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******! Cannot upgrade OS X right now and NEED to access certain web applications!

I have an iMac G5 running panther 10.3.9 with all of the updates I could possibly install for this OS. I have a newer iMac that needs a new HD so iI'm utilizing the G5 as of now. My problem is, I am unable to load certain web applications like blogger, icloud and others even with the latest browsers (safari, Firefox) for this OS. I am told to upgrade to Firefox 3.0 but I cannot without tiger. I cannot and do not want to upgrade the OS on my G5. I cannot sit around and wait for a install disk. I NEED to access certain web apps immediately. I almost fell in love with Apple products until this happened.. It's ridiculous! (Even windows XP with Intel let's you do mostly EVERYTHING!!! But I stupidly sold my dell mini.. Now I regret it. I was able to do everything on it without an issue.


PowerMac8,1 (PPC) - Version 10.3.9

updated Firefox to latest for this OS, updated flash to latest


HELP

iMac, Mac OS X (10.3.x)

Posted on Feb 21, 2016 7:31 PM

Reply
8 replies

Feb 21, 2016 7:47 PM in response to Dillon Callaway

You can't do what you can't do. Tiger (10.4.11) is the last version of OS X that is still somewhat usable as an everyday OS, and that's from 2004.


What model is the "newer iMac"? I can boot my 2011 Mac mini from a 64GB SDXC flash card in its high-speed SD card slot, and that's my emergency startup disk, if something happened to the internal drive. It has the latest version of OS X installed, and surprisingly fast, ready to go. I could do the same thing with a USB external drive, and maybe even a USB flash drive, if it's at least 32GB and not too slow.

Feb 22, 2016 8:50 AM in response to Dillon Callaway

Let's try this again: you cannot do what you say you need with a G5 Mac.


iCloud and all recent browsers are totally unavailable to any Mac with PowerPC (G3, G4 and G5) processors. Macs have been Intel-powered for a decade so almost every developer has abandoned support for PowerPC Macs. Even if you upgraded the OS to the highest a G5 Mac will support, 10.5.8, you would still not have access to iCloud and modern browsers.


You have one browser option--TenFourFox. It is slow but will be recognized as a supported browser by most sites:


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


The bad news--that browser does not support plug-ins so Flash video is not going to work.


Also remember we are all end-users like you so complaining here is only an irritant. And the very knowledgable and kind Kenichi is trying to offer a feasible workabout to possibly get your modern Mac to a state where it could work temporarily. If you need to express feedback on this matter to Apple, here is a feedback link:


http://www.apple.com/feedback/


although I see no category for pre-2006 products.

Feb 22, 2016 1:49 PM in response to Dillon Callaway

Dillon Callaway wrote:


I have an iMac G5 running panther 10.3.9 with all of the updates I could possibly install for this OS. I have a newer iMac that needs a new HD so iI'm utilizing the G5 as of now. My problem is, I am unable to load certain web applications like blogger, icloud and others even with the latest browsers (safari, Firefox) for this OS. I am told to upgrade to Firefox 3.0 but I cannot without tiger. I cannot and do not want to upgrade the OS on my G5. I cannot sit around and wait for a install disk. I NEED to access certain web apps immediately. I almost fell in love with Apple products until this happened.. It's ridiculous! (Even windows XP with Intel let's you do mostly EVERYTHING!!! But I stupidly sold my dell mini.. Now I regret it. I was able to do everything on it without an issue.


PowerMac8,1 (PPC) - Version 10.3.9

updated Firefox to latest for this OS, updated flash to latest


HELP

Hi Dillon Gallaway,

I'm sorry to hear you can't access the web apps you need on your iMac! I completely understand how important that can be. But, your old iMac will not work running 10.3.9. No modern (or close to modern) browsers still support that. You will have to use a friend's computer until your discs come. I can't do anything for you now, but I will tell you that you should upgrade to 10.4. 10.4 runs a browser called TenFourFox that is just Firefox but made for old PowerPC Macs. If you upgrade to 10.4, you won't get stuck like this again next time. And please remember that this isn't Apple's fault. They can't tell Mozilla and Google and all those other companies to make web browser version for old Macs.

Hope this helps,

HFTaylor12

Feb 22, 2016 3:39 PM in response to Dillon Callaway

The reason Windows XP was supported for so long was due to Microsoft's inability to release the next major release of Windows (code named "Longhorn") due to major development problems, and the subsequent decision to abandon the whole project and release Windows Vista instead (as a buggy "rush job"). Windows XP was released in 2001. Windows Vista was not released until 2007. That's a LONG time between major releases.


But in the real world, Windows XP was around for such a long time, it should not even be considered ONE version of Windows. It had "service packs" which were each significant upgrades. The last one was SP3, released in 2008 (after the spectacularly unpopular Windows Vista). Mac OS X Tiger was released in 2005, with the last incremental update in 2007 (10.4.11). Therefore, in fact, Mac OS X Tiger is older than Windows XP and Mac OS X Leopard is about the same age as Windows XP SP3.

It's not that old

iMac G5 (depending on the specific model) is from 2004 to 2006. That's more than 10 years. It IS "that old." Maybe your "Dell mini" ran Windows XP, but it was probably newer than your PowerPC iMac. 🙂

******! Cannot upgrade OS X right now and NEED to access certain web applications!

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