I want to sell or donate my Performa 6116cd but I would like to be able to tell the buyer/recipient how to connect a printer. Most printers now don't have the type of port the Performa needs. I don't see a way to put a USB connection on the Performa. Is there a solution?
Ann
Powerbook G3, ibook, imac intel,
Mac OS X (10.4.9)
Short of having an older "Mac" printer or having the Performa on a network with a shared printer, there aren't any options (including USB) for connecting a new printer directly to it. Epson's now-discontinued Stylus Color 640, 740, and 900 models (color ink jet) had support for Mac and PC printing, using any of (3) interfaces: Parallel (PC), USB (PC & Mac), and Serial (Mac). The latter is the Mac printer port that your Performa has. These printers show up in thrift stores, as the original owners replace them with newer devices. Naturally, the cost of replacement ink tanks exceeds the value of these 8 year-old printers at this point. As for vintage printers, any of the original Apple Color StyleWriter (1500, 2400, 2500, 4100, and 4500) printers will connect directly to the printer port, as will Apple's older LaserWriter LS, LaserWriter 300, etc. Considering the marginal value that a Performa 6116CD has today - and that's probably about $5-$10, you'll be lucky if you can find any takers. Even if donated to a thrift store, it may not be purchased. Beige G3s (10 years-old now) can usually be bought for less than $25, and they have the expandibility options provided by PCI slots - such as USB and FireWire. Having USB capability really opens the door to newer devices - printers, flash memory, scanners, etc. The hardware limitations of the 61xx series make it a poor choice for most individuals' computer needs today - which is understandable, given its age.
Thanks. You have answered my question. I will offer the computer on freecycle and see if there are any takers. Someone might want it for internet connection or maybe it could print by connecting to another computer.
