Digital Fossils
first became interested
in Macs....
Wait, that's not right!
Tamara Keel first became insanely jealous of Macs back in 1985 when
a classmate got a Macintosh and she was still toiling away writing
papers on a Coleco Adam. She logged as much time on Macs belonging to
friends as she could until 1994, when she bought her first very
own Macintosh: a used SE/30.
By 1997, she had added a IIsi
and an LC II, and when Low End
Mac debuted the same year, she was squarely in the target demographic.
Four years later, a Key
Lime iBook became her trusty mobile machine, and she was hooked for
good. She now lives in Indianapolis with four cats, twenty-something
vintage Macs, and the world's most longsuffering roommate.
Digital Fossils is an archeological voyage through the rich strata
of our recent electronic past. This is not merely an academic trip,
however. Like some fevered Jurassic Park dream come true, these fossils
are brought to life to roam the earth in their natural habitats once
more.
While focusing primarily on vintage Macintosh hardware, the
occasional side exploration will be made into the evolutionary past of
video games, digital cameras, and other denizens of the thrift shop
coal beds and yard sale shales which await only some pocket change and
a bit of voltage to walk among us again.
Tamara also writes Digital Fossils blog, which
is what brought her to Low End Mac's attention.
- The Old Mac blues,
2008.07.23. Intel Macs are tempting, but the Power Mac 7100 will be not
one more iota obsolete tomorrow than it is today.
- Macs: Better by
design, 2008.07.11. From the beginning, Macs have stood apart from
other computers with their attractive and intelligent design.
- Master of Orion on
the Mac, 2008.07.01. The DOS version of this vintage game broke
with Pentium or Windows 95, but the Mac version still runs very nicely
in the Classic Mac OS.
- Run Linux on my
Mac? No thanks, 2008.06.24. Macs have a zen-like synergy of
hardware, software, and operating system. Why would anyone want to give
that up?
- Old Mac
restoration is sometimes one frustration after another, 2008.06.10.
Old Macs can be lots of fun when they're working, but getting them to
that point can be a frustrating experience.
- Stocking your Mac
museum: Where to find classic Macs on the cheap, 2008.06.10. eBay
is the most obvious source for old Macs, and often the most expensive.
Here are a half-dozen other sources for obtaining used Macs at little
to no cost.
- Just write:
Why a PowerBook 2400c is my perfect writing machine, 2008.05.27.
The ideal writing tool had to be light, have a good keyboard, not run
too hot, easily connect to a network, and minimize distractions from
the writing process.
- Slot loading iMacs:
The SE/30 for a new generation, 2008.05.20. They're relatively
small, pretty quiet, reliable, can run Tiger, and are very affordable
nowadays.
- 10 cult Macs adored by
collectors, 2008.05.13. Macs are not only noted for their
longevity, but also by the passion which collectors have for some of
the most interesting models ever made.
- Perfect timing:
The iMac's introduction in May 1998, 2008.05.06. Apple was in dire
straits in 1997, but Steve Jobs had a vision for an Internet Macintosh.
10 years ago he unveiled the iMac.
- Fossil
WallStreet PowerBook G3 still useful after 10 years, 2008.05.05.
The PowerBook G3 Series had a magnificent keyboard, supports two
long-life batteries, and runs the Classic Mac OS with aplomb. It's
great for writing writing, email, and even surfing the Web.
- In praise of the
refreshingly different Clamshell iBook, 2008.04.29. After seven
years of faithful duty, the rugged notebook with a handle remains a
favorite field computer.
- EmpowerBook,
2008.04.22. The goal: distraction-free writing on the go. But which
PowerBook or iBook is best for the job?
