Getting the Most Value from Your Mac
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The mission of Low End Macis
helping users get the most value from their Macs and Mac clones.
We're not concerned with having the fastest, most tweaked out
computer possible. We're not concerned with keeping ancient Macs in
use long after they've become bottlenecks. We are concerned with
value: getting the most use from your hardware for the
money, whether that means an upgrade or a newer Mac.
This site covers everything from the Lisa to the latest Macs --
because sooner or later, every Mac becomes low end. Due to our
focus on value, the primary focus of Low End Mac is older
models.
For the benefit of low-end users, this site uses no frames, no
Java, no sound, no QuickTime movies, no PNGs - just text, tables,
GIFs, JPEGs, and a little Javascript for our subscription system.
For best viewing, your browser cache should be on.
Site History
I began Low End Mac in April 1997 as a way to keep track
of the older Macs I had to support at work. (That was the year we
finally began retiring Macs - by selling our beige Mac Plus with a GCC HyperDrive to one of
our employees. Although the drive has since expired, "Blitz" is
still running.)
Originally called The New Low End Mac User and served on
my personal Internet account at iserv.net, Low End Mac joined the
MacTimes Network in November 1997. There it grew tenfold in
popularity. During our months with MacTimes, we also created the
iMac Channel, MacInSchool, and a lot of other content which would
later be integrate with LEM.
In February 1999, we moved to the lowendmac.com domain as
one of the few Mac-related sites served on a Macintosh computer.
The Power Mac G3 server was capably managed by Innovative
Technologies.
At the end of March 1999, Low End Mac severed its relationship
with MacTimes. We joined the infiniMedia Network in May 1999,
moving to their server. Although it was a bit of a disappointment
no longer being served on Mac hardware, the simple fact is that
their Unix server was much faster.
Low End Mac is currently hosted by BackBeat Media, who also
handles our ads. The site is running on Apache (Web server
software) on the Linux operating system.
Personal Mac History
For several years, I worked as information systems manager for
Baker Book House. Baker used Macs for over a decade and had a
network of about over 90 when I left in January 2001. Since then,
I've been working full time for Cobweb Publishing, Inc., the
company I formed to publish Low End Mac and my other Web
projects.
I've been working with Macs since 1986, began selling them in
1987, and got my first Mac (a Plus) in 1990 or 1991. Owning that
Mac converted me from being a DOS geek and put me on the path to
becoming a Mac guru.
Not only do we have a lot of older Macs at work, but I've
acquired a collection of low end
Macs for home and personal use as well. At home we have a Plus,
SE, Mac II, IIcx, IIsi, IIci, IIfx, PowerBook 150, LC, LC II, Color
Classic, Centris 610, Centris 660av, Quadra 950, Radius 81/110,
SuperMac J700, SuperMac S900, iBook, and PowerBook G4, among
others. They're all over the house, and many are connected with
ethernet.
My Mac II, built in 1988, has 8 MB
RAM, a 160 MB hard drive, and an ethernet card. It functioned day
in and day out as a personal web server (running NetPresenz) and
mail list manager (running Macjordomo) for my reformed.net domain for several months.
(The site was subsequently hosted on a Mac
IIfx, and later moved to a Quadra
650.)
In 2000, I reacquired my first Mac - a platinum Plus with a 16 MHz Brainstorm upgrade, 4 MB RAM, an
external 800 KB floppy, and a wicked fast, rock solid Microtech
hard drive with a 40 MB Quantum mechanism (well, it was wicked fast
when I bought it) - from its third owner. I even have a genuine
Apple carrying case: black with a stitched Apple logo. Except for
the drive being dead, everything works just fine.
For fun, I've obtained a Portable, a IIfx, Centris 660av, and
lots of other vintage Macs and started a personal collection, the
Low End Mac Computer Museum
(donations gladly accepted).
Interviews with Dan Knight, publisher
Recent Content on Low End Mac- What is a 'reconditioned' laptop?, finding Tiger for an iBook, Pismo burning through CPUs, and more, Charles W. Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 02.18.
Where to find a copy of OS X 10.4 for an iBook, 'reconditioned' vs. 'refurbished', Pismo problems, and political discussion on the Mac Web.
- Low End Mac's best iBook G4 deals, Low End Mac Deals, 02.18.
Used 12" 1.07 GHz Combo, $399; 1.2, $500; 1.33, $625; 14" 1.33 GHz SuperDrive, $599; 1.42 GHz, $629.
- Low End Mac's best Intel iMac deals, Low End Mac Deals, 02.18.
Used 17" 1.83 GHz Core Duo, $699; 20" 2.0, $849; refurb 20" 2.0, $1,049; 2.16, $1,099; 24" 2.16 GHz, $1,399; $50-100 rebates on new.
- Low End Mac's best Mac OS X 10.4 'Tiger' deals, Low End Mac Deals, 02.18.
Mac OS X 10.4 'Tiger' upgrade, $75; full version, $121; 5-user family pack, $186; Server (unlimited users) from $400.
- Mac of the Day: Power Mac 6100, March 1994 - the entry-level Power Mac ran at 60 MHz.
- List of the Day: G4 List is for those using Power Mac G4s or G4 upgrades.
- February 20 in LEM history: 99: The appleimac.com dispute - 01: Mac in the middle ages - Introduction to Unix - 02: The Mozilla letters - 03: Prioritized email: Up with the good, out with the bad - Overclocking iMacs and beige G3s - 04: Moving from a Beige G3 to a Blue and White - 06: 3 ways to run Classic on an Intel Mac - Downgrading my Pismo to OS X 10.3.9 - 07: Power Computing history - The Mac dilemma
- Safari 3.1 will be 'crazy fast', OS X 10.5.2 update, 20x SuperDrive from $35, and more, Mac News Review, 02.15.
Also Security Update for Tiger, Graphics Update for Leopard, Mac mini "as powerful as a larger desktop", TechTool Deluxe update, and more.
- Recycle old computers by repurposing them, not retiring them, John Hatchett, Recycled Computing, 02.15.
Old computers, especially Macs, may have a lot of life in them when we're done using them. What if we reused them for those who otherwise would have no acces to computers?
- Reinstall OS X on MacBook Air, going from MacBook to Eee PC, high capacity batteries, and more, The 'Book Review, 02.15.
Also thoughts on the next MacBook Pro, more MacBook Air reviews, updates from Apple, Windows XP almost ready for OLPC, and bargain 'Books from $170 to $2,599.
- Installing Ruby on Rails and PostgreSQL on Leopard, Keith Winston, Linux to Mac, 02.15.
The combination of Ruby on Rails and PostgreSQL is a powerful and popular development environment. Here's how to get both running under Mac OS X 10.5.
- Software to remotely control and reboot your Mac, Adam Rosen, Adam's Apple, 02.15.
Commercial software to control your Mac over a network or the Internet. Also how to restart a remote Mac.
- Low End Mac's best MacBook deals, Low End Mac Deals, 02.15.
Refurb 2.0 GHz Core Duo, $79; Core2, $899; Santa Rosa, $949; new, $1,019 after rebate; 2.16 black, $1,300; 2.2 white, $1,219 a/r; black, $1,394 a/r.
- Consumers worldwide flock to iPhone, portable iPhone dpeakers, Bruce Lee cases, and more, iNews Review, 02.15.
Also software that lets your iPhone or iPod touch remote control your Mac, translation software, iPod-to-Mac music copying, and more.
- Low End Mac's best Power Mac G5 deals, Low End Mac Deals, 02.15.
Used 1.6 GHz single, $675; 1.8 dual, $780, 2.0, $1,019; 2.3, $1,299; 2.5, $1,350; 2.7, $1,600; 2.5 Quad, $1,750.
- Falling in love with Mac OS X, Germán Rotondo, My Turn, 02.14.
Helping a friend get an iMac up and running was the author's first exposure to Macs. Today he only wishes he'd discovered Mac OS X sooner.
- Low End Mac's best iBook G3 deals, Low End Mac Deals, 02.14.
Used 300 MHz CD, $100; 366, $269; 500, $169; 600, $220; 800, $250; 600 CD-RW, $240; 700 Combo, $330; 14" 600, $300; 900, $370; more.
- Apple a pro at building buzz for new products, Frank Fox, Stop the Noiz, 02.14.
The recent introduction of the MacBook Air is just one example of how the whole world is paying attention to what Apple is doing.
- Low End Mac's best classic iPod deals, Low End Mac Deals, 02.14.
Used 10 GB iPod, $71; 15, $81; 20, $105; 30, $95; video, $140; 60, $189; refurb 30 video, $159; 80, $189; new classic 80, $237; 160, $329.
- Low End Mac's best Power Mac G3 deals, Low End Mac Deals, 02.14.
Used beige G3/233 MHz all-in-one, $50; 300 MHz desktop, $50; blue & white G3/300, $80; 350, $120; 400, $150; 450, $165.
- More links in our archive.
Entire Low End Mac website copyright
©1997-2008 by Cobweb
Publishing, Inc., unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.
Advice presented in good faith, but what works for one may not work
for all. Please report errors to
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Low End Mac is an independent
publication and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise
approved by Apple Inc. Apple, the Apple logo, Macintosh,
iBook, iMac, eMac, iPod, PowerBook, MacBook, Mac Pro, Apple TV,
and AirPort are registered trademarks of
Apple Inc. Additional company and product names may
be trademarks or registered trademarks and are hereby acknowledged.
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