[Coach]

I have a lot of questions, hopefully you guys can give me some advice regarding the following with my Powerbook G4 1.25 15". I've maxed out the RAM at 2GB already, but always looking for more things to do.

I'll be using my Powerbook as a teacher in class. What I want to do is:

1. Get an external HD that works both with my Intel Imac at home with FW800 and with my Powerbook that has FW400. I've heard that the Powerbook has difficulty reading the HDs that use FW800.

2. The school provides PC that has the only internet connection. From talking to the school tech, I cannot connect my Powerbook to their system because of security reasons. So, I need to keep the PC around to gain access to the internet and printing. Are there anyways that I could access the server/internet through this PC? Any ideas? The school uses Novel.

3. I would also like to get a switch between a new monitor and the Powerbook. I'm looking at some of Belkin's products for this? Would I need the DVI support for both?

4. I will also have a LCD projector. Is there a switch that I can hook up both the Powerbook/PC/external monitor/ and the LCD at the same time?

I understand the school's reasoning for not allowing a personal computer onto the system, but I'm just wondering if there may be somekind of work around.

Thanks!

[Cold Warrior]

You could get in big trouble with your school and even law enforcement for trying to put your personal machine on the net. Personally, I wouldn't risk employment and thousands of dollars in attorney fees.

[ghporter]

First, don't ask a coworker, ask the IT people. Get the straight answer from the source instead of asking someone who may not have heard properly, may not remember properly, or may not know what they're talking about at all.

Second, as Cold Warrior points out, circumventing an employer's network security, even for good reasons, can get you unemployed fast. Do NOT do this, even to test the possibility that it may or may not work. Further, have you any idea how much of a pain a Novel network is for a Mac user? Hoo boy! It's a Royal Turbo Mega Nucular Pain in the 'Roids! You need an expensive client, a lot of configuration, plenty of luck, and to hold your tongue just right to make a Mac work (easily anyway) with a Novel network. Consider the ban a blessing.

Switching between monitors is an interesting technical challenge. For ONE source it's a fairly easy thing to do. Switching between TWO sources takes two switches; one for which source to use, and one for which display to use. It can be done, but it's a pain.