A change in MacValley Blog Editorial Policy-The PPC Mac is obsolete

Another era has arrived in Mac computing, as far as I am concerned. Get a new Intel Mac or a used Intel Mac. Do not get a used PowerPC Mac unless you have specific reasons to need one. If you have a shelf full of old games meant for Classic OS that you love to play, then go on eBay or go to PowerMax/Small Dogto order one.

Other than that, go for an Intel Mac running 10.6 Snow Leopard at least. A lot of the latest software, such as iTunes, sets 10.6.8 as their minimum floor for running software. Spend your money wisely. Classic mode is primarily Dead.

“But you just ran an article about the Chubby Bunny Classic emulator!” I hear you say. Fair enough. I should tell you that Chubby Bunny pushed my CPU usage over 100%. The Mac Mini’s fans came on at full blast.

If you want to play Classic OS games using an emulator, I would advise you to do it in a well-ventilated area.

If you do get stuck with the job of going through Aunt Raquel or Uncle Trevor’s old Appleworks files and you only have a late model Mac incapable of running Appleworks in native mode….then you download Chubby Bunny and follow my directions. Set up the Mac in a well-ventilated area. Buy a fan to provide extra cooling. Remember that iWork ’09 (Pages, Numbers, Keynote) will open Appleworks word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations.

Speaking of iTunes, I have noticed a difference between the 32-bit version (Windows XP) and the 64-bit version (Windows 7). The 64-bit version on my Windows 7 and Mac Mini includes the old Internet radio station list and the new iTunes Radio. The 32-bit version shoves out the old Internet radio station list in favor of the iTunes Radio.

So if you like to listen to an obscure station you found on the Internet radio list and run a 32-bit computer, Do NOT Upgrade to iTunes 11.1. As an alternative, you could log into it from your Web browser after noting the station’s Web address.

Tom Briant

Editor, Macvalley Blog