MAC and PC

[todpod]

Have a PC running XP and an iMac that the kiddies are using. All I really need to do is share the printer. Show how well will this work with a crossover cable.

Thanks for the help, Todd

 

[n0cmonkey]

It should work fine. BTW, MAC and Mac are two different things.

EDIT: That is, it should work fine if the iMac is running Mac OS X.

 

[todpod]

iMac running os 9.1, really don't see the point of buying os/x, might switch it to Linux. Won't work with os/9 ?

 

[n0cmonkey]

It might work for OS 9, but it could require additional software. I've never tried.

 

[thirdlegstump]

with 9 it's going to be a major hassle trying to share a printer. you're gonna have less headaches if you just get an appletalk and tcp/ip compatible print server.

 

[todpod]

but does appletalk and the print sever cost money, if it does then it just isn't worth it. I can get a new inkjet for $50, I have the crossover cable, so I can do that for free.

So I figure I am at a dead end, I am glad I asked before I tried it. Thanks for the info, Damn Macs anyhow.

 

[thirdlegstump]

You can't damn the best computers in the world todpod. Replace your PC with the Mac instead.

 

[hopejr]

Originally posted by: deathkoba
You can't damn the best computers in the world todpod. Replace your PC with the Mac instead.

LOL! I concur. BTW, OS X is worth the upgrade. OS 9 is garbage, and running linux on a mac is a waste IMO. You may as well just have a PC if you're going to do that.

 

[halfadder]

How many machines do you have on your home network? You may want to get one of those little USB->Ethernet print server gizmo boxes... if they're compatible with OS 9.

I have several Windows PCs and a newer Apple PowerBook running OS X 10.3.6. My laser printer has an ethernet print server card and my Canon Color InkJet uses a D-Link ethernet print server USB module. This works great for all of my machines, the Apple PowerBook included.

BTW... while OS X is soooooo much better than the trash that's OS 9, I don't recommend upgrading unless your iMac has at least a 500 MHz CPU, 256 MB RAM, and your know for certain that your applications will play well with OS X. The transition to OS X can be rough, but it's very worthwhile, just don't make a half-step. Go pure OS 9 or pure OS X.
(When your kids are older, they'll want a PC or OS X... there is no good way to surf the web with OS 9. InternetExplorer for Mac is absolute, total worthless trash. Safari comes with OS X and is great, but Mozilla/FireFox/Camino/Netscape7.2 are good too.

 

[hopejr]

I also have a network with 3 windows PCs and my iBook G4 running OS X 10.3.6 too. They work seamlessly together. And yes, halfadder is right in saying that and upgrade to OS X isn't a good idea if you're iMac is too slow/old/has not enough memory.

 

[todpod]

Thanks for all the tips. The iMac is 400mhz, 128 meg ram and 10 gig hd. I am not sure how that would run osx. The idea behind linu would be its free, osx isn't. If I was going to spent much money on upgrading the iMac I would build myself a new computer and then make this one a hand me down, and use the iMac for an anchor or something.

Seriously, I really don't have anything againsts Macs, just os9, which just plain sucks. This is a PC Shop and probably always will be, just kind of stumbled onto the Mac, so the cheaper the better in getting them to work together. The best idea maybe to find an cheap inkjet the works with os/9, and not network them at all, it seemed like a good idea at the time.

 

[halfadder]

I haven't looked for OS 9 compatibility, but I'm pretty sure you'll be able to find a cheap inkjet to work with your iMac. Might even be able to buy a 1200 dpi color used for $15.

400 MHz iMac... so that means it's a slot-loating CRT iMac, Rage128 graphics. That's enough to run OS X 10.3, but you'd need more RAM. OS 9 just has the "Carbon" framework, OS X has a whole UNIX layer plus "Cocoa". Stick with OS 9 for now, your kids' programs will keep working fine that way. But some day, if you want to experiment, put a 256 MB stick of PC100/PC133 RAM in the iMac and install 10.3 for kicks.

BTW, if you haven't installed RAM in a slot-load CRT iMac before... tlit the machine forward so it's sitting on it's screen (on a towel to prevent scratches). Then open the little RAM hatch door with a coin.

 

[todpod]

Its nice to know that it will run it if I choose to. Actually i have put ram in it. It 64mb to begin with, got a 64 mb out of an hp. Maybe when I replace my duron I'll pull the 512 pc 133 and stick that in there,