pointing out the reasons for choosing one over another is subjective and also depend on what you are planning to do with the machine. People will find desirability in one or all those models for all kinds of reasons. I would suggest spending some time reading articles (maybe LEM?) about the machines and choose from there. If you decide to part with some of them, please consider listing them in the trading post before disposing of them. :b&w:

Edit: Donating them is cool too!

 

[directive0]

The peeps here who have been so helpful to me will get first dibs if possible, whatever I do.

 

[LCGuy]

If you can fix it, SE/30 definitely gets my vote. Failing that, the Plus.

By the way - am I the only one here who happens to actually *like* the SE/30 case design?

 

[Cosmo]

I like the SE/30 case design! Reminds of desktop 68k-models because of those stripes.

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

I loved the SE/SE/30 case design when it was new as well. The SE case design fit in wonderfully with the Mac II with which it was released. Apple was going for a "Power" look at the time. But now I prefer the transitional design language blend of the Classics. They fit right in between the the 128/512k/Plus and an LC475 or a IIsi with a 'zaBoxTopper or the Portrait Display.

OOPSIE!!!!!! :I Thanks for that correction, Cosmo. I was thinking 4/4 with the upgrade card, I forgot all about the 1/3 & 8MHz RoadApple aspects of the Classic, all I was thinking about was the need for the upgrade card. But the Classic is in bad shape and and out of the running per the OP. The 10 MB ceiling makes the Classic II even more desirable as the "keeper" from this quartet for me. The 16 MHz '030 is a drawback along with the limited bus width, but for 1k$, what could you expect from the Apple of that period? 68000 correctness would be preferable to me, but the Classic II still rings true for me in this keeper conundrum.

These are all just my opinions of course, I'm no authority, which is why I listed the pros and cons for myself.

I was expecting rebuttal from the SE/30 contingent, as well as the HobbitMac gang. ;D

 

[Brett B.]

My vote is on the SE/30, the Plus a distant second. This is purely from a functionality and usability standpoint - the Classic and Classic II are like the bottom of the barrel, bought by the billions by K12 schools and shipped out to China on pallets. The SE/30 is obviously the superior machine by far and the Plus is just so hard to find these days.

 

[tt]

Sounds like the OP is not really interested in the Classic. I'm thinking the Classic II and SE/30 are sort of tied for first place. It would come down to desire to expand, aesthetics, ease of repair/maintenance, perceived future value (if that's important). Some people like to just have a basic stock system and/or try to squeeze out performance in a minimal way, while others like to find upgrades/tweaks and max out their machines. If you decide on the Classic II you might want to keep the Classic around for spare parts if it is working. It's probably a little easier to find ADB peripherals which might be important (Mac Plus lacks ADB). The Mac Plus seems to not get as much love in general since it is in the middle of the compact product line-up and one of the most common models.

I like the SE/30 case design! Reminds of desktop 68k-models because of those stripes.

+1 :b&w:

 

[Trash80toHP_Mini]

:lol: Bret, you know how hard it is to get an SE/30 up and running, just on a NetWork, much less fill it with the really rare goodie$! [] ]'>

tt, my thinking almost exactly, but for the addictive call of Card Collecting for the SE/30 . . . CA$HCHING!!!!!!!! 8-o

 

[Brett B.]

:lol: Bret, you know how hard it is to get an SE/30 up and running, just on a NetWork, much less fill it with the really rare goodie$! [] ]'>
tt, my thinking almost exactly, but for the addictive call of Card Collecting for the SE/30 . . . CA$HCHING!!!!!!!! 8-o

You're absolutely right, it took me about 10 years and a LOT of effort trading stuff around just to get my SE/30...then logic board recap, etc just to make it work...I guess it was always "that spot" in my collection that couldn't be filled with anything else, except maybe a Color Classic.

 

[tt]

tt, my thinking almost exactly, but for the addictive call of Card Collecting for the SE/30 . . . CA$HCHING!!!!!!!! 8-o

...and time searching!...there should be a disclaimer in the machine description at LEM.

...the Classic and Classic II are like the bottom of the barrel, bought by the billions by K12 schools and shipped out to China on pallets.

I didn't think the Classic II was that common. :?: