Huh. Being able to move software etc. around without needing to resort to SneakerNet is so useful that getting them connected (at least within the house, and to the Internet if possible) is one of the first things I do for any machine, new or old, that I own network hardware for.
Given this mindset, my first question is, why exactly is the iMac not already online? If it’s too old to have built-in AirPort and running an Ethernet cable is impractical, used wireless-B Ethernet access points or USB 1.1 adapters are fairly cheap. Wireless B at 11 Mb/s is kind of slow, but for small files like floppy-disk images and other vintage software, it works just fine.
Given this mindset, my first question is, why exactly is the iMac not already online? If it’s too old to have built-in AirPort and running an Ethernet cable is impractical, used wireless-B Ethernet access points or USB 1.1 adapters are fairly cheap. Wireless B at 11 Mb/s is kind of slow, but for small files like floppy-disk images and other vintage software, it works just fine.