Thanks Thu, this is something that I have thought about as, yes Apple is doing what Microsoft has always done on PC's. I supposed it has to 'move on' to pastures anew (which is handheld digicoms for the masses). So in Luddite fashion I return to an earlier Apple system that did pretty much everything I needed in 10.4. I have had several Macs and have stripped and (professionally) maintained 25 more (most of them for repro) without hiccup from system 7 up to 9 and X to 10.4. Personally I prefer 'Classic' emulation for reliability with some Type add ons which work for me. (OK I am a bit odd). Even a G3 can be made to buzz if you strip out half the clunk from the system. Rather than go LINUX or do as you have done (which I may have a go at some point), I give you my RETRO SHERLOK method of getting more out of an old Mac Power PPC G3 or G4, Tower or old iBook. Easier than hacking a PC!
Anyway my SHERLOK link for Luddites with older Macs are here.
http://www.mydisk.se/artphoto/webpage/sherloksG3/