Re: macintosh hardware

[Michael D. Crawford]

Linux runs great on Macs, both 68000 and PowerPC macs. Subscribe to debian-powerpc to ask more about it. Also see:

http://penguinppc.org/

I'm typing this on a Mac 8500 running Woody and the 2.4.19 kernel.

It can be a little hard to figure out how to install. My recommendation is to put the files you need on an HFS volume (basedebs.tar and so on) as well as the kernel and ramdisk image and boot from Mac OS into Linux.

On a Mac with a floppy it is possible to load the ramdisk from a floppy like with an x86 install, but I never had much luck doing that.

On the "new world" Macs (since the G3) you can do tftp boots for installation. The firmware in the old world macs like my 8500 claims to support tftp but it doesn't actually work.

Linux has breathed new life into my 8500 that I otherwise probably would have had to retire. It performs much better than either OS 9.1 or OS X.

There are a few linux distros for the Mac. Besides debian, there is Yellow Dog and LinuxPPC, which I think are both ports from Red Hat, and there is the Apple-sponsored mkLinux which uses the Mach microkernel like OS X does. I used to run mkLinux on my Mac a few years ago.

Michael D. Crawford
GoingWare Inc. - Expert Software Development and Consulting
http://www.goingware.com/
[EMAIL PROTECTED]

Tilting at Windmills for a Better Tomorrow.


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