What do you do with your 'old' computer? I'm enjoying my one year old iMac. But here's my question. I have an iMac, G-5 to be specific, from 2005. It still works perfectly with the...

elliott937 Loc: St. Louis

I'm enjoying my one year old iMac. But here's my question. I have an iMac, G-5 to be specific, from 2005. It still works perfectly with the software on it. Newest software, (to the best of my knowledge) won't work on it.

Since it is fully operational, I don't know what best to do with you. That is why I thought I'd ask you all what functions you might have found for your older computers.

I thank you in advance for your ideas.

Bill

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

elliott937 wrote:

I'm enjoying my one year old iMac. But here's my question. I have an iMac, G-5 to be specific, from 2005. It still works perfectly with the software on it. Newest software, (to the best of my knowledge) won't work on it.

Since it is fully operational, I don't know what best to do with you. That is why I thought I'd ask you all what functions you might have found for your older computers.

I thank you in advance for your ideas.

Bill

Donate it to not for profit or local school

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

elliott937 wrote:

I'm enjoying my one year old iMac. But here's my question. I have an iMac, G-5 to be specific, from 2005. It still works perfectly with the software on it. Newest software, (to the best of my knowledge) won't work on it.

Since it is fully operational, I don't know what best to do with you. That is why I thought I'd ask you all what functions you might have found for your older computers.

I thank you in advance for your ideas.

Bill

I basically keep mine until they quit. Then I remove the hard drive and run cypher on it, and it gets recycled.

A friend of mine used his old one to control stuff in his house (HVAC, lights, WAY before Alexa) but we're software/electronics engineers.

Clean the drive and donate it to a school or library???

elliott937 Loc: St. Louis

Thank you for the ideas.

scallihan Loc: Tigard, OR

Yes donate it. I'm sure a nonprofit somewhere in your area can make good use of it. May take a few calls, though. Start with a local politician, who may know of an appropriate recipient.

LWW Loc: Banana Republic of America

How about a Macquarium?

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Use it as a music, photo or video server for your home network.

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

elliott937 wrote:

I'm enjoying my one year old iMac. But here's my question. I have an iMac, G-5 to be specific, from 2005. It still works perfectly with the software on it. Newest software, (to the best of my knowledge) won't work on it.

Since it is fully operational, I don't know what best to do with you. That is why I thought I'd ask you all what functions you might have found for your older computers.

I thank you in advance for your ideas.

Bill

Take it to the recycle center. Wipe the hard drive first.

elliott937 Loc: St. Louis

Macquarium, now that's an interesting idea. Thank you.

LWW Loc: Banana Republic of America

elliott937 wrote:

Macquarium, now that's an interesting idea. Thank you.

I haven’t seen one in a while.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

elliott937 wrote:

Macquarium, now that's an interesting idea. Thank you.

When I worked for NetAPP and we took an EMC machine as trade (they were an arch competitor), we sent it to corporate who turned them into aquariums (complete with the EMC logo) to display in the lobbies of our offices.

elliott937 Loc: St. Louis

Thank you for the ideas. I powered up my G-5, entered macquarium.com and it did not go to it.

elliott937 Loc: St. Louis

Sorry, when I saw Mercedes-Benz Stadium, I thought it was a different website. I'll try it again on my G-5.

I wonder if anyone has tried using Thunderbird e-mail client on an older iMac?

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

elliott937 wrote:

I'm enjoying my one year old iMac. But here's my question. I have an iMac, G-5 to be specific, from 2005. It still works perfectly with the software on it. Newest software, (to the best of my knowledge) won't work on it.

Since it is fully operational, I don't know what best to do with you. That is why I thought I'd ask you all what functions you might have found for your older computers.

I thank you in advance for your ideas.

Bill

Me, I kept my old 27” and connected it to my new 27” iMac as a second monitor using a thunderbolt cable.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

I am setting an old dell desktop up with a film/slide scanner and a flatbed scanner so I don't tie up my new machine while I do high res scans. I have about 10 file boxes of slides, negatives, and old family photos to scan and about the same number of old family records. Once scanned only the most important will be kept as hard copies and filed, the rest will get shredded and reycled.

I also volunteered to teach a basic photography course at the Senior Center and am putting the lessons as power points and videos on an older laptop. Now with all the coronavirus restrictions I guess I will be e-mailing and posting the lessons on line for a while.