[EdLUG] OSX sorry to be off topic

[Edinburgh Linux Users Group]

A few random thoughts on your predicament:
The laptop might be a little younger than you think: the Core 2 Duo
processor line didn't appear until 2006.

I doubt running the modern version of OSX and Safari on 2006 era laptop
hardware is going to be a satisfactory experience for anyone,
especially if it's no good with what's already on it... "upgrading" to
a more modern version of any browser just seems to bring more bloat and
bling and an insatiable desire for more RAM... not get you something
leaner and meaner and more efficient, if that's what you were hoping
for.  Ah, or do you mean it "baulks at many websites" because of
HTML/javascript standards compliance issues rather than performance?
Where do you get the idea the HW is "capable of accepting later OS
versions" from?  Stories like this
http://osxdaily.com/2016/06/14/macos-sierra-compatibility-list/
claim Sierra has cut off support for macs before 2009.  
I'm assuming the objective is to end up on Sierra anyway, or is it just
to get to 10.6 Snow Leopard and stick with that?  But that was last
updated 6 years ago I think; no patches for Meltdown/Spectre if you
stop the "upgrade path" there.
Is there still that much Flash out there these days?  I stopped
installing the plugin a while ago (too many security scares) and can't
say I've found any hint of a reason to reinstall it since.  Or are you
conflating "Flash-heavy" and "Javascript-heavy"?
I have big-box desktops with what were high-end processors in 2007 &
2008... and they struggle to run javascript-heavy content-rich websites
in any "reasonably usable" fashion.  They're fine with simple oldschool
sites like most blogs etc, but forget about Facebook.
Suspect you either need to think about upgrading HW (whether to
expensive Apple branded kit, or some "hackintosh") if you want to stick
with the OS & Safari, or think about installing some flavour of Linux
if you want the HW to continue to be useful and secure... although even
then running Firefox/Chromium/Opera/Epiphany is unlikely to improve the
web browsing performance on such old HW... but it might at least get
you something which conforms with what the websites' idea of HTML & JS
standards is).
Good luck!Tim
On Mon, 2018-01-29 at 15:06 +0000, Edinburgh Linux Users Group wrote:
> My son just made a "HackinToy"  running Sierra on his AMD Ryzen 7,
> using a patched USB stick and a spare SSD, so after two days of
> patches etc it works and says its an "Unknown" Mac.
> So its out there, and you can get it, keep looking ...
> 
> Mark
> On 29 January 2018 at 13:31, Edinburgh Linux Users Group <edlug at lists
> .edlug.org.uk> wrote:
> > 
> >     
> >  Hello all, and Happy New Year,
> > I have been asked for help with an iMac of about 2005 vintage. It
> > runs OSX version 10.5.8; hardware: Intel Core 2 Duo 2GB Ram, so
> > capable of accepting later OS versions. The user's problem is that
> > the most up to date Safari for that OS version now baulks at many
> > websites. Flash Player and any reasonable modern browser fails to
> > run or fails to cope with Flash-heavy sites.
> > The installed OSX version will not communicate with Apple's
> > Appstore (or whatever the damned thing is called. Although Apple no
> > longer charge for OS upgrades, the only way to do so is by buying a
> > DVD for £20 or more. Does anyone have access to a legal OSX 10.6
> > DVD which can start this machine on the upgrade path.
> > Thanks in advance.
> > Anand
> > PS I dislike using the word "upgrade" in this context. It is
> > marketing nonsense and not technically meaningful.
> > 
> > --
> > 
> > EdLUG mailing list
> > 
> > EdLUG at lists.edlug.org.uk
> > 
> > https://lists.edlug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/edlug
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