View Poll Results: Have you ever seen/used Linux on a Mac?

**harry000** · 10-05-2005

Hello Firends,

I just want to know that can Linux be insalled on a MAC.

I want to discuss what problems might arise.

Can we intall both Mac OSX and Linux on same machone.

Do most linux destros are released for MAC also.

(I want to buy a Mac, but only if I am able to run Linux on it.)

**techieMoe** · 10-05-2005

Yes, Linux can be run on a Macintosh. Most Macs available today use PowerPC-based processors, so they require special verisons of Linux to that have been compiled for that processor (PPC). The ones I can think of off the top of my head that offer PPC versions:

YellowDog Linux (specifically designed for Mac)
Debian
Gentoo
Fedora
Mandriva

**bigtomrodney** · 10-05-2005

This shouldn't sway your decision, but something to be aware of is that in a year or so when the New Macs ship they'll be running on Intel chips, at which point you will be able to run almost any Intel OS (In theory). Maybe even XP or Vista if you were that way inclined!

**a12ctic** · 10-05-2005

sorta, i installed on my gamecube

gamecube has a ppc therefor is a mac

**techieMoe** · 10-05-2005

Originally Posted by a12ctic

gamecube has a ppc therefor is a mac

I wouldn't go that far. That would mean the millions of IBM POWER5-based servers were Macs.

**daacosta** · 10-05-2005

There is a MAC at my parents' home that was set up by my brother. When I told him that I was going to see about installing linux in that machine he told me that I would have to literally kill him before that would happen...

**deek** · 10-05-2005

I would also like to add, seeing that many wanting a mac will be looking for a cheap/used and likely older model, that they are normally divided between "Old World" and "New World". The New World macs are generally the ones produced after 1998-1999 and have a more open hardware architecture (which also means much easier to install linux on).

I have an Old World mac and while not impossible to install a linux distro on it, there are some specific procedures you must follow and some extra apps needed in order to get the process started. I believe for mine, I would have to have a minimal mac os installed and then a special program to be able to boot/load linux onto it...

So, yes, there are plenty of PPC linux flavors out there and you can have mac and linux on the same machine...but it may be a little more convoluted than an old PC... And, I have yet to see (or get working) a LiveCD for an Old World mac...

I instead, chose to install OSX on mine...still pretty cool and seeing it has a FreeBSD base, fun to mess with!

**bidi** · 10-05-2005

I've finally convinced a buddy of mine to give me his old iMac, which he doesn't use anymore. These were the first models where they had the CRT screen and came in all sorts of different colors. I don't predict to have any issues, since as far as I know that thing has a PPC processor. It doesn't have OS X (I think it's OS 9), so no BSD based OS there.

**winter** · 10-06-2005

Originally Posted by bigtomrodney

This shouldn't sway your decision, but something to be aware of is that in a year or so when the New Macs ship they'll be running on Intel chips, at which point you will be able to run almost any Intel OS (In theory). Maybe even XP or Vista if you were that way inclined!

not forgot about the apple price mark up. anyway why on earth would ye want to run a os thats more demanding than a 5 year old child....7 gig..thats one less download.

Anyway ive seen gentoo and debian running on a power pc cpu(at the amiga user group)

**AndrewB** · 10-06-2005

hmm duno if it counts to have fink on mac osX?
i like the os too much
but it does have unix roots, and you can have apt-get etc
so technically it is using somethings linux-y

i wouldnt really install anything on my wee ibook, but if i got another, older mac then maybe

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