What Can You Do With a PowerPC Mac?

[z970]

So with everyone always sharing what they've done with a PowerPC Mac recently, I thought I'd add a fitting companion into the mix. Although I've had the idea (and rudimentary contents) for making a relatively simple thread like this since April, it wasn't until I saw this guy on reddit that I decided to finally post it as a Wiki full-stop.

Not only that, considering the rampant consumerism that tends to carry such influence over your average Joe today, hopefully the information within will make random passerby think twice about tossing their old Macs out after querying online as to if they're even still usable in 2022 and beyond, a whole 16 years (and counting!) after the last model rolled off the assembly line.

As goes without saying of course, feel free to add truckloads of more activities as necessary.

1. Rip CDs, listen to music, and play Internet radio with iTunes

2. Watch DVDs and QuickTime movies from Cornica with QuickTime and DVD Player

3. Create your own songs and audio tracks with Garageband and Logic

4. Organize your photo and video libraries with iPhoto, assemble them into short clips with iMovie, then burn them to disc with iDVD

5. Download countless long-since-abandoned games, applications, and package suites from Macintosh Garden and burn them to disc (like legends such as Quake III Arena, Halo: Combat Evolved, Myst, Bugdom, and many, many more!)

6. Chat with other users on the Macintosh Garden, Mac OS 9 Lives!, or System 7 Today forums on Netscape Navigator 4, Internet Explorer 5, or Safari 1.0

7. Cruise the modern Web with Links2 or AquaWeb micro, or browse through the Web 1.1 landscape with old versions of Safari

8. Grab video URLs with AquaWeb micro (or Iteroni.com) and watch, download, and process YouTube videos with PowerPC Media Center 7

9. Write a story, do homework, or file TPS reports in TextEdit, Pages, or Microsoft Word

10. Draw fabulous pictures with Adobe Illustrator; turn them into a book with InDesign

11. Maintain a simple website with Macintosh Garden Hosting, and add it to the Web 1.1 directory

12. Keep an expansive information database with Address Book, Numbers, or Microsoft Excel

13. Play retro games and watch iconic videos on reFlash

14. Try out a PowerPC-compatible alpha of Snow Leopard before the architecture was dropped

15. Install Sorbet Leopard and experience firsthand what Mac OS X 10.6.8 would have been like on PowerPC

16. Install the Debian, Ubuntu, Void Linux, and OpenBSD alternative UNIX-like operating systems and see how modern software runs

17. Build your own personalized version of TenFourFox, then take it out for a spin

18. Play a special PowerPC-optimized version of Minecraft 1.5.2 on hardware 10 years older than the game

19. Play a special PowerPC-native version of Super Mario 64, originally derived from the SM64EX project

20. Emulate classic consoles like the NES, SNES, N64, Genesis, PS1, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, and Nintendo DS

21. Emulate a Mac Plus running System 7.5 with Mini vMac

22. Run Windows 2000 with Microsoft Virtual PC

23. Create advanced 3D objects and environments with the Maya, SketchUp, or Blender modeling packages

24. Get connected to your Home-Network via ScreenSharing/RemoteDesktop or FileSharing (AFP/SMB/FTP). Make your PPC a really fat client for using a fast Mac/PC for file-access or remote/screen-control

25. Share an iTunes-Music-Library. Build a multi-room-musik-system using iTunes/AirPlay/old AirPortExpress and connected active speakers

26. Recover footage from old DV-Camcorders through USB and iMovie. (Same for analog-Camcorders using old EyeTV-video-grabbing hardware.)

27. Go to System Preferences > Speech > Text to Speech. Open TextEdit, type a sentence, Command + A, right-click, and select Speech > Start Speaking. Have hours of fun.

28. Download widgets from Macintosh Garden and style your Dashboard to look like a desktop version of iOS 1 / iPhoneOS 1.0

And the list goes on ...

PowerPC | Power to the Pro

 

[alfogator]

0. Love it, treasure it and never, ever let it go.

 

[Dronecatcher]

Post a photo of one switched off or switched on doing nothing with the title "Just got this bad boi" on Reddit and get triple figure upvotes

 

[mortlocli]

There's a sort of rebellion factor in using something that's 'obsolete' instead of the 'latest n greatest'. It like thumbing your nose at Apple..and big corporations...while they're trying to make you buy more stuff!!

 

[TheShortTimer]

A very important thread and thanks to you @z970 for initiating it.

I'll continue with the numbering format...

22. Watch video content in 1080i/1080p HD if you have a sufficiently powerful CPU and GPU - as I have done on my PM G5 and also watch some content in 720p on G4 machines - as I've done on my Mac Mini thanks to recommendations from @Dronecatcher.

23. Editing films in HD for commercial release - acclaimed film editor Walter Murch put together Sam Mendes' Jarhead on a PM G5 using Final Cut Pro, 720p and the DVCProHD codec. Open Water was edited on a PM DP G5 and Final Cut Pro too.

 

[Amethyst1]

(Why most of point of this list is so MacOSX-centric..?

My (totally uneducated) guess is: because the overwhelming majority of members who "run" PPC Macs run Mac OS [X].
I certainly do, because I primarily care about specific pieces of software. In other words, why run Linux or BSD on PPC when I can just run it (virtually) trouble-free on pretty much any old x86 box which are "ten a penny" and get the same or even better user experience without any of PPC's "peculiarities"?

 

[Tratkazir_the_1st]

why run Linux or BSD on PPC when I can just run it (virtually) trouble-free on pretty much any old x86 box which are "ten a penny" and get the same or even better user experience without any of PPC's "peculiarities"?

1. No IntelME or AMD PSP or whatever similar **** built-in hardware.
2. Different (non-x86) hardware .
3. Self-learning about other low-level things (GRUB & OpenFirmware was quite exciting experience ).
Well, I always use a bit different ways of thinking . It is something in my nature - to be out of crowd.

 

[Lastic]

Not really something for the list but my main motivator for using PowerPC and older x86, 16-bit Atari ST , 16-bit Amiga, Atari 8-bit, older network gear because most people buy a 3000 EUR machine and use 5% of it's capabilities.

I tend to use 90% of the older machine capabilities (my work laptop is a Thinkpad X230 now) and try to have them run as much software as my work laptop can.

My work/school experience also has given me a lot to learn from older machines , a foundation on which my career has expanded, especially all things *NIX/BSD/Solaris/AIX/VMS/CP-M/DOS

If they break, got another one to continue, if they die beyond repair, at least they went out fighting
Compiling occupies one machine, use another.
Repairability also a great motivator versus new machines.

 

[z970]

Everyone knows hot chicks are way into retro mac computing.

... Have you tried renewing their thermal paste?

 

[VirtuallyInsane]

Here's some:

- You don't have to use iCloud and need 2-factor authentication every time you accidentally click something. Or just have to use iCloud in general. I use localhost now, and it's a heck of a lot better.

- You can't use Lion, El Capitan, or Catalina, and you never will be able to, which is a perk in itself.

- You can play old games and use obsolete software that you used to love, or still love that can get the job done.

- They're so easy to upgrade, compared to modern macs. On the iMac G5, you can just pop in a new SSD, and some RAM, and BOOM. Off you go. The WiFi Cards are easy to install, too. Just slip it in, click, and there you go.

- You can still browse the internet with them, BUT unfortunately we don't have a few websites like Github, Discourse, or Discord working because they updated. If there was a way to view them, I'd use my M1 Macbook a lot less.

- They're a talking point. If you go out in public or use an older model, especially an iBook G4, people are like "wutz that?" and suddenly you're popular for a moment.

- No subscription-based services. You either buy the program with the license or get a free trial. Or find a license code for it. Once you have it, you own it. There is a tremendous amount of free software/abandonware on Macintosh Garden, and similar websites, and from Macrumors members as well, who continue to code on and support this wonderful pre-Intel platform.

- iTunes 10. Coverflow, simple organization, no Apple Music apps/integration, syncs well with iPods.

- The old aesthetic and layout of versions 10.0 (and older) - 10.6.8 were user-friendly, simple, and pleasant on the eyes. Much less like an iPhone of the modern-day era, or Windows 8-11 with their dumb apps.

- No "app update" notifications. No need to update the apps/install them, and less crashing (in my experience).

- They can be used as a distraction-free machine to get real work done (i.e. music, writing, designing) if the internet is slow, or nonexistent on it. I read somewhere on the forums about a woman who writes on a super old Apple machine, using Microsoft Office X, and using FTP to send her work off (I think), and just using a tablet/phone for leisurely scrolling/entertainment. That's pretty rad, to me, at least.

- The keyboards are amazing, on most models. The older iBooks are heaven compared to a butterfly keyboard, or even the Magic Keyboard (which is still a good keyboard for its time and a major improvement over the butterfly one), and the 4:3 form factor on the older 12-inch Power/iBooks is great for watching old shows on. It doesn't cut anything out.

- USB PORTS! None of this USB C nonsense. Getting 2-3 USB ports is a treat in the modern era. Even the Early Intel machines were good for this (my 17-inch MBP '09 has three, and I've never been more glad in my life for this). No need for adaptors, or USB socket extenders for a while.

And that's it for now. If I think of anything else, I'll add it to the thread.

 

[mmphosis]

Apple isn’t emptying my iWallet at the company iStore.

Microsoft isn’t animating my screen with the company’s brands.

I can use an old but familiar GUI, without trying to contort a Linux distro into something it isn’t.

 

[Doq]

24(/7). Server management! With inbuilt OpenSSH and downloadable Chicken and TSclientX-- not to mention Apple Remote Desktop-- managing servers of all hard-and-softwares is a cakewalk for your PowerPC Mac.

 

[Certificate of Excellence]

Exactly, most people (myself included) use a Mac in order to specifically use Mac OS and the software that runs within its environment and this is reflected by the list being orientated towards that focus.

38. Get chicks

Everyone knows hot chicks are way into retro mac computing. I do it for the chicks.

 

[mortlocli]

38. Get chicks

Everyone knows hot chicks are way into retro mac computing. I do it for the chicks.

theres just so many of them.. I often have to beat them off with a stick.

 

[headlessmike]

In the case of my Powermac G3 (Blue and White): service it without tools! My wife and I keep it around for playing old games that require a classic Mac OS.

 

[Tratkazir_the_1st]

(Why most of point of this list is so MacOSX-centric..? It's as to ask what can you do with your PC in Windows... Well, yes I prefer Linux for about 3+ years. At least in home environment.)

 

[TheShortTimer]

My (totally uneducated) guess is: because the overwhelming majority of members who "run" PPC Macs run Mac OS [X].
I certainly do, because I primarily care about specific pieces of software. In other words, why run Linux or BSD on PPC when I can just run it (virtually) trouble-free on pretty much any old x86 box which are "ten a penny" and get the same or even better user experience without any of PPC's "peculiarities"?

Exactly, most people (myself included) use a Mac in order to specifically use Mac OS and the software that runs within its environment and this is reflected by the list being orientated towards that focus.

 

[JMacHack]

Chat on irc, listen to internet radio with iTunes. Those worked on my iMac G3

 

[Slix]

This is a great list! I already do a lot of these on PowerPC and early Intel Macs, and this list is a great way to share with newcomers what sorts of things these computers still excel at.

 

[Amethyst1]

1. No IntelME or AMD PSP or whatever similar **** built-in hardware.

Intel ME and AMD PSP can be disabled or avoided.

2. Different (non-x86) hardware

Same goes for a Raspberry Pi though.

3. Self-learning about other low-level things (GRUB & OpenFirmware was quite exciting experience ).

Good point.

 

[z970]

@lepidotós The Intel 945 chipset (which can go up to at least a Core 2 Duo) is the last chipset where the ME / AMT does not exist anywhere in any capacity whatsoever. And even then, the Intel P965 and P35 / X38 chipsets do not contain any traces of the ME (or AMT, which is a subset of the ME) either unless the southbridge chip in question is the Digital Office (Q965 / Q35) varient, which is the only version that contains the ME and is then capable (but not to an intrinsic degree) of using the bundled AMT module at all, and even so, there still exist ways to circumvent its ability to phone home.

From what I understand (but have not recently verified; so my memory may be fuzzy on this), the P45 / X48 chipsets (save for one specific ME-free variant) appear to contain the ME by default for offline system operation purposes, but not the AMT module, making the Q45 chipset the only version of that family that carries the potential to be dangerous (which again, can still be easily circumvented if necessary). In contrast, all X58 / Nehalem-based systems may contain both the ME and AMT module by default, but just in an unactivated state when not using the Digital Office-specific chip. Unfortunately, further details are unclear due to Intel choosing to remain extremely tight-lipped about their embedded black box backdoor that nobody wanted.

Further information can be found in the following thread I assembled back in 2020:

A Semi-Comprehensive Guide to The Intel Management Engine and Circumvention Thereof (+ AMD PSP Notes)

For almost two years now, I have avoided all Intel systems with the 965 chipset and newer, instead opting to stay with the 945 chipset and older in order to bypass the security issues surrounding the Intel Management Engine within the unclear 2006 to 2008 general period of initiation. However...

forums.macrumors.com

For pre-Nehalem systems (Core 2-based CPUs only) that do not use Digital Office chipsets, I'd be much more concerned about Spectre, Meltdown, and the other hardware vulnerabilities that require significant performance penalties in order to patch. Case in point, my primary workstation is currently a Core 2 Quad running on the X38 chipset - with no ME in sight, according to the various methods described in the above thread that can be used to specifically check for its presence.

Anyway, C2D's x86_64 backwards compatibility with modern software (which is almost always dependent on the newest SSE instruction set the CPU revision has) is still a much bigger assurance for most people than the small handful of dedicated developers still maintaining specialty software for PowerPC machines as personal projects in their free time. We won't be around forever - the recent discontinuation of TenFourFox and planned halt of Void Linux PPC, coupled with the slowly reducing number of functional machines in the wild, are small reminders of this inevitable fact - which is why Web 1.1 is such a good idea, because it keeps their online relevance perpetually alive regardless.

-

If you haven't reapplied new paste to your Radeon 9800, I would highly recommend doing so, as well as adding heatsinks to its VRAM chips (more info here). If either the underside of the CPU die or VRAM chips are getting too hot to touch at any point in time and / or its overall video quality is even slightly reduced from what it normally should be, I would even suggest flashing the card's BIOS to the Non-Pro version (the decrease in performance is minor) in order to better preserve the card for more years of service.

ATi clocked almost all of their R300 cards too high for reliability in most cases (opting instead to prioritize a more favorable public image through slightly higher benchmarks), and the vast number of dead or artifacting 9700 and 9800 boards out there compared to other GPUs of the era is solid proof. Therefore, exercising ample caution with these now 20-year-old cards in particular is heavily advised if you wish for longevity.

 

[mortlocli]

oops - sorry guys...had a mis-hap while using an old ipad mini...hence the no content posting.

Meant to say: Ive had a complete turn around re my PPC ibook..and 17 inch Imac..thanks to z970s work. Been trying to find ways to keep those machines up to date, but discovered I should be going back in time.

Shuriken is rather fun to use..and with all the free treasures in the garden..theres enough to keep me entertained..I can use other machines for other online needs. Ive enjoyed it so much Im thinking of having it on my intel 17inch Imac...just for fun.

I gave my PPC imac away...and sounded out the owner to see if they still wanted it...they use it for playing DVDs..and they love the retro look. Ive installed sorbet on it for them.

(kinda ironic that the PPC ibook and iMac dvd drives are still working while the dvd drives on both my intel iMacs fail.)

 

[TheShortTimer]

(kinda ironic that the PPC ibook and iMac dvd drives are still working while the dvd drives on both my intel iMacs fail.)

The optical drive on my 2006 MBP has failed twice now. My 2012 cMBP was purchased in late 2013 and its drive failed shockingly quickly: I think it lasted three or four years max. In comparison the DVD drives in my PPC Macs continue to work without issue.

 

[rampancy]

Retro gaming is definitely where PPC OS X/Classic Macs shine. Quite a few of my all time favorites, like Star Trek DS9: The Fallen, and FutureCop: LAPD never made the jump to OS X. (But maybe the Windows versions can work in WINE?)

 

[JMacHack]

My best reason: there is no Intel/Apple Silicon iMac g3