Macintosh Computers 
I have used a Macintosh Computer since my first fat Mac (Mac 512K) in 1984. This was upgraded in 1986 to a MacPlus which is still capable of running most all Mac classic software. I did move up to a Duo 230 in 1993 and then to a (blue/white) G3 in 1999. I networked the G3 to the Duo Dock and used them on a regular basis. Since 2004, I have been using OS X on a G5 iBook for just about everything. I belong to the MacPower Mac Users Group which meets once a month in Macungie. We keep up to date on new Apple products, but also share information on how we use our Macs and help other people get started on Macs. We welcomed the Lehigh Valley Apple Store which opened September 19, 2007.
Macintosh
Heritage 
From the late Cary Lu's book "The Apple Macintosh Book", 1984: "The ideas behind Macintosh were originally developed at XEROX's Palo Alto Research Center and in 1981 led to the landmark XEROX Star(r), the first commercial computer with a visual interface. Apple's Lisa(TM), launched in 1983, brought the price of such machines below $10,000 -- much less than the Star, but still too high for most individuals and many businesses." The Macintosh (128k) came out in 1984 at a price considerably below the $10,000 level, closer to $2,000. It was an immediate hit. Prior to the Macintosh, the IBM PC came out in 1981. By 1983 the PC had surpassed Apple as the leading personal- computer maker. IBM profited by a flood of software and by competition from many other manufacturers of PC clones. In 1984, the first Macintosh was not really competitive in terms of power since it just had MacPaint, MacWrite, MS Word, ThinkTank, Multiplan, MS Chart, MS File, MacTerminal, BASIC, Pascal and Logo. These were basic programs but very easy to use. This brought the power of the PC to everyone. Here is a feature by feature comparison of the PC and Mac in 1984.
Feature |
IBM PC |
Macintosh (128k) |
| Chip | Intel 8088 8/16 bit | Motorola 68000 16/32 bit |
| Speed | 4.77 MHz | 7.78 MHz |
| RAM | 256K (64K addressed) | 128K plus 64K |
| ROM Expansion | 1 or 2 slots | None |
| Floppy Disk | 360K 5.25 inch | 400K 3.5 inch |
| Screen | Low resolution color | Medium resolution b/w |
| Learning time | 15 to 30 hours | 2 to 4 hours |
The "fat Mac" (512k Mac) gave hope for the Mac becoming
a powerhouse and proved that Apple might pursue a policy of upward
compatibility and upgrades. The MacPlus further demonstrated the
policy of upward compatibility and of upgrades. It also brought
out the SCSI port which provided a fast port to external hard
drives. Mac's strengths were in desk top publishing, where it
stole the market, and in networking. Also the closed architecture
made sure that programs would work on all Macs and not just ones
with certain expansion boards.
Macs
Niche In The Wintel World Here are some of the things created on Macintosh for the Windows/Intel World:
Home
Network For Two Macs Home Network For Two Macs
The fastest way to network two Macs is via a cheap ethernet network. I was able to network my Duo and G3 by following the directions at http://www.macsonly.com/ethernet.html. The following are my adaption of these directions.
Hardware
The G3 has a 10/100 Ethernet Port.
For the Duo Dock, I bought an Asante Mac Con I Nubuss Card from MacConnection on 1/22/99 for $82.
Then I connected the computers via an ethernet crossover cable.
Software Requirements
I have Mac OS 8.5 on my G3 and Mac OS 7.5.5 on my Duo.
A. Installed and Enabled on Both Computers:
1. Control Panels
· AppleTalk
· File Sharing (Sharing Setup in System 7.5)
· Users and Groups2. Extensions
· AppleShare
· Ethernet (Built-in) or Apple Built-In Ethernet
· File Sharing Extension
· File Sharing Library
B. Control Panel Configuration on Both Computers:
- Make sure both computers are connected and both are turned on.
1. AppleTalk -- Follow these steps on the older Mac and then repeat them on the Mac G3.
- Select Apple Menu->Control Panels->AppleTalk
- A dialog box may come up saying AppleTalk is inactive and asking if you want it to be active when you close the control panel. Click "Yes".
- Select Edit Menu->User Mode and click the "Advanced" button and click "OK".
- Click the "Options" button, "Active" and "OK".
- Select "Ethernet" in the "Connect via:" popup menu at the top of the AppleTalk control panel and wait a moment for it to set up.
- Select File Menu->Quit and click "Save" in the ensuing dialog box. Wait while the AppleTalk connection is opened.
- Repeat these steps on the Mac G3
2. File Sharing (Sharing Setup in System 7.5) and Users & Groups-- Follow these steps on the older Mac and then repeat them on the Mac G3.
- Select Apple Menu->Control Panels->File Sharing (Sharing Setup in System 7.5)
- Click on the "Start/Stop" tab and enter your name, a password and a name for your computer (e.g. "Old Mac" for the older Mac or "Mac G3" for the Mac G3). Use different names for yourself on each computer (e.g. "William" on the older Mac and "Bill" on the Mac G3 but you can use the same password if you want.
- Click "Start" for File Sharing and Program Linking
- Click the "Activity" tab to see the windows that will show the connection and what's being shared when the network is active.
- Select Sharing Menu->Open Users & Groups and you should see "your name" (e.g. "William" if older Mac or "Bill" if Mac G3) as owner and a "Guest" listed.
- Click the "New User" button
- Select "Identity" from the "Show" popup menu at the top (it may already be selected)
- Type in "your name" to be entered in the Mac G3 (e.g. "Bill") [Type in "your name" (e.g. "William") entered in the older Mac when configuring the Mac G3]
- Type in the password and check "Allow user to change password".
- Select "Sharing" from the "Show" popup menu and check "Allow user to connect to this computer" and "Allow user to link to programs on this computer"
- Close the "New User" window and you should see "your name" (e.g. "Bill" if configuring older Mac or "William" if Mac G3) on the other computer now also listed on the Users & Groups control panel.
- Quit the Users & Groups control panel and quit the File Sharing (Sharing Setup in System 7.5) control panel
- Repeat these steps for the Mac G3.
3. Sharing Hard Drives Set Up
- On the older Mac, highlight the hard drive and Select File Menu->Sharing
- In the dialog box check "Share this item and its contents"
- From the User/Group popup menu select your name on the Mac G3 (e.g. "Bill") and from the Privilege popup menu select "Read and Write" and close the window.
- On the Mac G3, highlight the hard drive and Select File Menu->Sharing
- In the dialog box check "Share this item and its contents"
- From the User/Group popup menu select your name on the older Mac (e.g. "William") and from the Privilege popup menu select "Read and Write" and close the dialog box
Making the Ethernet Connection
1. If the first time, reboot both computers, this may not be necessary on every computer, but it minimizes the chances of problems. For subsequent times, just startup both computers.
2. Open the AppleTalk control panel on both computers to be sure AppleTalk is active and "Ethernet" is selected in the "Connect via" popup menu. Quit the control panel and click "save" if asked in a dialog box.
3. Open the File Sharing (Sharing Setup in System 7.5) control panel on both computers and under the "Start/Stop" tab be sure that File Sharing and Program Linking are "On". Click on the "Activity Monitor" tab and leave the control panel open.
4. Open the Mac G3's Chooser by selecting Apple Menu->Chooser and check to make sure the AppleTalk "Active" button is pressed.
5. Click on the "AppleShare" icon. You should see the name of the older Mac (e.g. "Old Mac") appear in the "Select a file server" window. Highlight it and click the "OK" button.
6. In the dialog box that comes up, enter your password.
7. In the next dialog box you should see the internal hard drive of your older Mac listed. Highlight it (check the box if you want this to happen automatically every time you startup your computer, i.e. you want a permanent network), click "OK" and it should appear on your Mac G3's desktop. Quit the Chooser.
7a. Open the older Mac's hard disk on your Mac G3's desktop and copy the files that you want to your Mac G3s hard disk. If this is all you ever want to do with your ethernet network, you're done!
8. Open the older Mac's Chooser by selecting Apple Menu->Chooser and check to make sure the AppleTalk "Active" button is pressed.
9. Click on the "AppleShare" icon. You should see the name of the Mac G3 (e.g. "Mac G3") appear in the "Select a file server" window. Highlight it and click the "OK" button.
10. In the dialog box that comes up, enter your password.
11. In the next dialog box you should see the internal hard drive of your Mac G3 listed. Highlight it, click "OK" and it should appear on your older Mac's desktop. Quit the Chooser.
12. Your two computers are now networked and you can use all the files and programs on both computers from either computer. You can see who's connected and what's being shared in the File Sharing (Sharing Setup in System 7.5) control panel under the Activity Monitor tab. You can also change the privileges and add more users with different privileges. Read all about it in the finder's Help Menu->Help under the "Sharing Files" topic.
Troubleshooting
In the finder, choose Help Menu->Help. Click the "Topic" button. Select "Sharing Files".
Links
to Macintosh Web Locations 
