Found my 500-series AC adapter.
First I tried bringing up the 520. All the bootup sounds were normal, from the chime to the reassuring chugging from the hard drive, but the very obviously active matrix screen went to multicolored snow and then to a sheet of yellow with a couple of blue stripes. This was odd behavior from a passive matrix grayscale screen, at least to my way of thinking. I'm pretty sure that the little tab at the top of the screen bezel wasn't labeled "PowerPC" when it came from the factory, either. I set it aside to crack the case open and solve the mystery another day.
Next was the 520c. It wheezed to life and ran okay, although the screen took a bit to "warm up" (an artifact I also noticed on the old 1400cs.) Ugh. Passive matrix. With the time I spent on the 2400c the other day having spoiled me rotten, I just can't handle the vapor trails left by the mouse pointer on a passive matrix screen anymore. I powered it down and set it aside.
Finally was the 540c. Schweet. Crisp, clear, active matrix display, with every pixel present and accounted for and ready to work. And... Oh! The keyboard! Folks will go on and on about the keyboard on the WallStreet or the 1400 like it's the second coming of the IBM Model M, but I'm here to tell you that in my opinion neither machine has a better keyboard than the Blackbird. Light resistance, a noticeable "tak!" as the key bottoms, ample palmrests... Two very enthusiastic thumbs (and eight other happy fingers) up. It's running System 7.5.3 and has ClarisWorks and Nisus Writer already loaded. I'll be doing some experimenting with getting files off of it for uploading here in the next day or two.
Incidentally, I also accidentally won an auction for a G4-500 tower the other day. I didn't mean to. I felt sure I'd get outbid at the last minute... Thank goodness my monthly stipend check will be in the mailbox this afternoon. The upside, however, is that I can set it on the desk in here in place of VFTP Command Central and use it for blog-work and general surfing.
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8 comments:
I don't recall doing that to that 520... or that's "your" 520 then :)
The 520 I passed on was the one with the screws in the case. Let me know if I remembered to hand over the SCSI adapter too, if I did I might have a couple of external drives for it.
Oh, I also may have a few AAUI transcievers floating around if you're so inclined...
Oddly, that was very definitely the 520 with the screws in the hinges.
I crap you negative, the screen came up flashing *colored* snow. And it had a "PowerPC" tab at the top of the screen bezel. I am thoroughly intrigued!
I'm sorry, but I'll probably have to "accidentally" blog about this. Please don't take offense, It's not you, it's just human nature.
BTW, which of the 3 bids was an accident?
When you get your new 'puter, check out jbidwatcher. If you can run java on the mac, you can run it.
Then decide on whether or not you want an item, decide on how much you would be willing to pay, then program your faithful servant to transmit your bid within the last thirty seconds of the auction's close.
You'll never have to worry about anyone else reacting to your bid or shady dealers who will try to bump up your price with confederates and you'll win a lot of auctions at far below your offering price.
"BTW, which of the 3 bids was an accident?"
Actually, I only punched numbers in twice. I took the magic number I wanted to spend, entered it, and walked away. When I went in to check, I noticed that it was still calculating shipping based on my old TN ZIP code, so I changed my address with eBay, noted the new shipping total, and changed my maximum amount appropriately.
I never hover over auctions, nor snipe. I figure out the absolute most I am willing to pay for an item, enter that total, and let proxy bidding take care of the chores. If I lose, I lose.
Unfortunately, if I did it, I did it before the era of LJ and I haven't written anything of it down.
I *faintly* remember researching 520 upgrades back then, but I think I was more interested in finding a PCMCIA cage than a PPC601 upgrade chip...
"…monthly stipend check"... wait a second here...
You’re not on the dole, are you?
I'm on a "fixed income", only not from the .gov.
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