I still love my lime iBook!

As of 2008, it was no longer my primary computer, but I still LOVE my "old" lime iBook (clamshell). I was as excited about the performance of this computer as I was with the very first Mac I owned, back in 1990 (a Mac Classic II, still the best computer I've ever had). I wonder if I'll ever feel that way again about a Mac...

My lime green clamshell iBook, bought in December 2000, came loaded with just about everything I needed, certainly more than Macs come loaded with now. Unlike today's Apple laptops, I knew how to use it immediately, as well as how to make the desktop look exactly the way I wanted. I was able to navigate my documents and applications exactly the way I wanted to. And it was LIME GREEN. People came up to me in airports and hotel lobbies to ask me about it. The guy at the Macintosh store in Cologne, Germany was in love with it on first sight when I brought it in seeking additional memory. For more than seven years, it was my primary computer: reliable and powerful, and it has never stopped having SASS even today! I don't know how to say in techno-jargon why this computer is so great. I just know that it is.

Because of the changes in most web sites (NONE of which improve content delivery for users - it just makes it possible to send out more advertising and eat up bandwidth) which prohibit many old browsers from accessing such, and because of some VoIP technologies that aren't accessible, I finally had to buy a new computer (yes, it's a Mac). But I've kept up this page that details my setup for my lime iBook clamshell, which I hope will help other OS 9x users and other clamshell users. The information includes a list of related web sites focused on using "vintage" machines.

WHAT MY iBOOK DOES

Through December 2007, before I upgraded to a new computer, I used my iBook to:

• maintain my contacts database of a few thousand business contacts that tracks my interactions with them and "action needed" items, as well as oh-so-much-more information; maintain my project management database of my many activities; and maintain a billing database, all created by yours truly on FileMaker Pro 5.0.

• design and manage various publications, from newsletters to guidebooks to web sites

• manage my email (you don't even want to know how much email I get in even just one day)

• work on my own web site

• surf the web, and access newsgroups (yes, those still exist) and various web-based discussion groups (and still a few email-based ones as well).

• organize my many, many external web links and my own web pages offline into my own simple intranet (sometimes, I turn these pages into new pages on my web site, if I think others might be interested in what I've compiled)

• interact with other students at Open University via its First Class Client intranet.

• chat live with friends all over the world (via text-based chat)
  

• watch DVDs, either via the laptop or hooking my computer up to my TV in Germany (yes, even though it's a European TV system, I could do that with my American-bought computer)

• download and watch short videos (mostly movie trailers -I love movie trailers- and silly commercials from friends).

• work on word-processing files, spreadsheets, and databases from other organizations, developed in various different programs and on various different machines (it's easy to share files among others without specialized software).

• listen to the radio via the Internet; my favorite stations back in the day were Hober Thinking Radio, AirAmerica Radio, and KUT Austin (Texas). I also listened to some radio stations via iTunes (bookliquor.com is my favorite).

• organize, edit and alter photos from my digital camera (which is also old; bought in 2001)

• create and alter graphics

• work from anywhere: home, someone else's home, someone else's office, airport waiting area, etc.

• work wirelessly, and at home with my Airport, so did my then beau (now husband) via his 586, which was then running Windows 98, with a D-link device connected from his computer to my now-vintage Airport.

• practico mi Español con CD-ROM (the brand "Instant Immersion" is my fav).

• splice together short videos I take with my digital camera, bought in 2001, and add my own voice overs and music as well as some text, to make short Quicktime movies for my family and friends back in the USA (via iMovie 2.0.1, which came already-loaded on my iBook when I bought it).

• record short audio files, including my own podcast.

• download songs from emusic.com and organize these, along with songs from my CD collection, into various playlists on iTunes 2.0.4 (took me forever to track down this last version of iTunes for Mac OS 9). Alternatives to iTunes for Mac OS 9 include: Audion 2.5,  MusicMatch 2.0, Cabrio 1.1 and Macast 1.0
  

• monitor various news outlets, online discussion groups and blogs via RSS, as well as to monitor newswires automatically per certain keywords, via My.Yahoo (however, please note that Yahoo is about to discontinue support for Mac OS 9 users; if you have OS 9 and use an RSS reader, please let me know what that is!)

• talk with other people via live audio chat, using iVisit (it works SO much better than Skype). My id is jcravens.4947; please contact me to set up a time to talk.

• play a few simple computer games. I'm not much of a video gamer, however...

• watch DVDs, either via the laptop screen or hooking my computer up to my TV
• listen to MP3 files while working on my MacBook (which, as of 2012, is already overwhelmed with bandwidth-hungry programs and web sites)
• listen to various radio stations and podcasts via the Internet, though this is getting harder and harder to do because of the way web designers are designing web sites for only people with the very latest software and fastest Internet connections (note: recently, I've stopped being able to do this; my iBook cannot find my Internet network anymore; I guess my latest Airport is too advanced for it)
  
• create and alter graphics (sometimes easier to do than with what I have on my Macbook)
• splice together short videos I take with my digital camera, bought in 2001, and add my own voice overs and music as well as some text, to make short Quicktime movies (via iMovie 2.0.1, which came already-loaded on my iBook when I bought it) - it's easier to do this on my iBook than my Macbook.

I have an Airport that both I and my then beau, now husband (an IBM/Clone user with an old version of Windows) used to access the Internet via wireless network (and we can host dozens of more users, so when you visit, bring your laptop!). In August 2005, I bought a LaCie d2 Hard Drive Extreme with Triple Interface (USB 2.0, FireWire 400, FireWire 800, 160GB), so that my data could stay here while I took my laptop on the road more often -- and I saw a marked improvement in my iBook performance because I moved so much data to the external hard drive. The LaCie hard drive also makes backups a breeze. In addition, I installed (okay, a friend installed) a 256 internal memory upgrade from ramjet.com, and that made the iBook oh-so-much faster and more powerful. Total cost of the hard drive and the memory upgrade: around $250. HOWEVER, now that my MacBook also accesses the LaCie, my iBook takes several minutes to connect to such.

Could I use an iPod with my lime iBook? According to what I've read online, only if it's a 1st or 2nd generation, and NOT anything later and NOT a mini. Also, you need for the iPod to be loaded with all of its original software and settings. Anything else will NOT work with such a computer, because Apple has put in all sorts of blocks on later iPods to prevent non-OSX users from using the tools (and I've yet to read about anyone hacking such for OS9).

I could use a webcam with my iBook -- but I never bothered to buy one, as none of my friends or family have such, and few of my professional associates use them.

SOFTWARE

What software am I running? It's all "old," and I share this list to help others who are also running old machines (as far as I know, this is the latest versions of all of the following that will work on a computer such as mine):

• Operating system: 9.2.2, the last version of OS 9 released by Apple

• For email: when I downloaded mail, I used Eudora 6.1.1 Classic (freeware). I haven't had time to check to see what online platforms work with OS 9 web browers (YahooMail does NOT, for sure)
  

• For web browsing: Netscape 7.02, Mozilla 1.2.1 (freeware), Opera 6.03 (freeware), iCab 3.03 (freeware), Classilla (freeware) and Internet Explorer 5 - they are all loaded on my iBook. I think I am using the most recent versions of each of these that is available for OS 9.2.2, but if I'm not, please let me know. I'm not satisfied with any of them, by the way -- all have major weaknesses. The one I use most? Opera.

• For PDF, Adobe Acrobat 5.0 (freeware)

• For live chats: Yahoo! Messenger 2.5.3 (freeware) - though I no longer chat using this computer, so I have no idea if this still works
  

• For uploading pages to my web site: Fetch 3.0.1 (freeware)

• For creating web pages: BBEdit 5.1

• For database development: FileMaker Pro 5

• For word processing: AppleWorks 6 (ClarisWorks came with the iBook, and free upgrades have been provided online) and Microsoft Office 2001

• For creating and altering graphics and photos: AppleWorks 6

• For watching DVDs: Apple DVD Player 2.2 (freeware, came with the iBook)

• To view short online videos: Quicktime 6.0.3 (freeware, last version compatible with 9.2.2), Real Player 8 Basic (freeware), Windows Media Player 7.1 (freeware)

• For creating my own movies, iMovie 2.0.1 (version released in 2000, came with my iBook), with MoviePlayer 2.3.7 (version released in 1997); the version of iMovie is supposed to be a demo version, but with the old MoviePlayer application, I get full functionality.

• For making audio files: for short files, I use Simple Sound version 1.1 (from 1995; moved from an older Mac I owned previously); for longer files or podcasts, I use Audacity 1.0.0 (came with my iMic, version released in 2000; I bought the iMic so I could use a headset)

• For playing my favorite songs from my own CDs and listening to online radio stations, iTunes 2.0.4 (freeware) or Audion 3.0.2a 9 (freeware, version released in 2002)

• For listening to radio stations, either Real Player 8 Basic (freeware), or iTunes 2.0.4 (sadly, I have yet to find an online radio station or podcast that can be accessed by these old versions now)

• To access the Open University intranet, to interact with other students, First Class Client (freeware). NOTE: Open University doesn't use this anymore. HUGE shame - it was fabulous. 

Why am I telling you all this? Because I want to:

• help you to NOT be blackmailed by computer and software manufacturers into upgrading your software and operating system whenever they tell you to; before you upgrade anything, find out YOURSELF how such an upgrade is going to affect all of your other software, particularly if you are being pressured to upgrade your operating system. You can do this by finding an online information source that speaks in a language you can understand -- it may be an online magazine, it may be an online discussion group, but there is at least one out there for you, if you look, and once you find it, check in regularly.

• remind you that there are millions of people who are NOT using an IBM Clone PC, who are NOT using Microsoft as an operating system, who are using software OTHER THAN that made by Microsoft, and who are NOT upgrading hardware and software every time manufacturers or IT consultants say to -- so don't leave the millions of us out when you design or upgrade computer resources.

• counter the arguments of people who say that donations of used hardware and software are "useless" and even "condescending" to those to receive such. I get as much out of my "lower end" machine and "old" resources as most people do with the latest and greatest toys, and others can too.

• show that it's easy to interact with a Windows and PC-based environment via a Mac, even an old one.

 
MY TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY/PHILOSOPHY

It is wasteful and silly to get rid of a computer and software just because a new model or an upgrade has come out. I'm the same way about vehicles. If I can still use it, and it does everything I need it to, why upgrade? It's bad for the environment, I can't afford it, and even when I can afford it, I'd rather spend my money on other things.

I used DOS-based computers in the work place (just for word-processing and some basic database management) until 1990, when I worked at a place that had Mac Classics and Mac SEs. And I fell in love with those machines... So easy to use. Everything seemed intuitive. They worked the way I think. No need to have a computer manual by my side. The desktop publishing capabilities were awesome, particularly for a non-designer... Later, I was thrilled with my very own Mac Classic II -- what a work horse!

In 1996, I upgraded to a Macintosh Performa 6300. I wasn't thrilled with it the first two years -- the hard drive failed, the mother board had to be replaced, and the monitor had to be repaired twice. However, Apple replaced or repaired all of these things for free, and once they were fixed, the machine worked well at long last. It did everything I wanted it to do -- surfed the Web, played Quicktime movies, designed brochures, and, ofcourse, e-mail, e-mail, e-mail. And it made no difference that my work place for a while was an IBM/Cloned environment -- it was easy-as-pie to bring things home and work on them on the Mac.

But five years later, I was moving to Germany to work with the United Nations Volunteers program, and I decided I did, indeed, need a new, more powerful and more mobile machine to do everything I needed to do online and off. I had intended to buy a PowerBook. The salesperson at UT Campus Computer Center listened to how I used my computer currently, how I intended to use a new computer in the future, and why I liked Macs so much. She said that, based on my information, the less-expensive, more durable iBook would be a much better choice. She demonstrated a model for me, and I was impressed. There was no cherry/red choice, so I went for the lime (it had more personality than the blue or cobalt).

It arrived a week later. And I still love it. For seven years, it did everything I needed it to. It made me a reborn Mac disciple. This is how a computer should work! All I needed was a power adapter for European electrical outlets, once I moved to Germany (available in many large grocery stores and Woolworth's), and I was all set... I use a zip drive or a memory stick to take care of file-transfer issues that can't be resolved via e-mail.

Why am I not running OSX on the iBook? If a lime iBook user upgrades its internal memory, as I have, he or she can run OS 10.2, but according to most of what I've read, nothing higher than that. An unaltered lime iBook cannot run OSX. As noted earlier, I have, indeed, upgraded my iBook's internal memory... but I have not upgraded the OS. I don't see a reason to, as I will lose almost all of my software if I do, because most of it will no longer function on OSX. It will cost thousands of dollars to replace all the software that will not work with OS X -- it would be more economical to just buy an entire new computer.

SO WHY UPGRADE AT ALL?

Because companies are purposefully and unnecessarily shutting out certain computers and software when releasing new versions of web sites and what not ("This paragraph can't be read because your software is out-of-date..."). More and more web sites that worked for me even five years ago no longer do, only because of the choices the web designer has made (not because of any enhancements for the user).

Also, because computers do wear out, especially newer computers.

I'm not getting rid of this lime iBook, because I have no doubt there are all sorts of things I do on this iBook I won't be able to on the new mac.

RECYCLING & APPROPRIATE DISPOSAL

I'm sad to say that, according to Greenpeace's Guide to Greener Electronics, Apple ranks near the bottom in getting toxic chemicals out of its products and adopting a first class recycling policy. The toxic chemicals Apple uses in its products end up in scrap yards in Asia where they contaminate child laborers and the environment. Apple's voluntary 'recycling' program is weak and non-existent outside the U.S. unless required by local governments (I've certainly never heard of it, and I visit the Apple web site frequently). In addition, Apple continues to oppose the adoption of strong recycling programs in the U.S. Please tell Apple to go green. I have!

 
iBook and other vintage Mac Resources

• Official Apple support site for older software

• Official Apple support site for OS9

• Another official Apple support site for OS9

• Official apple product discussions, which includes a section for OS 9. WARNING: some of these people are very rude, rather than being helpful; if you can't understand their advice and say so, expect a very condescending reply. also, the advice is often "upgrade to a new Mac" which, ofcourse, is completely unhelpful.

• mac.oldapps.com, a database of older versions of various Macintosh software.

• ifixit Clamshell Parts, a good site to find replacement parts for your Clamshell

• os9forever provides some helpful utilities and information

• Pre-OS X Mac Troubleshooting site.

• Resources For Users of Older Computers
  Even in the new millennium, you CAN get a lot out of such older computer systems -- you can surf the Internet, send and receive e-mail, create databases, do desktop publishing, etc. This tip sheet will show you that a lot can be done with just a little technology, and where to find resources for your older computer. LOTS of links to other resources as well.

• Low End Mac offers a tremendous amount of resources for both older and new macs, including several e-mail discussion groups for different brands of vintage Macs. Lots of info on how to get cutting edge functionality out of trailing edge (or any!) Mac hardware and software.

• everymac.com is another outstanding commercial site that offers better information about older Macs than the Apple web site itself. The "Upgrade Cards" section is particularly helpful. I'm particularly fond of the EveryMac.com's iBook FAQ

• Keep Your Computer Humming:
  Basic Vintage Computer Maintenance and Problem Solving
  General tips for all computers, and specific information for both Macintosh and IBM/Clone PC maintenance and problem-solving, basic printer problem-solving, and things to do before you call technical support

Other Helpful Resources

Jason D. O'Grady's tips for Camping with your Mac and his followup blog, Camping with your Mac 2.0 (HyperMac mini review). Even if you are merely traveling with your Mac, rather than camping, these are great gadgets and considerations.

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