Q: Is an iBook secretly a dinosaur?

The question begs an answer...

Easier if you rephrase it though.

I'd say No.

{Nothing secret about vintage/obsolete status

...of the entire series from 1999 to 2005.}

A better choice would be an early MacBook 13-inch model

with Snow Leopard 10.6.8 running, and at least 2GB RAM.

A hard drive capacity of 60 to 120GB, and some applications

that can run on it. Still not current by several years, but OK.

The http://everymac.com site can be used to compare specs

of obsolete, vintage, and near current hardware model series.

Another source is a download database that runs offline to see

the specs and upgrade possibilities of many Apple items... from

http://mactracker.ca and is helpful.

You need to know the exact software they expect your child to

use and have in the computer, and that means the software has

minimum specifications & requirements for the machine to run it.

Various companies sell repaired and restored or refurbished Macs

and those are vintage or not current... Older than the like-new models

the online Apple Store has in their Special Deals refurbished section.

Some places to look may include reputable computer stores near

you that take in older models, repair, and resell them. With guaranty.

Online companies I know about that may be OK, offer used models

with a guaranty for a limited time, and their web sites offer other

Mac related parts. macsales.com has some portable macs. Another

that gets a variety in, and repairs computers for a living, has been

around awhile, they're in South Carolina. wegenermedia.com. Then

there are others such as powermax, and maybe a dozen others.

You can get an early 13-in. MacBook (intel) coreduo or core2duo for

as little as $300. I see a few in the local craigslist that look OK for

$150 & up to $500 that are somewhat like a working one I was given..

I also have an iBook G4 12" last model (mid-2005) that runs Leopard

OS X 10.5.8, and still works OK online. Batteries are a concern as

these do not have a shelf life; they are expected to last a year or so.

The MacBook series could be a likely vintage to look into since it

started in 2006 and ended in 2010. The 'mid-2010' 13-inch model

was the last one of that build series; and that evolved throughout

its duration. See & compare specs at everymac & mactracker.

A used computer with the correct install-restore DVD for the Mac OS
running in the computer, is a plus. Since getting vintage OS X and

other software is problematic and can be costly... plus its out-of-date.

Yet, if you had the proper software, a working computer of the same

era could run it.

The iBook G3 dualUSB early white portable is problematic, it may

or may not have the AirPort card installed (under keyboard, next

to the upgrade RAM slot) and if so, it may work - or not - and if it

does, it may not work with your later spec wireless base station.

The Microsoft software would have to be of a vintage that works

in the operating system supported by the old iBook G3.

I'd consider the G3 iBook 600MHz computer as a hobbyist item

and perhaps a dubious collectable. The earlier 500MHz first

edition dual-USB model was OK, I owned one. But I'd be lacking

in kindness if I said that anything less than a MacBook was ideal.

{In fact, personally I'd go for the base model MacBook Pro 13"

available at online Apple Store, in either refurb or new, with the

built-in optical drive. And a RAM upgrade, at some point.}

There is no telling how long the gifted iBook G3 dualUSB (white)

will continue to work, and if you are not technically minded, the

antique models of vintage or obsolete are not a good choice.

You need to provide a level of support to your child's experience

and when you have no hardware or software knowledge, that will

make for a frustrating experience for both of you.

Anyway, I waited a few hours and nobody else posted here.

No telling (while I write) if anyone who writes faster or has

a super quick internet access, may have replied...

The PowerPC vintage of Apple computers is not supported

by most sources, some parts and old software, searching

on amazon or ebay, or contacting a local Apple User group,

or a school district with sale antiques to dispose of, among

other sources of fix it yourself old...

The macsales (OWC) and wegenermedia sites both have whatever

models they have online, and are older ones than Apple would sell.

And these are a moving target, inventory changes daily.

These are probably ideal for instances where a portable could see

damage, theft, or other mishap, at less than full retail, and have a

limited guaranty by the seller. Other companies do this; where this

departs from the guess work and questions or flakey products one

may find on an auction site or in some craigslist ads. A used Mac

from a company that specializes in repair and offers service is a

fair bet. If you can fix things yourself & know the product, then it

may be an OK idea to mess around with Macs & fix an old one up.

But there really isn't much new or current in web browsers, for

older Macs. The iBook G3 could likely run OS X 10.4.11 (Tiger)

and then free browsers such as TenFourFox can be run, there is

not much out there, older versions software may be found/bought

and within supported specs, run on there.

Anyway...

Good luck & happy computing!

Some of the things to consider here, that iBook may be able to run older versions of Word and Excel, but it won't be able to open newer Word, Powerpoint, and Excel documents.

There are older versions of Office counterparts that will run on Mac OS X 10.4.11, which you can upgrade your iBook to, and add 256 MB of RAM to make 10.4.11 run better.    But after you get done researching which RAM is right, and finding the 10.4.6 operating system disc, and an Firewire external DVD drive able to help you upgrade, you still won't get full Java compatibility.  Your Flash compatibility will be based on a hack:

Java and Mac OS X 10.4

And then games will not operate anywhere near as fast as you would want, unless they are not so sophisticated games, or older games.

So yes, many people can operate on an older machine, but is it worth the cost of searching for hard to find software?

That's up to you.   The person giving you the iBook would have been far better advised to buy you a set of software that meets your needs before selling it to you.

I agree a machine that can run 10.6.8 is probably a better investment.

My FAQ*:

http://www.macmaps.com/usedrefurbished.html should help you find the right ones.

And I suggest selling the iBook if you can't return it to the person who gave it to you to someone who can live with the older software.

* Links to my pages may give me compensation.

...Just the other day, I popped-in to a box under the cabinet to see how

my iBook G4 12-inch 'mid-2005' PPC 1.33GHz w/ 1.5GB RAM + 40GB

HDD is doing; he said he was fine, but still needed a new (newertech?)

battery and a larger hard disk drive... Really, he said the dream was an

SSD from OWC for legacy use in older portables; maybe a 120GB.

But I gently said 'good night' and closed the box and let the comatose

iBook G4 (as new, with plastic over its polycarbonate, still) remain in

stasis... As one of only two Macs I bought & kept from the Apple Store

(online) as new -shipped by FedEx by truck- to AK + survive Canada Rd,

I don't want to sell it. And can't see upgrading it just for Leopard 10.5.8.

So while it may be true there is a ghost in the machine, they may also dream.