Thread
My own personal, weak, retrochallenge
For the next couple of weeks, I really need to get focused on school, what with final and AP exams coming up in the next few weeks. I've decided that my Dual 500MHz G4 provides me with FAR too many distractions, so I'm abandoning it for the next few weeks and am going to use my Power Macintosh 6500/225 running OS 9.1 as my main grinder. It's a HUGE step down from the G4, and a big jump for me. Luckily, I stold one of the video cards from the G4 and stuck it in the 6500 to get glorious 1440x900 resolution in OS 9. It's godly 
So, this is my challenge. I'm gonna be using the 6500 until further notice. It's already taken the spot on my desk reserved for my main computer.
Whaddya think? Pretty pathetic, no?
So, this is my challenge. I'm gonna be using the 6500 until further notice. It's already taken the spot on my desk reserved for my main computer.
Whaddya think? Pretty pathetic, no?
Sounds fairly sensible to me... of course a Mac Plus running System 6 would be even less of a distraction ;-)Whaddya think? Pretty pathetic, no?
Sounds like a decent retrochallenge given that you will be using a system that would have been typical at the end of the 1990's, which was quite a tim long ago now. I am sure that there are some people who still use systems as their main machines; I know of someone who uses a 4400 with OS 9 at his work every day!
i sold my g4, so im gonna be using a dell latitude as my main laptop, and my umax c500 as my main mac.
Yeah, this thing's gonna be celebrating its 10th birthday in about a month. It's a decent little Mac. It'll be even better once I get the RAM that I ordered for it in the mail and figure out where I can download QuickTime 6...
But yeah, I mainly picked this machine to fall back on because it's my only Mac (besides my G4) that has a full office suite (which I need for school) as well as an ethernet internet connection. I can't wait for that RAM to come. Maybe, I won't even want my G4 back! lol No. But so far, it's been a pretty good little main grinder.
Of course you don't want your G4 back - why would you want that heap of junk when you can have the beauty of OS9 on a real Classic Mac? No, you want to make some space in your room where that thing is sitting - just pop it in a box and send it over to me and you'll never have to see the silly thing ever again. Really, I'm doing you a favour by offering to take it off your hands - you'd never get shot of it otherwise
MultiFinder: I had the same dilemma. Just go to the (assuming you have some version of QT already on it) help menu and select "Update Existing Software" worked for me..
UPDATE: I am awaiting the delivery of a 64 meg stick of RAM for the 6500. As of right now, it has 32 megs. Since much of my schoolwork that I'm doing focuses on internet research, I really need a computer that is competent on the internet for the time. I assume that some more RAM will help that situation.
Until the RAM comes, I'm on my G4. However, whenever it decides to show up (I ordered it Sunday, so hopefully it will be here any day now), the 6500 will go right back to being my primary machine again.
I'll report back when such a thing happens. BTW, I really do like that 6500! For the day or so that it was my main, it was nice (except online).
P.S.: Thanks Patrickool93! I'll have to try that!
Until the RAM comes, I'm on my G4. However, whenever it decides to show up (I ordered it Sunday, so hopefully it will be here any day now), the 6500 will go right back to being my primary machine again.
I'll report back when such a thing happens. BTW, I really do like that 6500! For the day or so that it was my main, it was nice (except online).
P.S.: Thanks Patrickool93! I'll have to try that!
Going back to the original post in this thread: at one point I setup a IIfx with System 6 to deal with crunch time at the university. The lack of multitasking (since I kept Multifinder turned off) was a great help.
Apparently using bizarrely limited technological solutions is common among writers, possibly because their productivity is measured in how many pages they produce. This makes it difficult to fool themselves into believing that 2 hours of browsing at the 68k MLA forums really will make them more productive.
Apparently using bizarrely limited technological solutions is common among writers, possibly because their productivity is measured in how many pages they produce. This makes it difficult to fool themselves into believing that 2 hours of browsing at the 68k MLA forums really will make them more productive.
What a typo! I didn't notice that before posting.
Gah... WeLoveMacs seems to take forever to ship things... I STILL haven't gotten the RAM...
:-/
:-/
I bought a 6500/250 because I liked the case. Little did I realize how overly complicated Apple made these things inside instead of keeping it simple. I'm running 9.1 in it now but I need to get a Comm Slot II ethernet adapter to get it on my network.
Yes, it took a while when I bought RAM.
Well, it took a 9 days, but the RAM's finally here and installed. The 6500 is back to being my main grinder. I still think that OS 9 at 1440x900 is godly
Crikey, my G4 can't run OS9 at that resolution!
Having been using OS9 as my main OS for the past few days, I'm starting to see its limitations. And I actually miss some of the features of OSX, which surprised me.
Having been using OS9 as my main OS for the past few days, I'm starting to see its limitations. And I actually miss some of the features of OSX, which surprised me.
For creative stuff (graphics, music, web design etc...) I pretty much stick with OS 9, though I do miss being able to create zip archives and pdfs without having to launch separate apps... the only thing that _really_ bothers me about OS 9 is that the available browsers are really starting to show their age.
The main thing that I miss from OS X is Exposé. That's such a wonderful feature, and I wish that there were some way to get it for OS 9. Other than that, and some mildly out-of-date browsers, It's not too bad. I wish I had a few more USB ports. I'm used to having 11 on my G4
http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/9657/picture1tj1.jpg
THAT is Mac OS 9.1 at 1440x900. It's amazing. You NEVER run out of room!
try 1920x1440
got it working on a Sony Trinitron Monitor
got it working on a Sony Trinitron Monitor
Yeah well all of my good creative programmes are for OSX. But they're all PowerPC aps, which is annoying.
How the heck do you do that?? I know how to do the PDFs but not zips.
The main things that annoy me about OS9 are the lack of drivers/lack of support for anything new - few of my peripherals work. And yeah, the lack of USB ports is annoying too. Also I miss spotlight and a few of the little interface things like the three buttoned windows (hey, gotta give MS credit where it's due for that one!)
OS9 has still got the good monitor at the moment but I'll see how it goes.
Highlight the item(s) in the finder and then select "Create Archive of xxx" from the File(?) menu... you can also get to it from the "cog" menu in any Finder window. I'm going from memeory, so I might be a little off here...
Edit: looks like that feature came in with 10.3
I've got the second-newest version of Tiger and it doesn't have that.
iCab is still being developed as far as I know. I think that's the only classic one that stands any chance of catching up with the rest of the browser world.
My current desk setup:
http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/9451/desquetl8.jpg
As you can see, the G4 has got the "good" monitor and keyboard and the Tiger machine has been relegated.
Not really a Retrochallenge; just because I hate OS X.
http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/9451/desquetl8.jpg
As you can see, the G4 has got the "good" monitor and keyboard and the Tiger machine has been relegated.
Not really a Retrochallenge; just because I hate OS X.
I wish I had a desk. All my Macs are spread out across the floor. :'(My current desk setup:
http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/9451/desquetl8.jpg
As you can see, the G4 has got the "good" monitor and keyboard and the Tiger machine has been relegated.
Not really a Retrochallenge; just because I hate OS X.
Ah, but I bet your floor is neater than my desque.
Yours doesn't even compare. Where's the pizza boxes? Where's the empty chip bags? Where's the 2 liter soda bottles? Where's the plate of moldy food you're afraid to move because you might be interrupting it's evolution into a higher lifeform?
I reluctantly concede defeat.
Your descriptions are great, they really made me laugh!
Tiger looks somehow wrong on that prehistoric screen you've got there, it looks like the sort of thing you'd expect to see displaying Windows 3.1! And you've seriously got a Colour LaserJet but don't use it? Have you considered giving it to someone who would like to use it? *looks pleadingly at Heebs, but then realises he lives on the other side of the world*Eurrggghh!! :O Someone should set up that "show a photo of your desk/setup etc" topic that we used to have, it's always interesting to see how you all keep your Macs etc - your floor sounds, ummm, interesting...
Actually it looks beautiful on that little screen!! For some reason, a tiny little CRT makes everything look pretty. If you try it you'll see what I mean. OK, it's cramped but it's visually pleasing. I hated the look of Tiger before but now I love it. And yes, that screen was formerly from my only Windows machine which runs '98. I never use that computer so I just nicked its screen.Tiger looks somehow wrong on that prehistoric screen you've got there, it looks like the sort of thing you'd expect to see displaying Windows 3.1!
And yes I'm wondering why I got the Laserjet now. Probably just because it was $250 and I figured it would be worth having. Both those times that I've used it were for tests too!!
What resolution is it? OS X at 800x600 is OK but a little cramped, though if it's 1024x768 it's fine. As for the LaserJet, was that new or used? They seem pretty cheap these days, it wasn't long ago that a colour laser printer was completely out of reach to any mere mortals.