vintage macs
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iPhone 2.2.1 SDK on a PPC Mac
There's a great tutorial at Apokalypse Software for getting the iPhone 2.2.1 SDK working on a PPC Mac (up until now, doing development for the iPhone meant getting an Intel-based Mac). It takes some work, but nothing that will pose a problem for most developers. Before you begin, remember that you must have 6GB of disk space available. Also, if you've tried to install the SDK on your target volume before, you'll have trouble until you uninstall Xcode with /Library/Developer/3.1/uninstall-devtools. If you don't want to go through the hassle, you can buy an installer for just $5. As a guy who still uses his G4 iMac, I understand the appeal of using an older Mac.
How to safely dispose of an old Mac
The fun of technology is how quickly improved products are released. The downside is the same. So-called "E-Waste" is a huge problem. Before leaving that old Mac at the dump, consider these alternatives: Sell it. A couple of years ago, we wrote a very thorough how-to on selling an old Mac. You probably won't make a ton of money, but you will keep it out of the landfill. Apple's Recycling Program. Purchase a new computer from Apple and they'll accept your old computer, CRT or peripherals (from any manufacturer) into their recycling program. Simply pack up your old stuff (computers and monitors must be packed separately), bring it to a FedEx drop off point and away it goes. This offer applies to individuals and small businesses. Large corporations may participate in Apple Corporate Recycling. Freecycle. If you're unfamiliar with Freecycle, it's a way to give away items to those who need them (or, find something you'd like yourself). It reduces waste and the depletion of natural resources. Part it out. Even a "dead" computer has some good parts on it. Better yet, there are many people who just need that obscure part from your beige G3 All In One. Consider the Low End Mac Swap List when parting out a machine. Donate to a church or school. You might be sick of that Quadra, but kids will love it. Churches and other small organizations could use it for simple bulletins, etc. Heck, my daughter's preschool has an original Macintosh in the office that, according to the school secretary, still gets used. These are just a few alternatives to adding to the ever-growing pile of E-Waste. We hope you found it useful.
Making music with Hypercard
This post combines two things we love: inventive geeks and vintage Macs. Peter Jungers and Josh Burker worked together to write several HyperCard stacks to compose their music, which you can listen to here. That's a trio of 68K Macs you're listening to (though it reminds me of a scene from Suspiria). On their site you can listen to all of the music, watch a video of the Macs in action and download their HyperCard stacks for use in your own weekend projects. Well done, Peter and Josh!
A tour of Microsoft's Mac labs
Here's something interesting I haven't seen before. Blogger David Weiss works at Microsoft's Mac Business Unit (MacBU), and offers a great tour of the MacBU's Mac labs on his blog. There's a lot to see here, from rooms full of vintage Macs, all sorts of printers you can image up and running (test, test, test!) to a room of 150 Mac minis! He writes:"Up until a few months ago we had every significant hardware revision Apple has ever released since the dawn of time."Woah. Check it out, it's a great tour.Thanks to everyone who sent this in.
Rig of the Day: Pizza box
Ah, the pizza box Macs: Flat, broad squares of loveliness. I knew someone who had a Centris 660AV just like this one, which she refused to replace up until only two or three years ago (and its replacement was a 350MHz G3 iMac). Sometimes it's hard to let go."old workhorse" posted by glug.For the month of April, the theme for our Rig of the Day will be "Vintage Macs" in honor of Apple's anniversary. If you'd like to see your own rig featured here, simply upload photos into our group Flickr pool. Let's see your vintage Macs (Apples and Newtons, too)! We'll select an image every day to highlight.Speaking of flat vintage Macs, does anyone have a nice shot of a TAM out there?
Rig of the Day: Family reunion
Today's rig shot is fantastic. Flickr user and TUAW reader thenode hosted a bit of a "family reunion" for many of his Macs. Specifically, he got a Powerbook 520c, an SE-30, a Quadra 630 and a Mac mini (the youngster of the group) all networked together to play Armor Alley. The kids even got in on the fun. As thenode said, "This is a true monument to what you can do if you have enough cables." As a person who loves playing with vintage Macs, I've got to be biased and say this may be my favorite rig shot so far. "Family Reunion" posted by thenode.For the month of April, the theme for our Rig of the Day will be "Vintage Macs" in honor of Apple's anniversary. If you'd like to see your own rig featured here, simply upload photos into our group Flickr pool. Let's see your vintage Macs (Apples and Newtons, too)! We'll select an image every day to highlight.
Rig of the Day: The collector
Now, I collect Macs and other Apple goodies, but Flickr user mactarkus has got me beat. Check out the iMacs (is that a flower power in the foreground?), All in One, compact Macs, Mac TV...even a Twentieth Anniversary Mac, which, for me, is the Holy Grail. Two great posters wrap up the collection."Macintosh Fever" posted by "mactarkus"If you'd like to see your own rig featured here, simply upload photos into our group Flickr pool. We'll select an image every day to highlight.
