any interesting projects that can be done with first gen imac?

[ElFenix]

the office next to ours is moving and tossing out their old computers. they have a couple first gen imacs. wondering if there's anything particularly neat that can be done with them.

 

[TheStu]

First gen, as in the big CRT ones?

Fish tank?
Boat Anchor?
Flower pot?

 

[slashbinslashbash]

If you can pick up an old Mac OS (8/9) and some software (I have a bunch that I've been keeping on a B&W G3) then you can have some nostalgic fun with various games and maybe even get a little bit of work done with dirt-cheap professional apps such as Photoshop and PageMaker. A true first-gen iMac (233MHz PPC 750 G3) will run anything from OS 8.1 through 10.3.9 (and you can have multiple OS's installed on the same HDD). The newest version of that same jellybean form factor (500MHz-700MHz G3) will run from 9.2.1 through 10.4.11.

 

[TheStu]

Alright, let me just put this out there now, if it is the lampshade model, and you don't want it, I would like to stake my claim as a fellow mod.

 

[mmntech]

Alright, let me just put this out there now, if it is the lampshade model, and you don't want it, I would like to stake my claim as a fellow mod.

Those things were really iconic back in the day. Come to think of it, Apple had quite a few iconic designs in the early and mid 2000s. The lampshade iMac, the G4 Cube, the iPod, the aluminum PowerBook G4, that sexy PowerMac G5 case, the Harman Kardon SoundSticks that came with the G4s. You don't really see that sort of design innovation from them anymore. The iPhone was the last really different thing they put out.

The old CRT iMacs should make ideal Maquariums. Just be very careful removing the display. Those things can still pack quite a punch even after they've been turned off for months. If you could find a 15'' LCD display to replace the CRT, with some fiddling, you might be able to get a mini-ITX system running in it.
http://www.dreamerbase.com/forum/index.php?topic=177.0

 

[Zodiark1593]

Play some Bugdom, MDK, Cro Magnon racing, etc. Stuff I played in elementary school on rainy days.

Actually, i think those iMacs might even be capable of running Starcraft as well.My middle school had a bunch of those CRT iMacs and oftentimes, we'd have a sort of a Starcraft LAN party with those during breaks. Too bad I always sucked (only time i won was via a Marine rush), but that's beside the point.

 

[ElFenix]

First gen, as in the big CRT ones?

Fish tank?
Boat Anchor?
Flower pot?

yup big crt. it's that aqua blue color.

The old CRT iMacs should make ideal Maquariums. Just be very careful removing the display. Those things can still pack quite a punch even after they've been turned off for months. If you could find a 15'' LCD display to replace the CRT, with some fiddling, you might be able to get a mini-ITX system running in it.
http://www.dreamerbase.com/forum/index.php?topic=177.0

now that's the kind of mod i'm looking for

 

[mmntech]

It's too bad you can't use the original CRT in there with a mini-ITX hackintosh build. That would be cool. Unfortunately it uses some weird 20 pin D-Sub connector. Would have been the holy grail if it was standard VGA.

eMac would be a fun candidate since it used flat glass CRTs instead of the curved screens that the G3s had.

 

[ElFenix]

eMac would be a fun candidate since it used flat glass CRTs instead of the curved screens that the G3s had.

they've got one but i'm not sure if they're junking it.

 

[RossMAN]

How water tight would it be for a fish tank?

 

[Exodist]

I got a G4 eMac in the closet that still runs. 800Mhz model IIRC. Only reason its not used anymore if Browser (lack of) compatibility for newer websites. Installed Linux on it, but no Flash support. So then my daughter couldnt use it for online games. Gonna miss that eMac.

 

[ElFenix]

they've got one but i'm not sure if they're junking it.

ok so no on the emac but yes to 3 imacs. one appears to be the first model, one is gray, and one is white.

i hope i don't kill myself poking a screwdriver around the CRT.

 

[Theb]

How water tight would it be for a fish tank?

Not water tight at all. It's more like you put an aquarium in an imac. http://www.imacquarium.com/

 

[RossMAN]

Not water tight at all. It's more like you put an aquarium in an imac. http://www.imacquarium.com/

Thanks for the link.