Ok I have a mac laptop, its one of the new ibook g3 700mghz ones

they dont have serial ports, only USB, Firewire, ethernet, video, and phone jacks.

If I buy or make an ALDL interface and run Virtual PC (so that I can run PC based monitoring software) would it be possible for me to use one of those serial -> USB adapters and still have the program find the interface.

 

Just buy a cheap used PC based laptop. There are plenty out there under $300.

 

I want to find a used laptop to run a scanner program and chip burning programs off of. What do I need? Where can I find a cheap used one?

 

Most of the scan software touted on this site will work on a 486 or higher. Especially if you can scam 16mg of memory or more (so you can run a 32 bit OS).

 

one of those adapters "should" work but i cant gurantee anything, but right now i am running a USB camera on a PS/2 port (keyboard or mouse port) on my laptop

 

I paid 200 for my 233 ibm thinkpad! Go to ebay and get a cheap laptop! You don't want to mess your nice mac by getting it greasy

 

Look at the Toshiba laptops on E bay, there are lots of them there (they were the best selling laptops a few years ago) They work good and usually go pretty cheaply.