aiming to run apps in classic is a fail strategy aswell.
if u want to use the os8 + os9 apps.. use them on a real os9 mac.. natively booting os8 or os9. if u need a laptop, try a ti book like ptle5guy has suggested above.. or, u can try to find an ibook *G3* preferably a 900Mhz model. if u want to run os8, u could get a wallstreet laptop.
depends on what u wanna do. u cant beat a desktop g4 for mac os tho.. because of the access to pci hardware.
i see that u are 85 years old!! and still wanting to be creative.. thats amazing!!
inspiring even!
if i had to have a laptop for os9 i woudl go for the
ibook g3 900mhz (prob cheaper then the tibook)
if i had to have a laptop for osx i would go for the
2010 macbook pro because osx on intel is much superior in strength of cpu, and it lets u run any intel version of osx u want, from snow leopard to el capitan. (10.6 thru to 10.10+) also this model supports 16gb of ram + again, is probably alot cheaper then any of the other models (i5 etc)
but id rather run os9 on a g4, my g3 quicksilver 933mhz is a great choice because its quiet.. + powerful enough for music production..
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/powermac_g4/specs/powermac_g4_933_qs.htmlany
MDD is more powerful but they are also a huge hassle to modify so that they arent too loud etc.. which makes the quicksilver the next best thing. the mdd is the best u can get. if u are willing to do the mods to quiet the power supply.. it is alot of headache and only reccommended for people who are willing to do whatever it takes to get the best.