[NTLK] Need a 'new' desktop

Chris Browder kcfoxie at gmail.com
Fri Aug 9 06:12:17 EDT 2013


The only system I haven't personally owned is a G5, and given it is a 64-bit processor I find it still relevant today. But I am a Linux user, and work with IBM POWER systems from time to time, so I suppose I see the true function of the hardware beyond its 'intended purpose.' 

For day to day use having 10.5 and Linux MintPPC or Debian (Or CentOS or Fedora or Gentoo....) installed in a dual-boot configuration would make for an acceptable web experience. The open source flash plugins have gotten better with time, but I tend to avoid flash sites in general. 

I'm getting ready to move. Perhaps I should check my local craigslist for a G5, just to complete the "PowerPC journey." $130 is so cheap for a system that was $3000-6000 not even 10-years ago....

Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 9, 2013, at 1:57 AM, Bradley Mattice <bradwart at gmail.com> wrote:

> Thanks for the replies, everyone.
> 
> It's actually quite possible to get the latest Flash hacked onto a PPC Mac,
> or so I've seen. And I just tweaked TenFourFox to use plugins on my PB G4,
> and Flash worked as well as can be expected.
> 
> I went ahead with a PowerMac G5 about an hour ago. Dual 1.8GHz G5's,
> support for 8GB RAM, lots of good stuff. 129.99 shipped. Factor in that it
> weighs 40 pounds and shipping was usually $50 or more on the other listings
> (this one was 'free' UPS Ground), so it was really only about 80 bucks. Not
> bad for what I plan to use it for. My G4 PowerBook has worked well enough
> as a fill in for my desktop, so I think a G5 will be fine.
> 
> Well, my first Mac was a G3, then I got a G4, so I guess it only made sense
> to get a G5, right? :D
> On Aug 8, 2013 10:49 PM, "Max Smith" <maxmaxmaxmaxsmith at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>> 
>> On Aug 8, 2013, at 10:49 PM, Blake Hanes <kissmyash933 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>>> Also, many of the G5 models have serious issues.
>> 
>> No kidding. I had a dual 2.7 GHz—one of the liquid cooled models—and
>> eventually the cooling system went bad in the worst possible way.
>> Antifreeze(?) was dumped all over the power supply and logic board, ruining
>> the machine. I think it was about four or five years old at the time. The
>> case is quite corroded now, I really should just throw it out.
>> 
>> However, it was on hell of a machine in its day. The Power Mac’s ATI video
>> card now resides in the depths of Calgary’s famous Compunabula archives
>> though, so I suppose its memory lives on.
>> 
>> As for the matter at hand, I would definitely recommend an Intel
>> machine—and I’m probably one of the few remaining proponents of PowerPC. In
>> 2013, it really is no longer practical to have even a G5. Not that the
>> later models are necessarily wanting for power, but because the software
>> support just isn’t there. It’s really a bummer, but nobody seems to release
>> software for Leopard/PPC anymore.
>> 
>> Alas, I suppose that’s just the nature of technology.
>> 
>> Regards,
>> 
>> Max Smith
>> 
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