Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

melismak · Sep 9, 2006, 03:41 PM

I've been looking for a used Mac because I need it to run Notewriter software for my dissertation. A friend of mine has a G3 that's maxed out on memory, and she's offered to clean off the hard drive for me and install OS9.2. Does $400 sound fair or is that too much? She told me to research it, because she wasn't sure whether it was a fair price herself.

ETA that this is not one of the old beige macs--it's from the line with all the fun neon colors.

Help please! This is my first Mac and I really don't know the market.

OreoCookie · Sep 9, 2006, 04:08 PM

It's too much.
If you provide some more details on the specs, we could estimate its value.

melismak · Sep 9, 2006, 04:18 PM

Thank you for your response

I'm not sure on the specs. I've been doing some research though and see that OS9 came out pre-Y2K! I've also been looking at ebay and don't see any selling for over $100--most are $50 or so.

Do you think I should just get one of those $500 mac towers and use my existing monitor? The documentation for the software says "It runs on all Macintoshes (from Mac Plus up), and works with all systems (up to 9.2), and prints on all PostScript laser printers and phototypesetters. NoteWriter uses the Sonata font from Adobe Systems Inc. (which must be purchased separately)." I guess that means it doesn't run on any OS AFTER 9.2? Is that right?

GSixZero · Sep 9, 2006, 04:27 PM

Being that a brand spanking new mac mini is $579 on the edu store, and new iMac is $899, I'd say $400 is way too much. I see you need OS9 is required for Notewriter, so I wouldn't suggest getting a new machine.

Is it a PowerMac:

or an iMac:

If it's a powermac, the best this machine could be would be 450mhz with a 1gb ram, I'd say $150 is about the most I'd pay for it.

If it's an iMac, I'd wouldn't pay more than $50 or $75.

Look at your local craigslist to see what prices for vintage macs are in your area.

melismak · Sep 9, 2006, 04:29 PM

I think Powermac, but not sure.

melismak · Sep 9, 2006, 04:33 PM

350 mhz
1024 mb memory

I WAS the One · Sep 9, 2006, 04:33 PM

if I gotta sell my Blue and white G3 (running tiger/max RAM/Zip drive/two HDs of 250 and a 64mb Graphic card)with the blue and white monitor that came with it and the original blue keyboard and hockey ball mouse right now, (and I'm still use that B&W G3) I sell the whole package for $150.00. that's the real price for a complete set. but I'm not selling it right now.

if you wanna help her give her $200.00 max, but you can get a better Mac for $400.00 (including a dual boot iBook)

melismak · Sep 9, 2006, 04:34 PM

and it is a powermac

melismak · Sep 9, 2006, 04:42 PM

mehhhh....she just said that she looked it up online, and that it's worth $300.

GSixZero · Sep 9, 2006, 04:42 PM

Yeah I agree with I WAS, I'd say $100 if you're feeling shrewd, $150 is fair, or $200 if you're generous.

GSixZero · Sep 9, 2006, 04:43 PM

If she wants $300, politely decline and get one off craigslist. These machines are not hard to find thesedays.

melismak · Sep 9, 2006, 04:43 PM

Originally Posted by GSixZero

Yeah I agree with I WAS, I'd say $100 if you're feeling shrewd, $150 is fair, or $200 if you're generous.

Even with all the memory? And it does come with qiute a bit of software. Seriously, I am worried that I'll end up paying too much, but I dont know how to decline her offer.

CharlesS · Sep 9, 2006, 04:53 PM

I also agree - for $400, you should get something with a G4 in it.

OreoCookie · Sep 9, 2006, 05:36 PM

As some people have pointed out, for that price you can get a used Mac mini (with a G4). If you add a tad more, you can get a new Mac mini -- complete with the latest version of OS X and iLife (that alone has a value of over $200).

And yes, you an use your old PC monitor.

melismak · Sep 9, 2006, 05:39 PM

Originally Posted by OreoCookie

As some people have pointed out, for that price you can get a used Mac mini (with a G4). If you add a tad more, you can get a new Mac mini -- complete with the latest version of OS X and iLife (that alone has a value of over $200).

And yes, you an use your old PC monitor.

Well, I don't think I CAN get a new machine, because I need 9.2 or lower (it's an old program but the only one that will do what I need for this project.) But I am very tempted by a mac mini...

I am going to email my professor because he did mention the mac mini but uses the same program. That would help me avoid any kind of confrontation issue with my friend.

melismak · Sep 9, 2006, 05:49 PM

Here's the line from the software lit that mentions 9.2: "It runs on all Macintoshes (from Mac Plus up), and works with all systems (up to 9.2), and prints on all PostScript laser printers and phototypesetters."

seanc · Sep 9, 2006, 05:50 PM

Anything with a PPC processor should do. Does there seem to be any problem with running the software under classic?

melismak · Sep 9, 2006, 05:54 PM

Originally Posted by seanc

Anything with a PPC processor should do. Does there seem to be any problem with running the software under classic?

Heh, I have no idea. What do you mean? I don't know PPC or classic (I am not computerish anyway and totally new to Macs!)

I've asked my advisor what he uses. I don't know anyone else using this software.

seanc · Sep 9, 2006, 05:57 PM

PPC = PowerPC, the processors before the Intel Macs.
Classic is a virtualisation program built into Mac OS X that can run programs designed for Mac OS 9.2 etc.

melismak · Sep 9, 2006, 06:01 PM

Originally Posted by seanc

PPC = PowerPC, the processors before the Intel Macs.
Classic is a virtualisation program built into Mac OS X that can run programs designed for Mac OS 9.2 etc.

Oh, really?? I wonder if it would work on a new mac mini then?? Very helpful point. Do new macs come with it (OSX and therefore Classic) automatically?

imitchellg5 · Sep 9, 2006, 06:24 PM

Classic is not on any Intel Macs.

bowwowman · Sep 9, 2006, 06:30 PM

Oh, really?? I wonder if it would work on a new mac mini then?? Very helpful point. Do new macs come with it (OSX and therefore Classic) automatically?

There is NO classic mode/OS 9 support on the new intel mini's, or any other intel mac for that matter.....

There is Rosetta, but that is for running OS X versions of PPC apps on the intel macs.......

New macs come with OS X & Rosetta, but NO classic!

Now if you could find a used PPC-based mini (or any other model), you would be good to go, since those units supported both OS X & 9

But do NOT, under any circumstances, pay anywhere near $300-400 for a fruit-colored iMac, or even a B&W tower.....they simply are NOT worth that much, regardless of how much memory or OS 9 software is included

melismak · Sep 9, 2006, 06:31 PM

Originally Posted by imitchellg5

Classic is not on any Intel Macs.

When did macs start using Intel processors?

The bottom line...i sthat I just need to know what model will work with this program. I have to get something used, right? And I already know that the price quoted above is not a fair one.

melismak · Sep 9, 2006, 06:33 PM

Originally Posted by bowwowman

There is NO classic mode/OS 9 support on the new intel mini's, or any other intel mac for that matter.....

There is Rosetta, but that is for running OS X versions of PPC apps on the intel macs.......

New macs come with OS X & Rosetta, but NO classic!

Now if you could find a used PPC-based mini (or any other model), you would be good to go, since those units supported both OS X & 9

But do NOT, under any circumstances, pay anywhere near $300-400 for a fruit-colored iMac, or even a B&W tower.....they simply are NOT worth that much, regardless of how much memory or OS 9 software is included

I appreciate the response, bowwowman. I'm just confused about what to do next...*sigh* I just wish the stupid software had been updated recently, but I think the maker has stopped updating it...I did email him, so waiting a response.

imitchellg5 · Sep 9, 2006, 06:38 PM

Originally Posted by melismak

When did macs start using Intel processors?

The bottom line...i sthat I just need to know what model will work with this program. I have to get something used, right? And I already know that the price quoted above is not a fair one.

Earlier this year. Any G3, G4, or G5 Mac has Classic built in. I would recommend getting a Power Mac G4. You can get one many times for as little as $150 with a 450MHz G4, plus you can fully boot into OS 9 or OS 10 ( it is called dual booting).

melismak · Sep 9, 2006, 06:40 PM

Very helpful, Mitchell....and where would I look for one of these? Buying from Craigslist scares me--I don't necessarily trust people to be honest and I'm not an expert.

CharlesS · 07:13 PM

Here is a list of computers that can not run Classic.

The Intel-based Mac mini. If the Mac mini says it uses a G4 processor, though, you're okay. I bet the G4 Mac minis would be really cheap right now.

The Intel-based iMac. If the iMac has a camera built-in, then it's probably an Intel iMac, although there was one really short-lived G5 model with a camera. If it doesn't have a camera, you're fine.

Anything called MacBook or Mac Pro won't run Classic.

For you, I'd agree with the previous posters and say Power Mac G4. In addition to being able to run OS X reasonably well along with the Classic environment, the G4s can boot straight into OS 9 as well if the app doesn't work in Classic for some reason (which is unlikely, but then again I'm not familiar with this NoteWriter software, so I'm not going to make assumptions). I'd probably try running OS X and running NoteWriter in Classic - it's a little less elegant, but OS X is just a much better operating system - OS 9 likes to crash a lot.

As for places to get it, I found these:

PowerMax Computers, Experts in Used, New, and Refurbished Macs and Mac Accessories is a fairly well-known dealer
Mac Of All Trades Older Macs, Refurbished Apple Desktop, AirPort Adapters - Sell & Buy Used Macs from Mac Of All Trades is something I found with Google - don't know their reputation, but their prices are low
USED APPLE MACINTOSH COMPUTERS - another one found with Google

I WAS the One · Sep 9, 2006, 07:15 PM

Originally Posted by melismak

When did macs start using Intel processors?

man, you need to know a lot about Macs my friend...

first lesson: $400 dollars for a B&W G3 is a joke, don't doit. A Graphite G4 at eBay will worth less than that!

Second Lesson: PowerMac stands for Power PC processor (OLD MACS) Mac Pros or simply Macs stands for intel Macs (NEW MACS)

you need a Power PC to runs OS 9 (an OLD MAC) and it's not a Mac Mini G4. it's prior that. AGP, Graphite, Quicksilver, MDD (as an example)

and you can get them for less than $400.00 dollars

melismak · 08:27 AM

thanks!