HT201624: Vintage and obsolete products

Learn about Vintage and obsolete products
NimaS
Level 1 (0 points)
Mac OS X

Q: Is there any use for an "obsolete" (!?) iBook... other than a heavy paper-weight? Or, is it worth doing any maintenance?

Is there any "value" in keeping this iBook? Or, it is truly an obsolete item!? That is, is there any reason to try to maintain it, and have it repaired, and if possible upgrade anything in it? Or, it is an absolutely obsolete item?

iBook, Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on Apr 11, 2012 9:25 PM

Close
NimaS

Q: Is there any use for an "obsolete" (!?) iBook... other than a heavy paper-weight? Or, is it worth doing any maintenance?

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by Kenichi Watanabe,Helpful

    Kenichi Watanabe Kenichi Watanabe Apr 11, 2012 9:50 PM in response to NimaS
    Level 8 (40,249 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 11, 2012 9:50 PM in response to NimaS

    It depends.  It says it has Tiger (10.4.11).  That's a good version of Mac OS for it to have.

     

    If you have a collection of older applications and games for PowerPC Macs, those apps will no longer run on newer Macs with Lion (10.7.x).  Up to Snow Leopard (10.6.8), PowerPC apps could run on Intel Macs using a translator (called Rosetta).  But Lion no longer supports it.  So that iBook could be useful as a way to run old apps and play old games.

     

    If you happen to have a collection of even older Mac OS 9 apps, a PowerPC Mac running Tiger (or earlier) can run most Mac OS 9 apps under Classic.  And depending on the specific iBook model, it may be able to boot Mac OS 9 directly.  So that iBook could be a good "legacy support" machine, that doesn't take up too much space.

     

    It's old and slow, but things like word processing, email, and basic web surfing do not require ultra-fast performance.  There's even a modern web browser for PowerPC Macs that run Tiger.

     

    http://www.floodgap.com/software/tenfourfox/

  • by NimaS,

    NimaS NimaS Apr 12, 2012 11:59 AM in response to Kenichi Watanabe
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 12, 2012 11:59 AM in response to Kenichi Watanabe

    Thank you, Kenichi.

     

    I will have to have it serviced somehow, somewhere... I need to use this only for basic internet browsing and perhaps word processing at this point! No games, no fancy apps, just "plain old" web use and some writing, perhaps a few image applications (I have all that I need, just need to keep it running, if it is worth it).

     

    Thanks for your reply.

     

    Nima

  • by Kenichi Watanabe,

    Kenichi Watanabe Kenichi Watanabe Apr 12, 2012 12:05 PM in response to NimaS
    Level 8 (40,249 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 12, 2012 12:05 PM in response to NimaS

    I will have to have it serviced somehow, somewhere...

    What's wrong with it...?

  • by NimaS,

    NimaS NimaS Apr 12, 2012 12:12 PM in response to Kenichi Watanabe
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 12, 2012 12:12 PM in response to Kenichi Watanabe

    This used to belong to my daughter. I bought it for her, and she has used it, music, photographs, etc.; now I am hoping to use it as my laptop (even though it is heavy) to carry around and used for my own basic word-processing needs... However, the wireless part is not connecting so I can't get the updates done yet; after I get all the up-to-date updates loaded, I can be ready to answer any more specific questions I have about what may be wrong with it... Perhaps  nothing than just a tune-up/clean-up... I shall see... soon, I hope.