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What to do with an iMac G4 Flat Panel (800MHz)?
Posted by: Tom2112 on 2022-06-08 18:22:30
I just got a free and totally working iMac G4 Flat Panel (15", 800MHz). I wiped the drive and installed Tiger 10.4.6 and ran all the updates. I connects to the Internet and even opens up the Apple website! Of course, it opens Macintosh Garden...

But, I'm really not familiar with these machines at all - my Mac experience ends with the SE/30. So... what should I do with it?

I mean, I'm not nostalgic about it at all. I never used these back in the day. But I do really like the form factor of this unit. I think the flat panel iMacs with the 1/2 sphere body is an iconic look.

Maybe use it as an Apple Share server kinda thing for my older macs, assuming I can get them on the network...?
Posted by: LaPorta on 2022-06-09 17:44:59
I have had one since it was new. Very nifty machines, they are decently speedy. Great machines to play Quake III, Return to Castle Wolfenstein. Other benefit is they natively run OS 9 extremely fast. You can easily put an OWC SSD into it with their legacy adapter if so desired. You can also work the server angle as well if desired.
Posted by: Byrd on 2022-06-09 20:21:45
They're the sort of machine that is hard to store and best left on display doing "something"; perhaps set it up with a pile of console emulators, music, screen savers. It would work well as a vintage server too.
Posted by: uliwitness on 2022-06-10 11:58:27
I just got a free and totally working iMac G4 Flat Panel (15", 800MHz). I wiped the drive and installed Tiger 10.4.6 and ran all the updates. I connects to the Internet and even opens up the Apple website! Of course, it opens Macintosh Garden...

But, I'm really not familiar with these machines at all - my Mac experience ends with the SE/30. So... what should I do with it?

I mean, I'm not nostalgic about it at all. I never used these back in the day. But I do really like the form factor of this unit. I think the flat panel iMacs with the 1/2 sphere body is an iconic look.

Maybe use it as an Apple Share server kinda thing for my older macs, assuming I can get them on the network...?
Run HyperCard stacks on it, of course. Ideally under MacOS 9. Myst will run mighty fine on these as well, I'd expect (if reduced to a tiny rectangle on the screen).
Posted by: Tom2112 on 2022-06-10 19:10:15
All fantastic ideas! Thanks gentlemen!
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