What to do with an old iMac

Hardware
1

We have an old iMac in our warehouse (late 2013, so old there is no trade in value with Apple) that is being replaced with a shiny new one.

I’m looking for ideas as to how to use/reuse/repurpose this computer. Let’s see what ideas you have!

2

If you want to get your hands dirty, converting it into a general external display is a fun project!

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3

Installing something like GNU/Llinux or FreeBSD will breathe new life into it and you’ll have a current, supported OS as well.

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4

A slide projector. For a business it can be used in receptionist waiting rooms for clients or in break rooms for employees. In the home it makes a large picture frame. This use doesn’t even need Internet access (a plus!).

Other possibilities include music players and other streaming services.

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5

I’m seriously looking at repurposing my old 2013 iMac into a CalDAV and CardDAV server running some form of Linux for my own sync for calendars and contacts since I can’t get Apple Sync to work for calendars at all. My only glitch at the moment is where to put it.

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6

Completely random, but I would love MPU to do a show or part of a show with you. The stuff you are doing sounds so interesting, what with the programming, obsidian and the farming.

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7

I have an even older one (2012) happily running 24 hours a day, every day, using Weathercat to run an online weather station.

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8

Mac Power Users #470: From Computing to Sheep Farming, with Oogie McGuire - Relay FM From 17 February 2019

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9

A lot has changed in my system since then. But the sheep are still the same. :sheep: :ram: except I now have some white ones too.

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10

I use an old Mac Mini with a bunch of external storage as a file, media, and backup server. While it could be done with a Synology, I like having only one OS environment to support.

11

Thank you - I had missed that. I am not the avid listener I once was.I do enjoy it when members of the forum are on the show

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12

Where can I go to klearn how to do that?

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13

I’m running OpenCore on a 2014 Mac mini, and it runs Ventura just great! Waiting for the update to Sonoma…

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14

For both FreeBSD and GNU/Linux I’d recommend doing a web search based on the Mac hardware you own.

After doing some preliminary research you may find that the folks on the FreeBSD forums - https://forums.freebsd.org/ - to be helpful with specific questions.

Based on the GNU/Linux distribution you’re interested in, I suspect there are discussion forums for those as well where you can find assistance.

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