I
upgraded to an iMac in February 1999, fate chose the colour to be Tangerine,
but I quite like it! Here's the spec: 266MHz G3 processor, 6GB hard
drive, 32MB RAM, ATI Rage Pro 2D/3D graphics accelerator, 56k (V.90 standard,
incorporating K56flex) internal modem, ethernet, USB, 24X CD drive, SRS
surround sound, 15" screen, inbuilt microphone, running British English
MacOS 8.5.1. Very cool machine, loads of power, only thing is I could
do with a few more MB memory, so I'll definately be getting a 64MB RAM
upgrade as soon as my financial situation allows! To allow me to
use my HP Deskwriter 560C printer I had to buy a KeySpan USB serial port
adapter, which I assumed would allow me to connect it with my Performa
via Localtalk, but I can't select a serial port as the Appletalk port on
this machine for some reason.
I miss not having a remote control & tv like on my Performa, but I can run Linux on this machine (LinuxPPC) so that's making up for it a bit. Also it's nice to have a machine that will run anything you want, apart from specialist hardware requirements, my iMac easily meets anything on the market.
My
first Mac is an Apple Macintosh Performa 6300, using a 100MHz 603e PowerPC
processor, with 40Mb RAM, 1.2Gb hard disk, 4X internal CD drive, TV Tuner
(with Teletext & remote control), Video In card, MPEG Media card, 14"
Multiscan monitor. I also have a plaintalk mic, Color QuickCam, Omniscan
b&w hand-held scanner, Zoom K56 Flex modem, an Iomega zip drive and
a HP Deskwriter 560C printer. There's no limit to what this machine can
do, only problem is new software hardware requirements are starting to
pass it out.
Apple are taking this to extremes now, with their new operating system, Mac OS X. I don't know why they scrapped Rhapsody and opted instead for going a step beyond again (meaning a year delay) but it's going to be pretty impressive I'd bet. If you've heard you might let me know? Like Rhapsody it's is a unix based operating system which was to be based on NeXT's OpenStep operating system, adding the Apple magic. A large part of this operating system was the 'Blue box', which is effectively running Mac OS 8 as an application on top of Rhapsody where you can run all your old Mac OS 8 software, therefore protecting your investments. It is often true that a company's largest computer related cost is it's software.
So in the meanwhile I've bought myself an Apple Newton Messagepad 120!
Great fun to play with and an impressive little machine! That model is
from '93/'94 and even then had excellent hand writing recognition, natural
hand recognition as against the Palm Pilot's writing where you have to
learn how to write the letters all over again. However I'm having problems
finding documentation about how to connect it to my Mac - any references,
information, etc. greatly appreciated!
Useful Mac shortcuts - here's some keystrokes I find useful.
Here's some links to Mac related sites - I'm always looking out for some more good ones so send any you have on!
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