[flywheel]

hi, I'm looknig at getting a mac desktop, nothing fancy needed so deciding between the original iMAC or the eMAC, the new iMAC is a bit mor than I really need

with 256MB RAM the original iMAC (600MHz G3) is Eur 1060 and the eMAC (700 MHz G4) is 1510 [on the Apple Irish Store Online]

the original iMAC will do me grand with it's specs (i've an external CDRW and Display so that prety much brings it up to the eMACs specs, bar the processor and graphics card), but for future upgradeability should I shell out the extra 550 on the eMac?

would really like to find out does anyone know the roadmap for OS X, (when) will future releases leave out the G3 (anytime soon)?

thanks for your help
BrianG

[timod]

If the cash is not a major issue, I'd go with the eMac.

A 600Mhz g3 machine is about 2.5-3 years old, and OSX will feel sluggish on it.


You could also get a 12" iBook for €1330, (CD-rom, 700Mhz, 128Mb, 20Gb) That's what I'd get in your situation probably.

[pa]

Originally posted by DubWireless
hi, I'm looknig at getting a mac desktop, nothing fancy needed so deciding between the original iMAC or the eMAC, the new iMAC is a bit mor than I really need

with 256MB RAM the original iMAC (600MHz G3) is Eur 1060 and the eMAC (700 MHz G4) is 1510 [on the Apple Irish Store Online]

the original iMAC will do me grand with it's specs (i've an external CDRW and Display so that prety much brings it up to the eMACs specs, bar the processor and graphics card), but for future upgradeability should I shell out the extra 550 on the eMac?

The eMac isn't anymore upgradeable than the iMac - they're both all-in-one enclosures with no PCI slots. You can upgrade the RAM and add external Firewire/USB devices to both.

Bear in mind that the G3 iMac's VGA port will only mirror what's on the iMac's built-in display, and so won't drive an external monitor at anything higher than 1024x768. The eMac's built-in display will do 1280x960.

would really like to find out does anyone know the roadmap for OS X, (when) will future releases leave out the G3 (anytime soon)?

No one outside Apple knows for sure. It's likely not to be for quite a few years yet. Quartz Extreme has radically improved the experience of OS X on G3s, and Apple is likely to be selling iBooks based on them for at least another year.

[flywheel]

thanks timod & pa

i'll have a think about the iBook timod, hadn't looked at it closely before

thanks for highlighting the video mirroring resolution differences for me pa i hadn't factored that in, and thanks for the heads up on Quartz Extreme

all the best,
BrianG

[Dr_Teeth]

Dub - none of the old iMacs can 'do' Quartz Extreme as they have the previous generation of ATI graphics cards in them, the 'Rage' line as opposed to the 'Radeon' line or the nVidia Geforce cards which are used in newer Macs.

I'd go for the eMac to be honest - bigger screen, flat CRT, faster and more advanced processor, better graphics card etc. I really feel OSX is designed with the G4 user in mind.

Or an iBook. I like mine a lot, though it's too slow for me now (I have the original 500Mhz one with the 66Mhz memory bus and ATI Rage graphics.. ick.). My next Apple will be the 12" Powerbook for sure... mmmm..

D.

[flywheel]

thanks for that info Dr_Teeth, looks like i'll be getting the eMac

i'd decided to wait it out for a bit as Apple were making announcements about new products / upgrades, just checked today and they've reduced the price of the entry eMac I was looking at by about Eur 250

now to find the D-Link Bluetooth USB Adaper for a decent price...

thanks again,
BrianG

[a bientot]

I bought an E-Mac 800 (more space on it for my files) before Christmas through the Apple shop and am well pleased with it ..........
Having used a Performa 630 for years I am now in the Rolls Royce league.....
Choice of two ways of using e-mail mail or Entourage....started with mail am now using Entourage..........seems to be better.

Still so much to learn with my new e-Mac.....

By the way I'm looking for a second hand monitor or can I read my files via a lead from my old Performa 630 computer.... if so what lead/connection?

[Dr_Teeth]

Argh, ignore the stuff about the network cable below, I checked and the 630 doesn't have a network card..

Well if the 630 has an ethernet network card in it you can link the two Macs together with a cable and copy files. You'll need to start up the 630, turn on Appletalk in Chooser and then set Appletalk to work using the ethernet card (there's an Appletalk control panel for this).

Then go to a shop like Maplins or Peats and buy a CAT-5 CROSSOVER (X-OVER) network cable to connect the two machines together. A normal CAT-5 cable won't work, it'll need to be a X-OVER one to connect two computers together directly.

With the two machines cabled together with Appletalk enabled on both, you should be able to see the eMac's HD listed in Chooser on the 630, and the 630's HD listed in the "Go -> Connect to Server" window on the eMac. If you don't see it, try rebooting the 630.

You may need to put in a name and password to connect from one machine to the other, you can set that up in the User control panels on each machine.

Teeth.