What's something useful and/or cool I can do with an old iMac G4?

Asked by Esedess (3470

) January 12th, 2012

I have an old iMac G4 with a 20” screen. The computer is fine, except that it needs a new hard drive. This I ~could~ do, for about $40, but the G4 is just such an old model (2002–2004) it seems rather pointless…
I’ve never used one personally, so I don’t know if they’re even worth restoring for use or not.

Any interesting/useful ideas I could use this for?
(you know, besides dragging it out to a field and just going Office Space all over its ass)

At the very least, is there a way for me to salvage the 20” screen to be used as a monitor for other computers?

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7 Answers

It is worth it… with a larger HDD you can use it as a Music-Player… iTunes… or for streaming… or just for mail on a desktop device… just try it…

ml3269 (1317

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Call it art and sell on eBay for $4,000.

gailcalled (54647

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Download a total white wallpaper, install it.
Hang it (the iMac) upside down on the ceiling (with the half sphere facing the celing), connect it to a socket and turn the screen 90 degrees (so it is horizontal), et voilà, you have a lamp!

rebbel (35553

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This looks fun….

Blackberry (34189

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@rebbel The iLamp! I like it! Longest lead time from “on switch” to light ever conceived.
1) Come home, turn on iLamp.
2) Pour bowl of cereal, in the dark.
3) Light turns on.
4) Clean up mess from where you missed bowl.
5) Eat cereal.

LOL!

Esedess (3470

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@gailcalled I could probably fetch a descent price selling it as an antique! haha

Esedess (3470

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Use it as media-device (iTunes e.g.) is probably the best thing you can do. Additionaly you could run a fax- or a file-server on it. I have seen it at a friend, it looks nice and works fine!

jeschke (6

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