Original iBook?

[propellerhead]

I've got the opportunity to buy an original clamshell iBook (Blueberry) for just over $200.

It's got 320 MB RAM, an Airport card, and a 6GB HDD but no OS. Naturally, constrained by processor and bus speed would OS X 10.3 even be worth it?

Mind you, this machine would be purely used for word processing, email, and simple web browsing. I'd probably delete all programs other than Mail, TextEdit, Firefox, and MS Word. It'd be a stripped down machine and I'm planning on using haxies do disable the majority of the eye candy.

Do ya'll think this would work?

[FFL]

How's the battery?
If it's the original one, it most likely barely holds a charge, making the 'Book a bit constrained in portability.

[Brad]

Plus, the 800x600 screen will make OSX a serious pain to use.

[propellerhead]

It's a newer one and holds about a 3 to 3.5 hour charge. A power charger is also included.

Battery life isn't *that* important because I'll most likely be using the iBook in university library and there are power outlets everywhere.

[propellerhead]

Plus, the 800x600 screen will make OSX a serious pain to use.

:D

I'm on an iMac DV right now at home and I dropped the resolution down to 800*600 to see what it would be like if I was using the iBook.

At school I've got a 1.25Ghz eMac in my dorm, but I need something just for word processing that I can take anywhere.

[FFL]

sounds like you'll be OK for your planned usage

[Paul]

careful when installing 10.3... make sure you get an install disk later then 10.3.2 because there is a nasty display driver bug that I ran into when I was installing panther on my grandmother's book...

[propellerhead]

careful when installing 10.3... make sure you get an install disk later then 10.3.2 because there is a nasty display driver bug that I ran into when I was installing panther on my grandmother's book...

How would I be able to tell/figure out what version the install disks are before buying (especially online?)

[edit: Would Yellowdog Linux or any other PPC Linux varient be a better option rather than 10.3? Like I mentioned earlier, all I'm looking to do is type papers and email and *maybe* IM. And if I went the Linux route, would Open Office work with the PPC versions of Linux?]

[BarracksSi]

If I can get a hold of 10.3.x, I want to put it on my old Blueberry 3-gigger.

(heh.. "Old Blue!")

It's running 10.2 now, and it's doing just fine. It had 160 MB up until this spring, and with 540 MB now, it's pretty good.

[BarracksSi]

Oh yeah, the 800x600...

It's not that bad, really. Sure, the icons can be 128 pixels tall, but they can always be shrunk down. The Dock can be sized to fit, too.

The greatest potential for "this frickin' screen's too small"-syndrome is the System Preferences. Some of those windows get awfully tall and sometimes barely fit on the screen.

[propellerhead]

540MB RAM? Did you install a 512 stick in there?

Speaking of the 10.3.x issues, I read that the old iBooks needed a firmware update before the installation of 10.x.x. Could that be the solution to the "display driver bug?"

Glad to hear someone else out there is equally crazy and still has an old-skool iBook kicking around.

:D

[flail]

Let me know if you don't buy it for some reason... I'll buy it :D

[BarracksSi]

540MB RAM? Did you install a 512 stick in there?

Yup. I had a G3 800 for a couple years, and when it finally got replaced, I took out the 512 that I put in there and swapped it into the G3 300 3G (ol' Blue).

I was one of those early adopters of AirPort, having bought my base station & AirPort card during Christmas break in '99. The first time I used it, there was no going back -- any future laptop I would ever own would have to be wireless. It made so much sense that I couldn't understand what was taking everyone else so long to go wireless with their laptops (both users and manufacturers).

I also think that its firmware is as up-to-date as it's ever going to get (hence the ability to run 540 MB). I don't know how I'm going to put 10.3 on it, but I want to try.

[propellerhead]

I also think that its firmware is as up-to-date as it's ever going to get (hence the ability to run 540 MB). I don't know how I'm going to put 10.3 on it, but I want to try.

hehehehe...

We'll have to update this thread every couple of weeks, especially when mine comes in.

Come Hell or high water, we'll get 10.3 on these 'Books.

:D

[chuck allison]

I know this post has not been looked at for a while but I love the blueberry I book I have running panther 10.3.9.. a little slow with 192mb of ram but definetly acceptable for most applications. as long as your running them one at a time. nice thread of discussion and I am the proud owner of an original iBook and would not have it any other way..

[atomicbartbeans]

My friend has an iBook SE (450 mhz) with 320 MB, and Tiger runs just fine on it. I would get annoyed by the 800x600, but he's used to it. :)

[macwolf]

I think an old clamshell is a great solution for a good computer to word process on. My plan is to get one for college. If I can get 10.3 or 10.4 on it that would be even better. Then I'm gonna spend the rest of my money on a nice G5 iMac to have fun on.