MAryMac --

Your LC with 7.1 is a 68030 or 68040 computer with a clock speed of about 20 MHz and (I think) an 8bit bus.

The things you can do with it are many, but they have to be things that are not bandwidth intensive. You can do spreadsheets, drawing programs, wordprocessing -- ClarisWorks 2.1 is a good comibation of all those things and a database as well.

You can do limited browsing on the Internet with an earlier browser (like an earlier version of Netscape or even Mozilla) .You can even drive a color monitor.

But the processing speed limits and the bus width are such that if you try to run multimedia programs or play large music files you will suffer from crashes and interruptions which will ruin the experience. The software architecture can probably handle it (depending on which programs -- some aren't available in non-PPC versions).

If you want to do MP3s, or try to configure a Mac ICQ client, or do full-scale browsing, get the realtime audio and video downloads you have to have both the communication bandwidth needed to bring the data in fast enough andthe clock speed and bus width to move the data around fast enough to keep up with the download, including enough memory to let the applications doing all the work run without 'bumping their heads' and crashing because they ran oput of memory.

I would honestly recommend to you, if there is any way you can make it happen, that you acquire a current iMac, and hook it up to a reliable ISP or even a cable modem if you have the resources. The iMac is a terrific bang-for-buck machine and you will be able to spend many happy hours toodling around on it once it is set up. Barky does all her stuff on it including MudCat Radio, intense graphics, music programs, etc., etc. ANd hers is an earlie rmodel -- one you got today would be even faster.

Why you can even play and make movies on 'em! You could run your own x-rated site!

Warm regards,

A