My $80 Macbook
Hot rodded with a 240GB SSD and 4GB of RAM, it’s a screamer.
James Ellis@jamesellisnyc
![]({"urlPrefix":"https:\/\/publicannouncement.imgix.net","priority":"high","lazyload":false,"lazyloadOffset":0,"target":"parent","updateOnResize":true,"jsonOnly":false,"isFluid":true,"is2x":false,"is4x":false,"initWithLowRes":true,"isRedactedImage":false,"contexts":{"default":{"src":"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/DSC6364-1_2022-05_My-80-Macbook.jpg","isImage":true,"origSize":"3840x5760","ext":"jpg"}}})
I really liked the white Macbook, and I had been curious about running Linux on these older machines. So I bought one on ebay for $80. A 2008 model. (That’s 14 years ago.)
![]({"urlPrefix":"https:\/\/publicannouncement.imgix.net","priority":"high","lazyload":false,"lazyloadOffset":0,"target":"parent","updateOnResize":true,"jsonOnly":false,"isFluid":true,"is2x":false,"is4x":false,"initWithLowRes":true,"isRedactedImage":false,"contexts":{"default":{"src":"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/my-80-macbook-ebay-listing.jpg","isImage":true,"origSize":"1622x699","ext":"jpg"}}})
![]({"urlPrefix":"https:\/\/publicannouncement.imgix.net","priority":"high","lazyload":false,"lazyloadOffset":0,"target":"parent","updateOnResize":true,"jsonOnly":false,"isFluid":true,"is2x":false,"is4x":false,"initWithLowRes":true,"isRedactedImage":false,"contexts":{"default":{"src":"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/DSC6371-1_2022-05_My-80-Macbook.jpg","isImage":true,"origSize":"3840x2953","ext":"jpg"}}})
This Macbook originally shipped with Snow Leopard, which is snappy on this 32-bit rig. I did play with it some. I was able to get IceCat working. But I was most interested in running Linux. I chose to install Pop! OS from System76. Wifi drivers required a bit of fiddling, but otherwise the install was smooth and I’ve been impressed how Pop! performs.
It’s a fussy old machine. It runs slow. It gets hot fast. The screen looks bad when you catch it at a good angle. It looks awful off-axis. But still, it works surprisingly well. Here it is running the PA Destination Homepage:
Why bother? Why tinker? There’s no reason really. I’ve always had good computers around. My work has mainly taken place inside computers, usually inside a creative studio space. The machines were always changing so fast, always unlocking new capabilities. It was best not to get too attached. I got good selling machines on craigslist and ebay. I enjoyed letting them go. But now that I’ve been a computer person for so long, there is something nice about keeping certain older machines around. I like seeing our website still work. It’s just nice. Worth the $80.
About
We edit the web from
our destination homepage.
Weekdays we send an email.
Join Public Announcement to
secure service and unlock
full functionality.
◆