My Macintosh G3

This is my Apple Macintosh G3 system featuring:
MacOS 8.0
266MHz G3 processor
192MB RAM, 6MB video RAM
6GB IDE hard drive
24X CD ROM drive
4X4X16X LaCie CD ROM Burner
100MB Zip drive
ATI Rage graphic accelerator
Video I/O card
TurboTV card
Global Village 56K fax modem
Sony 15" Triniton Monitor
Altek Lansing powered speakers with subwoofer

My iMac

This is my Apple iMac featuring:
MacOS 8.6
233MHz G3 processor
160MB RAM, 6MB video RAM
4GB IDE hard drive
24X CD ROM drive

My Macintosh Performa

This is the computer I used to create the entire Bullard web site. It is a '94 Apple Macintosh Performa 638 CD. It's pretty well loaded up.
MacOS 7.5
66/33 MHz 68040 CPU (I swapped out the LC processor)
36MB RAM
350MB IDE hard drive
4.3GB SCSI Apple drive
2X CD ROM drive
PDS 10Base-T Ethernet card
UMax 1200 dpi SCSI scanner (Don't ya just love having SCSI built in?!)
33.6KB modem
YoYo telephone manager/caller id gizmo. This thing is really slick! Get one, you'll love it!
15" Apple Monitor with stereo speakers built in.
Apple Color Stylewriter 2500
Gravis joystick
and the best for last, full video input support, including

The video stuff came installed from the factory, no screwing around with circuit boards or software. The remote control on the Perfoma also operates the CD player and can power the computer on or off. All systems have built in timed power on and power off. That's one reason I really love Mac's. They cost more, but they have so much QUALITY stuff installed from the get go. Built in SCSI, Ethernet on the G3 and iMac, sound, etc. Mac people don't talk about sound cards, because sound has been built-in since 1984.

Since the G3 and the iMac came with Ethernet, I bought an Ethernet card for the Performa and set up my own little 10Base-T network. I used a 5 port hub so I could expand. I highly recommend the hub, if you have only two Macs you can use a crossover cable but using a $30 hub is a far more robust solution.

I learned about networking from John's Closet where John shows you how to do it all. Anyone with more than one Mac ought to setup a home network, it's really easy. Installing the board in my Performa took 20 minutes, including vacuuming the dust from the back. The software was already on the machine thanks to Apple's true Plug and Play (as opposed to Windows - Plug, Pray and give up).

Plugging in the wires took a whopping 1 minute. I took the time to drill holes in the wall to run the wires on the outside of the house, but if you don't mind a throw rug covering Cat 5 cable, there's nothing wrong with rug-net.

The payoff for my $100 investment is pretty awesome, I can transfer megabyte files in seconds, play sounds and movies on the remote machine, even mount a remote CD. Multiplayer Appletalk gaming is a hoot (3 way Warcraft, Alien Attack, etc). I only need one printer, network printing is a cinch, another Apple invention. I'll never use floppies again.

If you want to learn the Pledge all Mac users have to take, click here

Spinning Apple , animated drill and radiating speaker by Dan Bullard