Before there was Space Black, there was the Black MacBook

[@TechnologyNToys]

This started autoplaying in my pocket at work and scared the fuck out of me

[@dmug]

Never mind me, I'm just yelling about MacBooks from your pocket as I'm one to do...

[@grantgoodman8415]

crazy to think this is almost 20 years old. my first mac was the unibody that came out right after this

[@dmug]

Yeah, I had a 2008 MacBook. I had a love hate relationship with it, mostly the hate came from it was too slow for the DJ software I wanted to use with it

[@joshm264]

I have an early 2008 white plastic MacBook, and i can confirm that the trackpad on it is awful compared to anything made after it, it's not just you

[@dmug]

I very briefly had a 2007 white MacBook I bought off a guy as the screen was broken. I fixed the screen by myself but it was stolen out of my car because like an idiot I left a backpack in my car. I only had it a few months so I barely remember what it was like to use.

[@aelaan12]

That was my first macbook. Upgraded the memory and the drive. thing was rock solid, for its time.

[@dmug]

The one I bought is clearly abused but still functional

[@Slurkz]

A distro called Porteus Kiosk is the easiest way to install Linux (via USB!) on these EFI-32 machines. Well, at least for me. It’s pretty light too. Great to see this amount of love for my favorite Mac of all times! 💜

[@weelebaseknowles4410]

Why not try windows

[@dmug]

Windows does work on these machines but at 4 GB of RAM, Windows 10 doesn't exactly run great on them. You're bound to have a better experience in Linux if you can tolerate the quirks of Linux, and lack of popular software.

[@Slurkz]

@@weelebaseknowles4410 And don’t think there is a version of Windows that would be both still supported (as in security-patched) and perform well enough to be as safe and useful as Linux can be.

[@aa-au]

Nice video. The smelly nature of the MacBook may be related to the previous iBook series, where they were notorious for the keyboards smelling like very smelly old socks. The cracks on the palm rests were extremely common on all these MacBooks, and Apple did replace them under warranty. I received a number of them from an Apple reseller and we were selling them as 'A', 'B' and 'C' grades, depending on the size and amount of 'splinters'. The splintering was caused by users closing the lid too quickly, thus the tiny plastic rest on the top of the display hitting the foremost part of the palm rest.

[@dmug]

Yeah I’ve heard that the glue in the iBooks is the same in the early MacBooks.

[@WC1376C22]

Yep my 06 has been running Debian since 2019, the battery sucks..but it does the job

[@dmug]

Probably the best use for these guys. Windows 10 will run on them... poorly.

[@CharlesBluTheXPicturesInc]

MacBook 5,1 - 2009 - Core 2 Duo (64-bit CPU) Has 64-bit EFI!

[@andycitkowicz]

I have this MacBook in perfect condition ... I also have it'd brother the White One ... BOTH WORK ..

[@WarriorsPhoto]

I enjoyed the scenery the most. You live in a beautiful area. At least it looks beautiful to me. (:

[@dmug]

Thanks, I try and fold nature as much as I can for a tech channel. Next video will be similar.

[@edmorris1437]

Thank you for posting this. I have several old macs from 2007-2010 that would have been e-waste had it not been for Linux Mint and channels like yours. But I’m glad that I left the Black MacBook until last. If I had tried installing it on the Black Mac first, I would have failed and probably not even tried on the other machines.

[@dmug]

As much as I’d like to say I have a use for it, it’s just my snow leopard computer now for when I need to capture footage of snow leopard. I’d have a rough go using mint on it for anything beyond the lightest of tasks z

[@edmorris1437]

@@dmug I would have taken your advice and avoided this if I was buying a used machine. But we bought it back in 2008 and looked after it well. Most of my after-hours computing is very light. I spend all day at a GIS workstation, so the brain doesn’t want to do,anything too complex after hours.

[@bself1111]

My favorite-the BlackMac. Daily driver for about 5 years, replaced by a complete nightmare, the 2011 MacBook Pro with the bad graphics card that failed 4 times. An Apple Store in Arizona refurbished the BlackMac for free when I dropped it off for a battery fix, using left-over off-the-shelf (black) parts they didn't need any more. I never upgraded to an SSD. (The mouse would stop working when the battery swelled or didn't fit.) Otherwise-it was fine. Enjoy your retro-Mac. I still have mine to run a couple of obscure programs I like with 10.6.8.

[@davidcmcchesney]

Thanks another good trip. I got one about 2 or 3 years ago & I was gonna change the MoBo from a white 1 I have. I forgot why. I think it was slow and I tried putting a modeed linux on it also

[@brandonrichmond415]

Running windows 7 modded so you can install the 64 bit version plus an under-volt with throttle stop is probably the best experience imo. Web browsing is a much better experience than any other os I tried and it just runs well even the media keys work as long as you can track down the right bootcamp drivers

[@dmug]

You can also do Windows 10, or at least you can with some of the other 32 Bit EFI Macs. There's a few vectors, like pulling an HDD from another computer with a freshly installed Windows or upgrade pathing. I debated putting Windows 10 on it but with 4 GB of RAM.... it seemed like Linux was smarter

[@SamFigueroa]

I still have one of those laying around. Might just try this out to run some docker containers on for InfluxDB and Graphana

[@bobweiram6321]

The best way to clean devices is to dismantle it and stick it in a dishwasher by itself and let all the parts dry on its own. As for the display backlight, you can install a $10 LED kit. You can also upgrade the display to nicer display provided you get one with the same pinout. If you really want to upgrade it, you could upgrade the internal logic board with newer one from a more modern laptop. The only benefit is having a black MacBook.

[@GarthBeagle]

I love the look of these!

[@TheWuffball]

it was so bad, and yet... So beautiful.

[@dmug]

At the time it was.... fine, now it isn't at all especially my smelly one.

[@powerdollkirby]

you can try installing lubuntu or arch 32 with lxde or lxqt

[@bradtheviewer]

My uncle gave me his probably in 2017 or 2018, and I used it daily for a few years and still have it I love it, and I'm not sure why Apple didnt make another fully black one, the last fully black apple product i can remember is the jet black iphone 7

[@dmug]

Some of the lesser products are black. The Apple TV is black, as are some magic mice, as well as some of the beats products. Apple has stated previously that making aluminum black is tough.

[@franzpleurmann2585]

Beautiful b-roll ❤

[@dmug]

Thanks, next vid will be similar, not every video has an opportunity to shoot in beautiful locations so I try to do it as much as I can.

[@PLANETWATERMELON]

Cool video. Would be interesting if you can stuff an Apple M1 or M2 Air into one of these old black MacBooks.

[@dmug]

As cool as that would be, it would be nigh impossible, as pretty much everything changed. you'd probably have more success verse engineering the case by scanning and 3D printing it and even that would likely take hundreds of hours to refine assuming you could figure out the keyboard/trackpad situation. I'm sure there's people out there capable of pulling something off like this given enough time and motivation. There are people who make Mac Mini case mods with a lot less friction as there isn't the internal battery, keyboard, trackpad, display, speakers, to contend with.

[@freetobe3]

I spent around 400 euros to restore and upgrade my late 8,1 MBP. Might have to spend another 50 to 100 on new RAM and Trackpad. If I was smarter I could've cut that down a bit but at this point I just want to get a few more years of basic web browsing and music play out of my first and only laptop.

[@toseltreps1101]

I didn’t remember the trackpad of my white '06 Macbook to be that bad. In fact, the whole experience compelled me to permanently switch from Windows to macOS and i have never looked back. Except for Gaming (and fixing other peoples computers), Windows is dead to me. With Apple now exclusively making manufactured e-Waste with soldered down NAND, i might have to switch back once my MacbookPro11,4 finally gives out. I won't support a 800+$ motherboard swap because of worn out NAND. Realistic resale value of M series Macbooks is extremely low since the actual remaining NAND endurance is unknown.

[@dmug]

Yeah, the trackpad might be shot. I'm guessing that's the case.

[@kirishima638]

I bought the black MacBook in 2007. It was an impulse purchase and one of the worst I ever made. The super glossy screen was very annoying to use, like staring into a mirror. The keyboard was mushy, the trackpad was awful, and the Core 2 Duo and GMA 950 were anaemic. And the black finish picked up every finger print, every spec of dust. The keyboard looked like an oil slick after a week of use. I was always cleaning it. I sold it around 2010.

[@dmug]

That was true of the white macbooks, sans the keyboard gloss. The black MacBook I have isn't especially prone to finger prints but I haven't exactly used it daily either. As far as those GPUs, tell me about it. Intel's iGPUs are were terrible for ages, it's always been the biggest weak point for smaller MacBooks

[@turboman-c4k]

Im really tempted to grab an old MacBook just for the fun of installing Linux on it.

[@dmug]

If you can get one with HDD (or have an SSD lying around) and battery, not a bad move. It wasn’t worth $100, but I’ve seen the white ones go for $35 in a working state and they probably don’t smell terrible either.

[@turboman-c4k]

@@dmugI live in Australia and from what i can tell there are unfortunately not as many options avaliable, however i might just import one from the us because why not.

[@nickwort123]

I also grabbed one of these for about the same price with no battery! It was a few months back at VCF Midwest. I’m trying to figure out what to do with it - I’m thinking maybe Haiku OS? I don’t know that I’ll actually get much use out of it, but there’s something about these black MacBooks that just appeal to me

[@dmug]

Same, I always kinda wanted one but man, is the one I got is in rough shape. The best use case is I think of some KZbin projects that I can use it in.

[@jordan.7]

Thats an amazing view @2:49

[@dmug]

Thanks, that’s Cascade Locks, Oregon, a small river town home to Bridge of the Gods (end point for the movie Wild). I like the dichotomy of technology and nature, and highlighting the PNW.

[@mcal27]

Puzzled.. If you have the Core2Duo it is 64bit. The Core Duo model was 32bit.

[@dmug]

0:45 I mention it’s a Core 2 Duo and that it is 64 bit and how the Core Duo is 32 bit. 4:21 discussion about 64 bit CPUs with 32 bit efi. 32 bit EFI confuses 64 Bit OSes when they’re not expecting it. 8:00 discussion of modified Linux installer for 32 bit efi 9:10 you can see I’m booting a 64 bit copy of Mint

[@mcal27]

@@dmug ahh apologies, thought I heard you mention you needed 32bit Linux 🤝

[@laurencejohnson4106]

An interesting video and I'm glad to see Linux Mint being put to good use!👍👍 (In my opinion, Linux Mint Mate would have been a better distro for that laptop). That 32 bit firmware on a 64 bit computer is odd and if I recall correctly the first Mac pro desktop computer also had that problem, was it just the first model? My latest project is an HP Pro book 4310s, it's a Vista era notebook and after giving it a good clean I installed the maximum 8 gig., of DDR3 ram., and a 256 gig., SSD., and it's currently working well with Zorin 16.3 installed. This model of notebook was designed for and marketed with 32 bit software even though it can handle 64 bit software. Perhaps that is why it was so fussy about what it would boot from, it would not boot from a Windows 10 flash drive, but it did boot from an SSD., which had Windows 10 installed on it, it did boot from a Linux Mint flash drive and LM., did install, but after the first restart the computer could not read the OS., so I tried Zorin and it worked, perhaps there is a difference in the boot loaders between Zorin and Linux Mint.

[@dmug]

Yes, the Mac Pro 1,1 and 2,1s (2006-2007) models were all 32 Bit EFI, basically any 2006-2007 Intel Mac had the 32 bit EFI issue. Apple went ahead and wrote it's own EFI based of Intel's proto-EFI that they were developing in 2005. Intel in 2006 would dump that for UEFI. Apple was slow to adopt UEFI. It wasn't until 2013, hence why none of the classic Mac Pros can display bootscreens on PC GPUs due to the GOP vs UGA drivers. I've wanted to experience the 32 Bit EFI Macs for some time as I've lived most of my time with the 64-Bit EFI Macs (2008 MacBook unibody, Mac Pro 2008, Mac Pro 2010) and then the UEFI Macs. I figured a lighter UI probably would have been somewhat better but for my Core 2 Duo but the differences wouldn't drastic as Mint Cinnamon still only requires 2 GB of RAM. I can't say I'm a desktop Linux guru, as most of my Linux exposure over the past decade has been through dev chains where I'm rarely touching GUIs, just the CLI.

[@laurencejohnson4106]

@@dmug Thanks for the Mac information and I do like the design of those Mac Pro desktop computers, especially the 5,1 which has that removable tray that holds the ram., and the processors, I have heard that those computers use a lot of electricity, is that correct? In my opinion, such a modular and upgradeable computer would still sell well these days, but Apple appears to have a different opinion. The Mate edition of Linux Mint is my daily driver, I have tried the Cinnamon and XFCE., editions and they are okay, but the way that the Mate desktop is set up suits me.

[@alexanderolsson6632]

BlackBook?

[@mukhtar__]

please, Mr. Algorithm, pick this video up!

[@cycledance]

Why does no one mention the powerbook g3?

[@dmug]

I elude to it as the computer from over two decades ago, actually owned a 500 MHz Pismo G3. Remains the most vanity purchase I’ve ever made. I will have some PowerPC related content coming but I’m more of an Intel era guy.

[@RildoDealdough]

i have the same 1,1 core duo macbook. and im feeling lonely :(

[@RildoDealdough]

mine smells like curry or old person smell

[@dmug]

Yeah, that’s a good way of putting the rancid smell

[@weelebaseknowles4410]

Bro I upgraded from a 2011 MacBook Pro becase it is getting old to a 2015 MacBook Air 8gb of ram for basic tasks it should be fine

[@dmug]

I have a MacBook Air 11 inch 2015 with 8 GB of RAM. Solid computer. Not sure what that has to do with the black MacBook but I still like those old MacBook Airs even if the displays are harsh.

[@weelebaseknowles4410]

@@dmugthe black Mac book has a bad screen and track pad can it run windows? better than a unbody hopefully 13in man it has everything right just doesn’t like to work because the lack of metal so get a 2012 if u get a unbody for 150 dollars after tax not a bad laptop with charger

[@robynhope219]

How much can I get for my 2006 black MacBook...mint condition.

[@andrearamosramos134]

how much

[@robynhope219]

@@andrearamosramos134 I'm the one asking.

[@andrearamosramos134]

@@robynhope219 100

[@MrCooper83]

Wow, I almost bought one about 14 years ago😊 and Im glad I did not. It turned out the plastic was really bad quality and Apple introduced the unibody a few hears later. I also remember that Apple charged more for the black laptop. The trackpad was also replaced to a glass, multi touch one. Instead of a black MacBook, I bought a Mac Mini. That was my first Mac. Later I moved so I needed a laptop and bought the 2009 late MacBook unibody. Still have it in near mint condition! The battery is dead and iFix it sells it for $100. 🤦🏼 Got 4GB RAM and an SSD. Still good for surfing the web.

[@ghcfuj77557]

Hmmm apple being bad quality just like always

[@MrCooper83]

​@@ghcfuj77557 Always? Really? Tell me more!

[@ghcfuj77557]

@@MrCooper83 I owned all apple products except apple watch and that would be iMac early 2008 MacBook late 2009 iPod Touch 4 iPhone 4 iPad 9 iPhone SE 2 iPod Nano 3 I can say apple products weren't exactly too great except for the Mac's being built exceptionally well but for the thousand plus paid of course (or the 999 of the white MacBook) Overall I can say, apple is about products that feel good and look good, but has less features, and as of now near unrepairable in some areas like storage and screens

[@MrCooper83]

@@ghcfuj77557 Interesting. Here is the part of my collection: PowerBook G4 -still working MacBook White 2009 (battery replacement needed, the computer works fine iMac 2013 late: still works perfectly Mac Pro 2010 max out. My main computer. Still works iPad 1st gen: works iPad 3 (first retina display iPAd) works iPad Pro 2017 works iPhone 2G mint condition, works! iPhone 3GS (battery swollen up and damaged the main board -awaiting for parts from Ebay) iPhone 4 works perfectly. Running iOS6 iPhone 4S white. Works fine, iOS6 iPhone 5 white: works iPhone 5 black works fine I also have 3x iPhone 5S in silver, space gray and gold colors. They all work. iPhone 6 -works, with new battery 6S Plus, works iPhone X works iPhone 13 Pro Max works. Non of these phones had any issues apart from the battery! iPod 2nd gen. Classic (works. I had to replace the HDD and the battery) The display is not as sharp as it was but works iPod Classic 3,4 gens. They work. iPod Classic 6 gen in both available colors. They both work. iPod nano 1st gen. The battery lasts 30-40 mins. Apart from that it works. I also have iPod shuffles they all work apart from the 2nd gen as I dont have the dock (dock needed to connect and charge) I also have a few iPod Touch (2x first gen) One of the runs iPhone OS1.1.4. The rest of the iPods are sealed so I dont know if they still work. I also have some really old accessories, such as iPod Hi-Fi, iSight camera, 30" Cinema Display HD and they all work (knock on wood) So I can give you a much more detailed and longer list about my collection. G3 iMac, etc. They all work, just dont turn them on at all. So we both have the 2009 late MacBook unibody. It had the bottom case replacement (Apple had a programme) and when I took it to the store the guy was amazed how good condition it was. Recently, about 3-4 weeks ago the battery died. After 13 years of usage. The computer still runs if I turn it on. So it looks like I am lucky because I dont have any issues with these products. Obviously they need to be maintained (changing thermal paste on CPUs, northbridge, GPU). I regularly charge the batteries to maintain the battery. I also have some spare parts just in case. So this is my own experience. Im fine, the quality is good. In fact my sister replaced 2 Windows laptops within 7 years. She bought a MAcBook Pro in 2015 and still using it. The MacBook cost probably more than those Windows computers, but it lasts much longer than those combined together. My 13 yo Mac Pro still works (paired with a 30"Cinema Display), I do stop motion animation. I like old tech and Im not sure the current computers will last 13 years... Yes, including Apple computers.

[@VX1_l]

@@MrCooper83Bruh my 2012 iPod touch still works. That guy must be hard on his stuff.

[@shteph_rf7381]

All the shots of outside remind me of New Brunswick for some reason

[@dmug]

Is the weather pretty grey like it is here in Oregon? I haven't been to New Brunswick, but have seen a fair amount of Canada. A lot of seriously beautiful places there...

[@shteph_rf7381]

Been there once on my vacation and it looked pretty much gray on that particular day. But it was beautiful and also theres a bridge between Quebec and NB, I thought it ressambled the bridge in the video (turns out i have an awful memory). I'm from about 8h away from there so could'nt really say if its always that gray! But i loved it. (honestly anytime being out of Quebec is a memorable moment) But that whole eastern end is beautiful. Wanted to go see PEI but didnt know how expansive the toll for the Confederation Bridge was! But i recommand seeing Gaspé and driving around that area!

[@dmug]

@@shteph_rf7381I had a trip planned in 2020 to go to Montreal, Trois Rivières and further east but we all remember how 2020 went…. Still haven’t been. Bridge in the video is Bridge of the Gods, famed for being the bridge crossed into Washington from the Pacific Crest Trail and featured prominently in the movie Wild, starring Reese Witherspoon. My videos I try to mix in the Pacific Northwest’s natural beauty when possible. It used to be more hamfisted but now is more integrated. Next video I’ll probably feature Astoria to make it more interesting for me and hopefully viewers too.

[@shteph_rf7381]

Honestly, great work. I love seeing the tech and some nature stuff at the same time. seems like a polar opposite when talking about it but i feel like its a good balance and love seeing new landscapes!

[@Steampunk_Star_Raisin]

#greatvideo

[@ladeluff_]

😁