Trying to find meaning in owning an old Mac

Post by tangentstorm » Tue, Jul 08, 2025, 12:08 PM UTC

matthewdgreen wrote: post #44

LarryMade2 wrote: post #21

Suggestions for old Mac Apps to look out for: - WriteNow! a very nice word processor that was originally developed for Next computers, before word took over it was the favorite. - ClarisWorks/AppleWorks - One of the better pre office integrated apps - the database was REALLY easy to use, and interfaced well with the vector graphics module, spreadsheet, and word processor... - FoxBase+/Mac - Before Microsoft bought Fo…

I’m really sad about the loss of HyperCard (and HyperCard like things.) I worked in a musical instrument store in the early 90s and my boss had a Mac SE (maybe an SE/30 like in TFA?) tricked out with an entire custom set of HyperCard stacks designed to run his business, everything from inventory to accounting to instrument rental. Every now and then we’d need something and one of us would code up a new feature. My wi…

Post by doodlebugging » Tue, Jul 08, 2025, 12:15 PM UTC

jdougan wrote: post #20

doodlebugging wrote: post #16

I returned the MacSE30 that I bought at the Apple Store back in 1989 or 1990 when I went into grad school. Compared to the Epson that I bought at the same time it was a fantastic machine that would do almost everything that I needed to do out of the box whereas for the Epson I needed to buy other software. It helped that I already had Mac software though. I returned it because I couldn't afford it. The cost with peri…

MathCAD? TK!Solver?

Post by helf » Tue, Jul 08, 2025, 12:20 PM UTC

jojobas wrote: post #24

geerlingguy wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Surprisingly, a lot of the Internet is still accessible to these old dinosaurs, through the efforts of retro enthusiasts. A search engine like FrogFind reformats results for the earliest browsers like Netscape Navigator, and kind of "text modes" the pages. There's even virtual plugfests like GlobalTalk that links together retro enthusiasts' printers over the Internet.

So basically "as long as another machine does the work", which would be like towing an old car on a trailer.

Post by Reubachi » Tue, Jul 08, 2025, 1:04 PM UTC

flomo wrote: post #45

floren wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

These old cars can be a lot of fun but even the fast ones weren't that fast when taken against a modern family car... take a 68 Mustang, an iconic car as featured in Bullitt, with a 0-60 of 5.4 seconds and compare it to a 2012 Toyota Camry doing the same in 5.8 seconds. https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/comparison-test/a151426... https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a15122183/toyota-camry-... I used to drive a 62…

Here's the thing. A 68 Mustang had no almost emissions controls. A 78 Thunderbird was almost the exact same stuff, except it was choked to shit. A modern computer-controlled Camry is not only way better performing, it also orders of magnitude cleaner. IMO the ICE has achieved its final form, so now the future has to be something else (electric).

Post by wink » Tue, Jul 08, 2025, 2:00 PM UTC

jojobas wrote: post #24

geerlingguy wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Surprisingly, a lot of the Internet is still accessible to these old dinosaurs, through the efforts of retro enthusiasts. A search engine like FrogFind reformats results for the earliest browsers like Netscape Navigator, and kind of "text modes" the pages. There's even virtual plugfests like GlobalTalk that links together retro enthusiasts' printers over the Internet.

So basically "as long as another machine does the work", which would be like towing an old car on a trailer.