Hi Chris,
I'll attempt to answer your questions as we go here. I'll place your
initials before your comments/questions and mine before my answers.
CG: OK, this system's fairly old is to my understanding. let me give
you all the specs.
97MB Memory
OS9
System version: OS9.22 USA
Virtual memory: 97MB
Internal Memory: 96MB
Processor: G3: 233MHZ
Hard disk: 4.5GB
4.0GB Free disk space currently.
This system since running OS9 is not gonna obviously have Voice
Over. There was something according to the guy who's giving this to
me, in reference to Apple Talk version 6.0.
TK: You are correct. VoiceOver will not work at all in OS 9 as it is
not that kind of software package.
CG: We do not think at least although it's unsure, if this system has
a CD burner, we think it's just a reader.
TK: I would pretty well guarantee that it's only a reader in that
model. Most of the iMacs in that era did not get burners until they
reached the 400 MHz and higher models.
CG: now this leads me to an issue. The guy said he could throw in a
copy of Tiger and get it transfered to my name in the license, but, we
don't know if Tiger will work.
TK: I've installed it on as low as a 350 MHz iMac and have heard of
some others getting it on a slower unit but even on the 350 MHz
machine it was extremely slow when running VoiceOver.
CG: Apple's web site clames they suggest 128MB memory although
usually you can get a little lower than than the suggested amount.
TK: Yes, sometimes you can go lower but when running VO within Tiger
on that model (233 MHz), I don't think it would work at all in my
opinion.
CG: Now what is confusing though, is when I called Apple Care, they
told me two things, they said once 128 was the recommended, but then
another rep told me something the site doesn't say. They said tiger
will not run on anything less than 256.
TK: I've ran it on 128 MBRAM but it was painful.
CG: I know that it's a different archetec but in theory, now again, I
know this isn't suggested, and if I do, I do it at my own risk, I know
this, and I won't hold you all lyable, but, in theory, could I run
Tiger on an intel machine that normally was meant for windows or Linux.
TK: Definitely not. Different architecture totally.
CG: I know I could plug in an external drive, but then how would I
boot to an external drive.
TK: Not possible with that unit. You would need a Firewire drive but
the 233 MHz machines did not support firewire.
CG: Would Apple talk be a screen reader and if so are there any web
sites where I can read how to use it?
TK: No. AppleTalk is the built-in software that makes the Mac talk
but there is no facility to use it as a screen reader without third
party software.
CG: We've considerred Outspoken but, will that work with software
based speech, and if so, is it for one with out speech or help easy to
install, and if not, then is there anything at all we could do, even
if it meant yuck like narator, just something I kind a could know what
I was doing.
TK: OutSpoken works well with OS 9 on an iMac like the one you're
getting. There are a few things that need set-up in specific ways
that would be best for you to have sighted assistance to begin with.
CG: I do not plan to use this Mac, at least not at first, for
anything like Skype, or msn or what not. I do, but not till way
later when I become more comfortable.
TK: I'm pretty sure there is no OS 9 Skype compatibility and MSN for
OS 9 doesn't work well with OutSpoken anyway.
CG: I mainly just wanna use ITunes, maybe do some typing of papers,
check a little mail, maybe browse the web if possible, and really
that's about it. I'd like to do more but that is the main reason.
TK: iTunes is usable but not very well at all with OutSpoken. You
can certainly listen to mp3s but you can't interact with any of the
controls. Some of it can be done through menus but still you would
only be able to listen to the complete music library as the songs and
sources panes are not accessible at all. Word processing is fine with
AppleWorks. You can use Eudora or Outlook Express to read mail
although you may have some difficulties finding any installations of
them.
CG: I will have my Mac by about 10 tomorrow morningEDT, so this is
really ergent. We gotta figure something out. AGain, he is
throwing Tiger in, but, it's not looking hopeful since Tiger I think
is on a DVD right?
TK: There may be something that can be done with some time but not by
tomorrow in my world. I'm out of town from bright and early tomorrow
morning until the 26th of April. After that, I could assist.
CG: I just knoww this system he said has no wi fi, only ethernet,
plus I hear it has a mike but no WebCam, which I thought came
standard with all I-Macs.
TK: That's a pretty old machine. The standards you are speaking of
are from within the last four years or so. That unit is probably over
10 years old.
Sorry but that's the best I can do for now.
Later...
Tim Kilburn
& Carter the Canine
Fort McMurray, AB Canada
