Text-Based Linux on PPC (iBook Clamshell)

Hello everyone. Long story short, I am being given an old iBook G3 clamshell. I've ALWAYS wanted one because I like the case design. Judge me as you will but free is free and I could use it for a learning experiment.

This thing runs at a blazing fast speed of.... 300 MHz. PERFECT actually because I would like to have a text only linux machine. Pretty much, just have it jump into the terminal only. Little social experiment if you will :) It doesn't need to have wireless support because I don't think this iBook will work on my wireless anyway, but hopefully it should support the ethernet interface.

I'm not entirely new to linux but mostly have stuck to full distros. However, I have never found out where, for any architechture, to get an install for a text based linux. Can anyone help me out? I'm also interested in one for my parts computer that is an i386 atchitechture. Am I better off just installing MintPPC or something and dropping into terminal each time..? Does anyone recommend any other PPC installs for something this low of specification?

The specifications, by the way, SHOULD be comparable to this description found on a random website:

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The iBook G3/300 (Original/Clamshell), codenamed P1, features a 300 MHz PowerPC 750 (G3) processor, 32MB of RAM, a 3.2GB hard drive, and 2X AGP ATI Rage Mobility graphics with 4 MB of VRAM packed into a sleek handle-equipped "blueberry" case with a 12.1" TFT active matrix display (800x600 native resolution).

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Thanks in advance! :D

Cant you do a Debian PPC Net Install

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Instructions

1

Launch a web browser. Navigate to the "Installing Debian GNU/Linux via the Internet" webpage (see Resources). Click on the "powerpc" link under the "Small CDs" heading. Your computer will download a file with the ISO extension. Burn this file to the blank CD, using a CD burning application.
2

Turn on the iBook G3. Insert the CD you just created in the iBook G3's CD drive. Reboot the iBook G3. The iBook G3 will boot from the CD, and display Debian's Installer main menu on the iBook G3's screen.
3

Connect the iBook G3 to the Internet using the Ethernet port. Select "Network install" from Debian's Installer main menu.
4

Answer the prompts as the Debian Installer asks you for configuration options. Press "Enter" to leave the default values (that are almost always adequate) unchanged; enter a password of your choice for user "root" when prompted. Debian will download all the modules you need to complete your Linux installation. The iBook G3 will automatically reboot at the end of this process. Linux will now be fully installed and ready to use on the iBook G3.

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And Install ELinks browser, Midnight Commander file manager, plus other cli applications in a Debian net installation plus maybe even a Windows Manager if you so choose. Though 32MB of ram I guess I would go real light like with the list further down in the above link.

eg: There is a tiling windows manager thread going on in the forum presently you can look at.

Only core iso cli type of net installs I have done is with AntiX core iso which has no ppc candidate iso.

When you say "Can't I..." I don't know lol never done one before and I am waiting for the iBook to arrive. But thank you for information! It sounds like that is what I want.

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Originally Posted by ATXZerg

When you say "Can't I..." I don't know lol never done one before and I am waiting for the iBook to arrive. But thank you for information! It sounds like that is what I want.

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Practice,practice, and practice ;)

It is how I learn and I am pretty clueless when I powered up my first computer back in 2008. I hated computers, since I am a biker. My wife bought me my first POS laptop. I never got into using Windows for other than tuning motorcycles so I did not pick up any bad habit windows mindsets, (preconceived ways of thinking on how things should work and run)

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Press "Enter" to leave the default values (that are almost always adequate) unchanged;

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That section will be uncharted territory for you as you have to learn how to build up from a core install without pulling in heavy stuff like XFCE Desktop since you say you want just cli applications in PPC. PPC is the stumbling block on distro recommends because there are some pretty low spec cli linux isos that will run on non PPC computers.
I got Blue Flops to install, boot, and run on a P66hz , 12MB edo ram, Netbook but I have no 16bit pcmcia ethernet card for it.

Edit: the link in my signature may teach you something also.