Save A Mac Today!
Jun 09, 2004 15:30 UTC, by Chris Simmons, Senior Journalist
From the refurbished department...

Cale Lewis let us know there are some great deals to be had on eBay for PowerPC computer systems going for as low as $15 USD!
 
Save A Mac Today! 
by Cale Lewis 
 
Don't let it go to waste, put it in BeOS heaven!
 
If you've ever wanted to try BeOS on a PPC, here's a chance for those in the US to do it cheap. Ebay has a listing for several (no number stated) PowerMac 7300 200MHz 604e computers with a "Buy it Now" price of $15. They are without HDDs, and little else is known. Coming out of Kansas City, Missouri, so shipping to either coast shouldn't be too bad. I have a couple and they work well with BeOS.
 
Note: Must have BeOS r5 Pro or earlier. BeOS R5 Personal Edition is x86 only and will not work. 
 
If these are not for you, try a 9600 300MHz w/256 Mg RAM and all sorts of Adobe software. 6 days left, opening bid $49.95.
 
(Nathan Whitehorn writes in that the 9600/300 is NOT BeOS compatible after all.)
 
There are also:
 
An 8500-180 
Several 8600-200 
A Performa 6360-160MHz Desktop 
 
 
One of the "Alchemy" boards, licensed from Apple by clone makers Power Computing and Motorola. A 6400-200 An Alchemy board in a tower case.
 
There are also a few listing for other countries. To have a look at them all, view these search results.
 
For more info on BeOS on PowerPC Macs you can still use the old Be.com support page mirror maintained by beatjapan.org. Many thanks to them.
 
They make a great cheap hobby computer. So what if it's not a G5. Most will run fine with a G3 or G4 upgrade card, as evidenced by the ones I have working here, An 8550 WGS, a 6360, a 7300, and a 9500 which all are running Sonnet G3's.
 
You could also opt for a dual 604 PPC daughter card at 180 or 200MHz from Apple, or one of the rarer cards from the clone-makers.
 
Save A Mac Today!