You know the ones I mean: those PowerMacs, PowerBooks, iMacs, iBooks, Mac minis, etc. based on the PowerPC processor that Apple sold a few years ago. Sadly, support for them is dwindling, but the software is still out there that would enable their continued use, if not with a recent version of Mac OS X, then perhaps with one of the numerous open-source options.

Maybe you still have one of these fine old machines. Resist the urge to throw it in the dumpster and buy a new computer. The addition of more memory, a bigger hard drive, an updated graphics card or processor might be all it needs. You won't have relegated it to the local landfill leaching heavy metals and other bad things into your drinking water. And, you won't be perpetuating the unsustainable practice of producing new computer-related hardware in low-wage sweatshops around the world with its attendant human and environmental degradation.

TenFourFox and Classilla Floodgap Systems, 1/27/12. Cameron Kaiser and his team do a great job of keeping these Mac browsers up-to-date and compatible with most PowerPC Macs.

TenFourFox works on those running OS X Tiger or later. Now at version 9, it's keeping right up with the latest iteration of Mozilla's Firefox which recently abandoned PowerPC Macs.

Macs running OS 9 (or 8.6) have Classilla, newly updated to version 9.3, which now has Byblos, a "dynamic HTML rewriting engine", plus various security and stability fixes. It works with MacDaddy-hosted websites like this one again, thankfully... for whatever reason.

Apple Promises To Not Let Its $97 Billion In Cash “Burn A Hole” In Its Pocket Alex Heath, Cult of Mac, 1/24/12. It's incredible that Apple is sitting on this huge pile of cash while still trying to justify its abhorrent labor practices in China. They could double those workers' wages, or even onshore some production jobs (Samsung can do it, apparently), and not even blink, financially.

Celebrating Supply Chain Slavery Pete Abilla, Schmulla, 1/23/12. Apple's exploitation of Chinese workers is being justified by playing to our desire to have that great new MacBook, iPhone, or iPad at a bargain price. I have no doubt that consumers (of cotton) before the Civil War were making the same argument about actual slavery.

Apple’s Sweatshop Problem: 16 Hour Days, ~70 Cents An Hour Henry Blodget, Yahoo.com, 1/20/12. Excuse me, Apple fanboys, does anyone amongst you have a social conscience anymore?

Saying Good-bye to Inkjet Printers Dan Knight, Low End Mac, 1/18/12. This is a good overview of Macintosh printing history. The biggest problem for old Mac users when heading out to buy a new printer, though, is the increasing lack of PowerPC support. You'll have to do some scrounging to find one that works for you. Or, you might run across a used one at Goodwill that will work just fine.