The Color Classic Web Server

		The Macintosh Color Classic Web Server http://colorclassic.com http://colorclassic.dyndns.org

The Seed		In 2003 a dear friend and coworker of mine at Apple gave me a Macintosh Color Classic that she had been awarded way back when it was brand new. The Color Classic debuted at MacWorld Tokyo in February of 1993 among Apple's largest product introduction ever, and the first outside the United States. My coworker knew I treasured the friendly and welcoming appearance of the Color Classic, which has been described as resembling a puppy eagerly waiting to greet it's master upon their return. She also knew that it would be welcomed into a good home and treated with care and respect. Neither of us ever imagined this Color Classic manufactured in January of 1994 would still be in use more than twenty years later!
The Motivation		For too long it sat powered down on the desk next to my blue and white G3 Power Macintosh. It made a trip to a meeting of Capitol Macintosh (the user group that serves Austin) for CapMac's tenth birthday to demonstrate just how far the Mac has come. But it didn't get to do much, mostly just show the colorful swimming fish in the After Dark screensaver. I really wanted to find a cool purpose for the Color Classic in my office so that it could be a showcase of Macintosh dependability, longevity, and perpetual style. But I couldn't figure out what it could do that would be genuinely useful and at the same time unique. With its 80 MB hard drive and 10 MB of RAM along with an LC PDS ethernet card I installed it was easily networkable and could run an advanced version of System 7. One of the best features about the Color Classic is the simplicity of adding RAM or a card to it's expansion slot. Just remove a couple of screws on the rear access panel, then press a plastic tab to pop it out. With a firm tug the logic board slides out completely without having to disconnect a single wire. Elegant Apple design inside and out!
The Pioneer		The Color Classic may also be remembered as a forerunner of Apple's well-known original iMac, the all-in-one computer in the colorful shell. Prototypes of the Color Classic are reported to have been made in neon green, aqua blue, and clear plastics. Sometimes these rare cases are seen on ebay and command premium prices. Today mint beige Color Classics in good working condition sell for hundreds of dollars on eBay.
The Inspiration		One day while looking for something on the internet I came across a link to the Mac Plus web server that runs on two floppy disks, and from there another link to the Mac SE web server (both now offline). Compared to the lengths those owners went through to get their compact Macs to serve web pages my "project" was simple and speedy. I am honored to learn that my humble web site has served as the inspiration for others, and will be posting step-by-step directions here soon for you to make your own. I am proud to be included in the 68k Macintosh Web Server Directory alongside other classic Macs that serve as constant reminders of Macintosh longevity, dependability, and style.
The Setup		I had already installed Mac OS 7.6.1, so I made sure that the networking was functional, then downloaded and installed MacHTTP. Following the simple included directions the Color Classic was serving web pages in less than 30 minutes. The Color Classic connects to the internet via ethernet to an AirPort Extreme wireless router connected to a Google fiber box, and runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, serving web pages to visitors from around the world. My current project is upgrading another Color Classic with a Macintosh LC575 logic board that has a 68030 processor to support a Connectix Color QuickCam. Once complete, I plan to share current screenshots of the Color Classic Web Server.
The News		is now available at the Color Classic Web Server Blog Read about what's new and future plans.
The Collection		is now detailed at classicmacs.org See what other classic Macs are in my collection and get tips for starting your own!
The Credits		Color Classic icon - Alexander MacLean of widget : widget Domain name persistence - dyndns.org Hardware - Kady (who saw the first Mac introduced) Maintenance - Lowell Server software - MacHTTP Visitor tracking - extremetracking.com/
The Reference Shelf		Netcraft Report about the Color Classic Web Server Some useful links about the Color Classic The Colour Classic FAQ Low End Mac's profile of the Color Classic The Power Color Classic MISUTHiKU's Upgraded Color Classics G4 Color Classic Wired story about Color Classic obsession "Classic" Macintosh Web Servers The Old Apple Web Server Directory Vintage Macintosh Web Servers Helpful resources for older Macs - many more available at classicmacs.org Resources for the Older Macintosh (extensive!) Low End Mac Jag's House Apple Computer History Sites Apple-History.com The Apple Museum Apple Computer History Weblog (1976-1993)