Tempest wrote:
If I was going to use an old Mac to transfer the files, what model is the best to use (i.e. what's easiest and cheapest)? I guess I just need something that reads PC-DOS formatted disks right? What version of System would it need to be running?
The following is largely hearsay, I haven't had too much practical experience with Macs, but here goes the Conventional Wisdom:
Software-wise, anything from System 6 to MacOS 9.x should work. That covers all Macs but the earliest, up to about 1999, when the 800K capable floppy drives went away.
Compact Macs are classy, have a high knobblyness factor, are well-suited to the task and are, well, compact (Monitor and Computer in a single unit). You could get a Classic, a Classic II, or a Color Classic, for example. System 7 is probably the right one for these if they have a working Hard Disk, otherwise System 6, which has the advantage of being bootable from a floppy.
If you want something newer or if you need to use PowerPC based software, get a "Beige G3", that's the last Mac with a 800K-capable floppy drive. Run MacOS 9 on that one.
The models in between those are mostly ugly and boring, but should work as well.
You want to avoid the earliest Macs: The 128K, the 512K "Fat Mac", the 512Ke, and the Mac Plus. These are unable to deal with DOS floppies and are just too old to run most Mac software.
Check www.lowendmac.com for lots more in-depth information. -- Linards Ticmanis