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SimpleLife · Mar 15, 2005, 07:23 PM

A friend will give me her old LC475. Apparently, all it needs is a new internal battery. There's a 14" monitor coming with it as well.

I already have a Powerbook with OSX on it.

So, any suggestions?

Goldfinger · Mar 15, 2005, 07:45 PM

Somehow use it as a piece of furniture.

turtle777 · Mar 15, 2005, 07:50 PM

Originally posted by Goldfinger:
Somehow use it as a piece of furniture.

Yeah, drill a large hole in it and make it a toilet seat.

-t

goMac · Mar 15, 2005, 08:09 PM

Originally posted by SimpleLife:
A friend will give me her old LC475. Apparently, all it needs is a new internal battery. There's a 14" monitor coming with it as well.

I already have a Powerbook with OSX on it.

So, any suggestions?

I had a Quadra 605 (same thing as LC475) back in the day. GREAT machine. Wonderful form factor. I still wish Apple would produce one like it today.

It would make a great web server or headless box. If you get an external cd drive it would also work nicely with classic games. A LC Card style ethernet card wouldn't be too hard to find.

sambeau · Mar 15, 2005, 08:20 PM

Originally posted by goMac:
I had a Quadra 605 (same thing as LC475) back in the day. GREAT machine. Wonderful form factor. I still wish Apple would produce one like it today.

I trust that is sarcasm...

It was ugly, slow and clunky and basically rubbish. It appeared in a morass of other similarily specced machines only it was a little bit faster than the ones before.

But we still hailed it as wonderful.

My advice is to quietly assign it to as skip with an air of dignity if you can muster one.

goMac · Mar 16, 2005, 04:43 AM

Originally posted by sambeau:
I trust that is sarcasm...

It was ugly, slow and clunky and basically rubbish. It appeared in a morass of other similarily specced machines only it was a little bit faster than the ones before.

But we still hailed it as wonderful.

My advice is to quietly assign it to as skip with an air of dignity if you can muster one.

Ugly? They were pretty nice looking systems. Very small form factor too.

Yeah, they were slow. Only a 680LC40. It still was enough to get by back in those days. Hell... The thing could handle Myst, which a lot of machines couldn't.

The only thing that made it clunky was lack of internal bays. It came around at the same time as the CD-ROM, so it made it a bit harder to use.

PurpleGiant · Mar 16, 2005, 04:50 AM

Put Kid Pix on there. Kid Pix was great.

goMac · Mar 16, 2005, 05:00 AM

Originally posted by PurpleGiant:
Put Kid Pix on there. Kid Pix was great.

I think Kid Pix Studio should run on it too.

Xeo · Mar 16, 2005, 05:00 AM

goMac · Mar 16, 2005, 05:02 AM

Originally posted by Xeo:

Awwwwwwwwwwww...

Such a meanie...

CharlesS · Mar 16, 2005, 05:17 AM

A 68040 is great if you have some old games that won't run on a PowerPC for whatever reason (or do run on the PowerPC in emulation, but don't work well in Classic if you can't/don't want to dual-boot OS 9 on the PowerBook).

willed · Mar 16, 2005, 05:22 AM

Originally posted by CharlesS:
A 68040 is great if you have some old games that won't run on a PowerPC for whatever reason (or do run on the PowerPC in emulation, but don't work well in Classic if you can't/don't want to dual-boot OS 9 on the PowerBook).

Shufflepuck Caf�

PurpleGiant · Mar 16, 2005, 06:15 AM

Originally posted by willed:
Shufflepuck Caf�

Do it.

Athens · Mar 16, 2005, 07:56 AM

Originally posted by sambeau:
I trust that is sarcasm...

It was ugly, slow and clunky and basically rubbish. It appeared in a morass of other similarily specced machines only it was a little bit faster than the ones before.

But we still hailed it as wonderful.

My advice is to quietly assign it to as skip with an air of dignity if you can muster one.

The LC475 was actually fast, ive still have one that works well

Mastrap · Mar 16, 2005, 08:28 AM

Originally posted by Athens:
The LC475 was actually fast, ive still have one that works well

I used to have one and loved it. I saw one a couple of years back in a skip. It looked in really good condition and I'm pretty sure that it would have worked. I was very tempted to take it home with me but in the end just left it.

derbs · Mar 16, 2005, 10:49 AM

Originally posted by sambeau:
I trust that is sarcasm...

It was ugly, slow and clunky and basically rubbish. It appeared in a morass of other similarily specced machines only it was a little bit faster than the ones before.

But we still hailed it as wonderful.

My advice is to quietly assign it to as skip with an air of dignity if you can muster one.

Huh? Are you serious?

In 1993, a 40mhz 040 was the fastest mac available, so the 25mhz 040 LC475 was a fast and cheap machine. It was way faster than the IIsi i upgraded from.

Nivag · Mar 16, 2005, 11:14 AM

i used to have an LC as a foot rest. the gentle slant was just the right height!

Jim Paradise · Mar 16, 2005, 12:07 PM

Install KidPix and expansions sets for it.
Install The Incredible Machine.
Install HyperCard for shits and giggles.
Install Sim games such as Sim City and Sim Ant.

MilkmanDan · Mar 16, 2005, 12:09 PM

Don't forget all those classic lucas arts games like Sam & Max and Monkey Island!

My parents had a iivx in the basement, I went to get it last year, and the dog had gone and peed on it. I often had the same urge over the years, I can't believe he beat me to it.

starman · Mar 16, 2005, 12:11 PM

Originally posted by willed:
Shufflepuck Caf�

And Marathon

MilkmanDan · Mar 16, 2005, 12:13 PM

Originally posted by starman:
And Marathon

Marathon 2! And Infinity! So many old games collecting dust on my shelves....

Mr Kino · Mar 16, 2005, 12:53 PM

I came on the mac scene whit my iMac 333mhz, would someone please post a picture of what that computer looks like? thank you.

Goldfinger · Mar 16, 2005, 01:07 PM

DeathToWindows · Mar 16, 2005, 03:11 PM

defenestrate

olePigeon · Mar 16, 2005, 04:53 PM

I'm still trying to find a free one somewhere. I have my Apple ][ Card and some Apple ][ games I want to image and back up before they become useless. Mostly my Bard's Tale, Ultima, and Dragon Wars games.

Once I do that, I can upload my own images to the Asimov archive. Their copies of Ultima V, Bard's Tale, and Dragon Wars are all broken.

Athens · Mar 16, 2005, 04:57 PM

Originally posted by Goldfinger:

and you could take apart the entire machine in 45 seconds with out a screw driver if the one screw on the back was off

Mastrap · Mar 16, 2005, 05:54 PM

Popping in more memory was a snap. It was a great little machine. I used to trundle through gopherspace on mine.

PS: Is there anything left of gopherspace at all?

dreilly1 · Mar 16, 2005, 06:13 PM

While we're on the subject of old Macs:

Is there a converter that lets you plug in a USB keyboard to an old, ADB-based Mac?

I've seen plenty of converters to let you plug an old ADB device into a new USB Mac, but not the other way around.

If I can find one, maybe I'll pick up an old Mac, put it on my KVM switch, and go nuts with old games!

CharlesS · Mar 16, 2005, 07:38 PM

Originally posted by dreilly1:
While we're on the subject of old Macs:

Is there a converter that lets you plug in a USB keyboard to an old, ADB-based Mac?

I've seen plenty of converters to let you plug an old ADB device into a new USB Mac, but not the other way around.

If I can find one, maybe I'll pick up an old Mac, put it on my KVM switch, and go nuts with old games!

If the ADB Mac is PCI-based, you could just add a USB PCI card.

Alas, the LC 475 is not PCI-based. So, unless someone actually bothered to make a USB card for PDS (read: not bloody likely), then the answer will be no in this case.

scottiB · Mar 16, 2005, 08:07 PM

Originally posted by Jim Paradise:
Install KidPix and expansions sets for it.
Install The Incredible Machine.
Install HyperCard for shits and giggles.
Install Sim games such as Sim City and Sim Ant.

Prince of Persia--I still have the floppies if any body wants 'em. Played like a maniac on my IIci.

tooki · Mar 16, 2005, 08:32 PM

Originally posted by sambeau:
I trust that is sarcasm...

It was ugly, slow and clunky and basically rubbish. It appeared in a morass of other similarily specced machines only it was a little bit faster than the ones before.

But we still hailed it as wonderful.

My advice is to quietly assign it to as skip with an air of dignity if you can muster one.

What are you talking about? When it came out in 1993, for under $1000, it was substantially more powerful than most other Mac models in existence at the time, and had an extraordinarily good cost-performance ratio. The only more-powerful models at the time were the Quadra 800, 840AV, and 900/950. And those were only really noticeably better on apps that took advantage of the FPU -- most apps didn't. Other than the identical-except-for-the-case Quadra 605, the Quadras cost a lot more than the 475.

You have to remember that it performed very substantially better on 68K apps than any Power Mac released in 1994 -- they only were able to shine with native PPC apps. (Note also that the Power Macs cannot run 68K apps that require an FPU, either.*)

All in all, the 475 was one of the most cost-effective Macs ever for its time. It ran all current software from the time very well, supported large monitors, used almost no power, and had only one small fan that was super quiet. I owned one, and it will always remain one of my favorite Mac models.

tooki

* Somebody wrote an extension that emulated the FPU, but at a high speed penalty.

SimpleLife · Mar 16, 2005, 08:42 PM

Originally posted by tooki:
What are you talking about? When it came out in 1993, for under $1000, it was substantially more powerful than most other Mac models in existence at the time, and had an extraordinarily good cost-performance ratio. The only more-powerful models at the time were the Quadra 800, 840AV, and 900/950. And those were only really noticeably better on apps that took advantage of the FPU -- most apps didn't. Other than the identical-except-for-the-case Quadra 605, the Quadras cost a lot more than the 475.

You have to remember that it performed very substantially better on 68K apps than any Power Mac released in 1994 -- they only were able to shine with native PPC apps. (Note also that the Power Macs cannot run 68K apps that require an FPU, either.*)

All in all, the 475 was one of the most cost-effective Macs ever for its time. It ran all current software from the time very well, supported large monitors, used almost no power, and had only one small fan that was super quiet. I owned one, and it will always remain one of my favorite Mac models.

tooki

* Somebody wrote an extension that emulated the FPU, but at a high speed penalty.

Inspiring comment! Like some others.

Now what would you suggest I do with it today?

I will get it tomorrow, and I am committed in doing something useful with the lil'bugger.

So what say you? What shall I turn this thing into?

tooki · Mar 16, 2005, 08:55 PM

I'm not exactly what to do with one. I still have mine, but have no use for it.

Back when I still had a LocalTalk LaserWriter, an LC475 with an ethernet card would have made a great AppleTalk bridge.

Now, I guess I'd say it'd make a great computer for running old games, many of which don't work right in Classic (many don't even run right on Power Macs running Mac OS 9). Prince of Persia, Lemmings, etc... all such great games!

tooki

SimpleLife · Mar 16, 2005, 10:07 PM

Originally posted by tooki:
I'm not exactly what to do with one. I still have mine, but have no use for it.

Back when I still had a LocalTalk LaserWriter, an LC475 with an ethernet card would have made a great AppleTalk bridge.

Now, I guess I'd say it'd make a great computer for running old games, many of which don't work right in Classic (many don't even run right on Power Macs running Mac OS 9). Prince of Persia, Lemmings, etc... all such great games!

tooki

And how about this?

tooki · Mar 16, 2005, 10:20 PM

It'd make a great low-volume web server: the 475 uses less power than almost any desktop computer I can think of, and it creates essentially no heat.

tooki

Mastrap · Mar 16, 2005, 10:22 PM

Originally posted by SimpleLife:
Inspiring comment! Like some others.

Now what would you suggest I do with it today?

I will get it tomorrow, and I am committed in doing something useful with the lil'bugger.

So what say you? What shall I turn this thing into?

Just play with it. If you can get our hands on some old apps then this is a very capable little machine. I used to run everything from Quark XPress to Photoshop to Netscape on mine. I agree with Tooki, it was one of the best Macs I've ever owned. I replaced it with a Performa 6400 with the infamous software modem. What a pos that machine was.

funkboy · Mar 16, 2005, 10:27 PM

How many old Macs are not in use right now? And could they be recycled somehow?

I have an Apple Performa 6115CD, complete with monitor, and an Apple ][GS with monitor, printer, etc.

so... anyone want one?

SimpleLife · Mar 16, 2005, 10:32 PM

To all:

Thank you very much.

CharlesS · Mar 16, 2005, 10:36 PM

Originally posted by tooki:
Now, I guess I'd say it'd make a great computer for running old games, many of which don't work right in Classic (many don't even run right on Power Macs running Mac OS 9). Prince of Persia, Lemmings, etc... all such great games!

Don't forget Out Of This World. What a great game. One of the best ever in my book, but it doesn't seem to want to run in Classic at all.

RAILhead · Mar 17, 2005, 12:09 AM

I have one in my closet being used as a file server on my wireless network. It's been up since August 2004 (when we moved in). Rock solid.

Maury

legacyb4 · Mar 17, 2005, 12:27 AM

Gosh, makes me all misty-eyed seeing that ol' machine... <sniffle>

Originally posted by Goldfinger:

legacyb4 · Mar 17, 2005, 12:38 AM

SoftFPU... yet another ol' must-have piece of software!

Originally posted by tooki:
Somebody wrote an extension that emulated the FPU, but at a high speed penalty.

macaddict0001 · Mar 17, 2005, 02:20 AM

Originally posted by funkboy:
How many old Macs are not in use right now? And could they be recycled somehow?

I have an Apple Performa 6115CD, complete with monitor, and an Apple ][GS with monitor, printer, etc.

so... anyone want one?

sure if you pay shipping.

scottiB · Mar 17, 2005, 07:46 AM

Originally posted by funkboy:
How many old Macs are not in use right now? And could they be recycled somehow?

I have my IIci, a quadra 660AV, and some Performa that I picked up at a garage sale. When my PW LS NTR died (sniff), I dropped at my local county recycler.

Once I clean off all my files--from 1992--these Macs will be dropped off. too.

Athens · Mar 17, 2005, 08:00 AM

Up until 2003 My old high school still had a Mac Lab of 30 LC475, and the funny thing is even thought there where 5 laps with 30 PCs each slowest ones being Celerons 350's to P3 800's most students still used the Mac Lab because it just worked. They had Word 6, IE 4, and bunch of school/education programs. Dont run into that many useful i486s running at 25Mhz able to run a GUI, and internet software (ok dated) and stuff like that. OS 8, 32MB of ram, those LC475s screamed for there day.

badidea · Mar 17, 2005, 09:46 AM

I still have this nice keyboard to go with your LC475

and also a SyQuest EZ drive

tooki · Mar 17, 2005, 11:58 AM

How much do you want for the Adjustable Keyboard (provided it's in good condition)?

tooki

historylme · Mar 17, 2005, 12:56 PM

Originally posted by legacyb4:
Gosh, makes me all misty-eyed seeing that ol' machine... <sniffle>

yeah, I feel the same. Good years.

badidea · Mar 17, 2005, 02:09 PM

Originally posted by tooki:
How much do you want for the Adjustable Keyboard (provided it's in good condition)?

tooki

You're really interested?
I don't know. How much would be shipping from Germany to your place be?
It's in very good condition - didn't use it for a very long time!
How much do those sell on ebay? Are they even still available on ebay?
PM me with an offer - I would be glad to give it to a 'NN guy rather than some random ebay junkie!

mitchell_pgh · Mar 17, 2005, 02:53 PM

well, considering it doesn't have ethernet, you are going to be VERY limited.

The only thing I can think of is using it as a some kind of dedicated web server of some type for a dedicated project.