[HM] Re: need imac advice ASAP! *Part 2*

[Paul N. Reid]

On 05/02/2003 13:21, "Jane Sprando" <janesprando at msn.com> wrote:

> I thought about keeping my old Mac. But I have this beige G3 tower with a
> 17" monitor and it takes up a LOT of space!
> 
> jane

Hey Again, Jane,

Part 2 follows...


F)  Finally (or maybe this should be the *first* thing you consider, eh?),
Ask yourself "why am I looking to upgrade my CPU now?" keeping the following
considerations FOREMOST in your mind:

€ FIRST:  OS 9 is a rapidly dying technology.  OS X is not merely an upgrade
    as were OS's 1 - 9.2.2 (and I have been working professionally with Macs
    *since* system 1). It is a completely new vehicle under the familiar GUI
    hood. As such, it has nearly infinitely longer shelf life and immense
    potential to develop and grow.  If you continue to stay with OS 9, you
    will continue to see what is available to you become narrower, your will
    rapidly see support vanishing for your current applications, and you
    will eventually have a hard time even getting hardware that supports the
    underlying code.  You will be putting of for now what you will
    eventually have to do anyway.  It is better to switch sooner than later,
    because you will increasingly become in danger of loosing access to your
    older files. The same is true with applications... I literally had
    hundreds of Apps running under OS 9 or earlier to deal when I upgraded
    to OS X nearly 3 years ago!

€ NEXT:  If you want to run a OS 9 bootable system and a OS X bootable
    system now,  You may well be better of making the necessary upgrades (if
    any) to your G3 Tower, and start transitioning over to running
    everything under OS X at your own convenience (and as you can afford to
    invest in the upgraded or new applications as gradually as your budget
    requires).That may make much more since then investing a large amount of
    money into another CPU that is not cutting edge, especially if the
    difference between the two new systems you are looking at is only
    $300!!! there may quite likely be new models of iMacs coming this
    holidays season (though I have no 'special' knowledge of such a
    development, it is only a speculation).

€ ALSO: There is already considerable information floating around about OS X
    "Panther" and it's imminent arrival on the scene.  If you buy a new iMac
    now, it will be preloaded with the current iteration of OS X: "Jaguar".
    I would suggest your money now might be better spent on getting Jaguar
    running on you current machine now, while it is being offered at
    discounted prices through several online dealers and while it has become
    more stable over time since it original release (at least through
    v.10.2.4).  Hopefully Panther will be stable from the get go, but you
    never know until it is out.  And by waiting to purchase new hardware
    later, when you have been able to make the transition to X in you own
    time, you will be getting a more advanced OS as well as the next
    generation of hardware improvements at the same time.  This is
    especially salient in that recent history has indicated that prices for
    new machine rise slower than the technology advances - i.e. The newest,
    most advanced and loaded iMac that may be $1800 now, may well still be
    around $1800 in the next generation, but will likely be loaded with
    additional or updated hardware that is, as yet, not available in the
    current iMac line.  (again, this is an observation, not a promise!)

And

€ FINALLY:  Like OS X, the Flat-Panel iMacs are not merely upgrades to the
    iMac line as were all of the previous iMacs that followed the general
    form-factor of the original Bondi boys, the Flat-Panels are evolutional
    *leaps*!  With next-gen. G4 processors, significantly beefed up video
    cards, internal Super Drives, luscious flat-panel displays, and gorgeous
    design, there is not merely ±$300 difference, but rather a Kia Sportage
    vs. Mercedes ML55 AMG difference. When the time comes to upgrade to or
    add a new iMac to your current system, the original style iMacs and the
    Flat-Panel iMacs are very nearly apples and oranges.

Well, there's my $.o2 (though I try to give you the most value I can for
your money!)  8^)

If you find it useful, I am grateful. If you don't... Me and my big mouth!
Heh!

And if you have additional question - such as what kind of upgrades your G3
tower would require (if any!), or where you might find information about you
current and future software options (though, with its separate sections for
both OS X software and Legacy software (Systems 1- OS 9), Version tracker -
http://www.versiontracker.com/ - is a *great* starting point!) Please post
them back to the list (lots of great advice out there!) or contact me at the
address below.

Respectfully,

ShrinkMan


------------------------------------------------------
Paul N. Reid, M.S.
AASP Certified Systems Technician
Point of No Return Productions
pnreid at cox.net

"Truth is never 'relative', but rather truth is absolute correspondence to
reality...
                     ...It is reality that is relative"

- Original