Picked up an eMac for a buddy, how'd I do?
 

On a whim I saw this at my local auction and my instincts told me it was a step up from the iMac I was looking for. If not, no big deal, but this should work great for my computer illiterate buddy to surf with and avoid virus'

I got it for $154 so no tears if it smokes on startup.

The only downside is I have to bug you guys on setting it up (or do they do that themselves:))

"eMac Computer System 700/512/40G/Combo/LL with Keyboard, Mouse, Power Cord and OS X -Internet Ready-Tested/Working- "

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1173447533.jpg

What needs setting up? His user/email account type of stuff?

Scott

Yea, he has never operated a computer in his life. So I want to set it up for browsing only and make it idiot proof.

My 6 year old set up his iMac by himself.

OK, Set him up with one of the webbased email soultions, gmail, yahoo, whatever you are most familiar with. Set that to his home page in the browser.

Upper left corner under the Apple go to System Preferences.

Choose the Accounts pane and then Login Items. Click the + sign to add the browser as a Start Up application so if he reboots it comes right back for him.

Downloads usually default to the Desktop. To keep things clean I'd make a Downloads folder on the Desktop and tell the broweser to dump stuff in there. To many Icons on the Desktop will give a performance hit.

If you need an invite for a gmail account let me know and I'll send you one.

Thanks, I'll be picking it up later today and I'll get it setup at my place this weekend until he gets broadband installed.

Good point on the web based e-mail rather than a stand-alone, that should be easier for him.

Regarding your six year old, I'm sure he has grown up with computers like all youngsters today. This guy is 42 and has never touched one. It will be much more difficult for him.

Let him play with that for a while, then get him a PC.

After that everything will seem so fast and easier to use that he will really appreciate starting slow and working his way up...

I had to use a Mac recently at a airport lounge. Slowest, hardest to use thing I have seen in ages. How Mac guys can tout this as an advanced computer system is beyond me.

I don't like using my wifes Mac either, but I imagine it's just a familiarity issue.

The virus issue is 99% of the reason for purchasing this Mac, I don't want ot be disinfecting his machine every weekend:D

You should pick up some extra keyboards for him too. If he's 42 and never had a computer before, thats means he hasn't experienced the ever addictive "INTERNET PORN"!!! You dont want to be disinfecting keyboards every weekend either. :D

sorry, I'm a wiseass and I just cant help it.

Which is why I am so concerned about virus':)

It depends on the Mac.

I've got 2 software companies, and we do all of our development on MacBook Pro's (17", dual-core laptops). (We do Java/Database development).

They SCREAM. Best laptop I've EVER used.

Older Mac stuff? Sure... they can be slow, almost painful sometimes.

But I'll take a slower machine running OSX over a newer machine running Windoze any day of the week.

$0.02