My father has just been given an ancient Performa 6200 and is looking for a compatible printer -- can anyone suggest a few options? Also, he is considering Internet access: any suggestions as to which external modem would be most suitable?

I'm not at all Mac-literate myself, so any additional information on set-up, potential problems with such an old model, the ports involved, etc, would be most helpful. Thanks in advance,

Andrew Jackson

[Joe Cool]

My dad uses a 5300. It is the same as a 6300, but it is an all-in-one. We have an epson 740 that works fine on it plus the printer has a USB port so we use it on our new macs. The computer has 32mb of ram and a 100mhz 603e in it. He uses a global village 56k modem with it. The serial port on the computer isn't fast enough to keep up wiht it though. He gets about 3 to almost 4k a second, but the computer has a hard time just displaying the data. Its time for my dad to get a new computer, good luck with yours.

[WDL]

Andrew:

It will work. Get a Global Village 56K v.90 modem (goes to the modem port) and if your dad likes
word processing, look around for a used LaserWriter Select 360 printer (600 dpi - built like an
army tank with expected life of 300,000 prints - mine's been in use for six years @ 73,000 prints
with never a problem) - it goes to the printer port. Very straightforward.

I had this setup with a Centris 660AV with (can you believe) 27 mhz and a 230 meg hard drive.

My modem speed was 42,000 to 46,000 - but downloading was slow.

To maximize your speed:

Always turn virtual memory on (providing the operating system is 8.0 or higher).

Use Netscape 4.7 as the bowser.
Very stable and doesn't take as much disk space as IE.

In Netscape Preferences, turn off "Automatically load images and other data types" - makes it
run about four times as fast. If there is a graphic he want's to see, just a click on Images in the
button bar will make it unfold. There's another benefit to this - you don't have to wait for all those
banners and advertising to download!

It will work, because I've done it on an older, slower Mac!

If it turns out that he enjoys the net and the computer - get him a low-end iMac -- he'll be
blown away by the speed and beauty.

WDL

[WDL]

Forgot to include:

Since presumably no one there is Mac literate, get:

MacWorld MacSecrets 5th ed by David Pogue and Joseph Schorr - IDG Books.

It is one of the most entertaining and informative books you'll ever read.

It will be like having an expert in your home to advise you on all things Mac.
Great for tips and troubleshooting.

WDL

Hi folks,

Many thanks for the information. Can I check what it is, in general, that makes a printer Mac-compatible or not? My guess is that we'll be on the lookout for something second-hand, and if the seller isn't too hot on this subject then we'll need to be :-)

Is it down to certain brands or certain models? Will a recent Epsom or Hewlitt Packard or Cannon inkjet do the job?

Cheers,

Andrew

[Indigo Boy]

I had a 56K modem on my 6200--I found out afterward that supposedly the 6200 had a motherboard design bottleneck that wouldn't allow the 6200 to take advantage of the speed. Apparently the 6200 used a Quadra motherboard with a Power PC chip.... All I know is that my new iMac DV with a 56K modem loads web pages a great deal faster.

Check out the Mac Speed Zone (not sure of the URL, probably www.macspeedzone) which had some articles on the 6200.

For word processing, e-mailing, etc., the 6200 will do a fine job. Mine still runs, though the CD ROM died on it. But for web surfing, it may be a bit frustrating (though functional).

I also had an Epson 740 hooked up to it, and that ran fine, hooked up through the serial port.

[bugs]

Originally posted by Andrew Jackson:
Hi folks,

Many thanks for the information. Can I check what it is, in general, that makes a printer Mac-compatible or not?

Yes,

Your primary clue will be the round plug used for both the modem and printer ports. I suggest you not pay money for a new serial printer however. Either buy one at a thrift store for $10 or find one that also has a USB port for future use.