[SoftballMominVA]

Thanks for any help at all!

The ONLY things she needs the computer to do is

itunes word processing (preferably word/excel from Microsoft) play and copy CD's access the internet via a wired modem

nice to have, but a bonus if it is there is a DVD player

We have about 500 to spend and that's a stretch.

Thanks again

[wastedyears]

Wow

So your computer updated itself and then Windoze died?

[rabscuttle385]

.

[cowboyway]

You can get refurbs directly from Apple. I’d check them out first.

[AppyPappy]

A systems upgrade cannot kill a computer. It can only kill the operating system. Install Linux on her computer. It’s just like a Mac.

[kevkrom]

You’ll do just fine with a used iMac, I’m sure.

You can get iTunes directly from Apple for free. I’d go with OpenOffice for an MS Office like suite that’s free. As long as it has a CD-R drive, you should be able to do the CD work just fine.

If you have your own keyboard, monitor, and mouse (from the old PC), you can get a new Mac Mini for only $600, which is a little beyond the price range, but then it’s new and with warranty. You’d want to get a USB modem adapter, though.

[capydick]

Be careful purchasing anything on Craigslist as it’s a free for all there. I think Apple sells refub’d gear with limited warranties - check that first. If not - check out e-bay and look for a store that offers limited warranties.

[LeoOshkosh]

It might make you feel better to buy a mac.....but in the “real” world, no one uses that crap except graphics artists and journalists. Real businesses use Windows.

BTW.....If the Windows update “crashed” the system, you might want to boot into safe mode and simply run a restore point. That will restore the computer to its previous configuration. Of course, I’m assuming that you are running Windows XP.

[LeoOshkosh]

one other thought....Dell has really lowered it’s prices. You could get a brand new Dell with everything you want for that price range.

A dell inspiron starts at $279 WITH A WARRANTY

[Leisler]

You can get 15inch laptops new from Wal-Mart, for under $400. Go to Wal-Mart . com.

[ReignOfError]

I wouldn’t recommend a used iBook. The G4 version will run — just barely —the latest version of the OS, but it’s teetering on the edge of obsolescence. Little new software will support the G4 chip.

Plus - and I say this as a die-hard Apple fan — the iBook was not their most reliable machine. They have logic board problems after a while. I got more than five years’ use out of mine, which isn’t too shabby, but a used one isn’t a great bet.

The Mac Mini is no speed demon, but it’ll get you an Intel processor, so it’ll stay current a lot longer. It’ll work with just about any monitor, and any USB keyboard and mouse you already have. They’re $599 new, and you might be able to find a used one in your price range. They all have at least a combo drive, which is a DVD reader and a CD reader/burner.

A bonus is that if you have more money for a beefier Mac later, the Mini doesn’t have to go to waste; it’s a fantastic machine to put in your entertainment center as a video/music player, and with some add-on hardware and software can even double as a DVR.

[TomGuy]

You might look at some of the refurb offers through various retailers.

www.tigerdirect.com

www.techforless.com

The advantage with a refurb through a retailer is that they usually have a 30-90 day warranty.

[Locomotive Breath]

I have an iBook G4 that's worked fine and can run Mac OS 10.5 "Leopard" (see minimum system requirements at end) although any version of the OS is probably fine for what you want. The batteries age out after a while so see if you can find one that has got a recent replacement battery.

Here are some on ebay that meet your price requirement, although I'd recommend that you try to find one locally so you can try before buy.
iBook G4
iBook G4
iBook G4

Leopard:
Minimum System Requirements Mac computer with an Intel, PowerPC G5, or PowerPC G4 (867MHz or faster) processor 512MB of physical RAM DVD drive for installation.

The Home and Student Edition of Microsoft Word is $149.95, so if you can find the computer for $350 you should meet your $500 budget.

[Comstock1]

These guys sell a lot of used systems and they have an excellent reputation in the Mac community. They have a wide assortment of models that are used/refurbished etc.

http://www.wegenermedia.com/

[CORedneck]

There are plenty of places where to buy a used Mac. I would go with one with an Intel chip over the G series (G4 or G5). In fact you can even setup an Intel Mac as triple partition where you have OSX, Linux and (ugh) Windows. I have a couple Mac's with that setup. I use Fedora 9.

I am almost Windows free, the only thing I use it for is MS Office for teaching my university class and doing DVD items.

[Fishrrman]

Can you spend a little more?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0013FRA0O

Comes with a 1-year warranty, you can buy AppleCare and extend that to 3 years.

This will run the Mac OS _and_ Windows if you need to. It should keep you going for at least 3-4 years.

Another option:
- Go to apple.com
- Click on “store”
- Down towards the bottom of the page, look for “Special Deals”
- Click on the “Refurbished Mac” link
Apple factory refurbs come with a full 1-year warranty (same as the new ones), and in many cases are indistinguishable from a new computer.

I would recommend that ANY Mac you get - new or used - should be one of the more recent models that now have Intel-based motherboards.

- John

[taxcontrol]

You can probably save you kid's PC without spending the $300 by converting it to run Linux. However, this may require you to develop some computer skills with regards to downloading an iso image and burning to cd / dvd and installing the Linux versions of the programs/utilities that you mentioned. For example, OpenOffice provides word processing, spread sheets, etc.

[antiRepublicrat]

eBay or Craig’s

You aren’t looking for an iBook. You want a MacBook, with the Intel chip.

Try to get one with the GMA 9500 graphics instead of the older 9000. Don’t worry about the amount of memory in it, accept any with the standard RAM. Then you can speed up operations quite a bit by putting in 2x1 GB RAM sticks for only $30-35 at newegg.com. It will come with a DVD player. MS Office is available, but costs almost as much as the machine. Neo Office (OpenOffice for the Mac) does well.

[martin_fierro]

I had a good experience with buying a used eMac on craigslist about 2 years ago.

Paid about $400. It came with one of that product line's faster processors (G4 running at 1 gHz?) and I later maxed out its RAM (1GB).

It runs Apple's latest operating system (OS X) pretty smoothly and has been rock-solid in performance.

[Locomotive Breath]

Reading these posts, one thing you didn't mention is how long this computer needs to last her? Is she a senior in college and about to graduate? Is she a frosh and hoping to use the computer for as long as possible? Is she not in school at all but older?

If the former, buy an older and cheaper computer. There are those here slamming the G4, but given the list of what she wants to do (which most here seem to be ignoring - iTunes on Linux - what a pain) there is no problem with that. I use my G4 all the time for GPS fieldwork. Since it's my oldest computer I don't care if it gets trashed. I've yet to have a problem. Every bit of software on it is up to date.

If you are hoping to keep it for some time, then perhaps the Intel processor and upward compatibility will be important enough to pay extra for.

Is her internet access really with a modem connected to a phone line (i.e. dialup)? For some of the more up-to-date computers that's not built in anymore so check that.

[Swordmaker]

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