Uses For Old Powermac G3 B&W?

Hello, I recently got hold of a free g3 and an emac. Does anyone have a good use for the g3 besides a media server or kid's computer? Thanks!

ipadsandmac said:

Hello, I recently got hold of a free g3 and an emac. Does anyone have a good use for the g3 besides a media server or kid's computer? Thanks!

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Doorstop!

- Nick

Kellick for both.

Do get into trouble sometimes for suggesting this especially from my K1W1 mate hughvane.

More seriously....the best purpose for an old B&W G3 would be for running older software that newer software cannot run.

Since we're talking computers from 1997-1999...software from that era is what I'm talking about. These things came preinstalled with "Classic" Mac OS 8...and depending on the exact model...max out with either Mac OS 10.2.8 thru 10.4.

These things don't even support Airport...so you would definitely have to use an ethernet cable for internet use.

So I would say as far as uses:

- run much older software (if you have any)
- a dual-boot Mac OS 9 & Mac OS X
- a big large MP3 player
- a picture viewer for photos
- a unit you could setup near your kitchen to check e-mails & look up cooking recipes online.
- install alternative OS's (Linux, etc.)

But even internet use is going to be painfully slow due to the limitations of:

- the slower G3 logic board design
- cpu speed
- amount of ram
- much older graphics hardware
- and you need an ethernet cable wherever you put it

* Nick

Thanks pigoo3! Do you think I'd get any sort of speed boost from installing something like chromium? Maybe I should just get a Raspberry Pi...

ipadsandmac said:

Thanks pigoo3! Do you think I'd get any sort of speed boost from installing something like chromium?

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What's "chromium"? Do you mean the internet browser "Chrome"?

- Nick

And no speed boost at all sadly. CPU, system bus speed etc are all dinosaur era.

You can run some 3rd world island country with it... no problem. I still have some graphics apps on mine that still work in this age. A postscript file has not changed at commercial printers.

Mac SK said:

You can run some 3rd world island country with it... no problem. I still have some graphics apps on mine that still work in this age. A postscript file has not changed at commercial printers.

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This is one of the best options I can think of for an old B&W Powermac. If someone has some 8-10+ year-old software...it will run fine on that old computer.

But if the average someone "spontaneously" comes across one of these old computers...I'm thinking they won't have old software. Then the options for this old of a computer get slim.

Even most of the old iMac G3's supported Airport...so the benefit of wireless is a bonus over the B&W Powermac G3.

- Nick

pigoo3 said:

What's "chromium"? Do you mean the internet browser "Chrome"?

- Nick

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It's an android distro based on Chrome OS. I though it might run ok as it is basically a browser.

And you can get an Android distro of a web browser for Chrome OS working on a B&W G3 ... how exactly?

i used my old G3 to add weight to one of my trash cans, kept it from blowing over that week. worked pretty good. i had upgraded to a G4 many years ago, wont be using it for a trash can weight, but have upgraded to a macpro, still the G4 is a pretty good machine and worth keeping, byt the G3 well not really good for much.

ipadsandmac said:

It's an android distro based on Chrome OS. I though it might run ok as it is basically a browser.

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Yes Chromium is the Linux version of Chrome. Last time my Linux box updated it changed to Chromium.