How about networking and the internet? Apple has had built-in networking capabilities in all of their machines since the mid 1980's and one could conceivably connect to the 'net through that 14.4k modem, but let's get real here. This machine needs an ethernet connection to a broadband network to really be useful. The only way to do that with this old 'Book is with an Asante Micro EN/SC, an adapter that turns a PowerBook's SCSI port into a 10BASE-T ethernet port. Asante hasn't made these devices for almost a decade so, once again, I'm back to eBay. One just happened to be out there for $20.51. That brings the cost of this little experiment up to $74.16.

Okay, now for some software. Let's go for FREE as that is much better. Macintosh System 7.5.5 is a stable, perfectly usable operating system that Apple gives away. Hooray for them! Programming? Apple also gives away their excellent Macintosh Programmer's Workshop which is a collection of development tools that support C, C++, and assembly language programming on Mac System 7. How about a word processor that can create text files that Microsoft Word, or any other word processor can open: Nisus Writer Compact. Need an email program? How about Eudora? Go for version 3.13. Surfing the web? It's not this old road warrior's forte, but you can do it with iCab, version 2.9.8. Graphics suck, but text comes through great. Games? How about MacChess? Bet you can't beat this "master-strength" chess program. Anything else? Check out Jag's House "where old Macs still rock." It is the ultimate source of information and software for old Macs.

So, have we come reasonably close to providing kids in third-world countries with "a window to the world and a tool with which to think?" Yes, and for a mere $74.16.