Best Linux distro for G5 mac?

[Lawson English]

Hi. I have to start using Linux on my old G5 Mac. What is the best
version of Linux (in your opinion) to install, and can anyone give me
pointers for info on how to install?

I've got a 100GB partition reserved on a second drive. I can reformat if
need be, but would prefer not to.

Thanks.


Lawson English

[Frank Meyer]

Lawson,

After running Yellow Dog and Debian on a g3 I have to tell you that
Debian isn't the greatest. The newest Yellow Dog isn't free to
download, but I'm thinking that I might just have to part with the
money! Debian doesn't load a firewall, doesn't setup networking without
help, doesn't use proper versions of Mozilla, Firefox, or others. The
Java works sometimes, the gcc and make not at all (without reinstalling
it from the synaptic program), and other than what packages come from
Debian for ppc you can't install packages at all. RPMs for ppc will
install and work under Yellow Dog, the java worked first time, gcc and
make were installed correctly the first time, and (biggest issue) the
kernels included in Yellow Dog worked on my machine the first time.
Iptables worked and configured itself automatically under Yellow Dog,
although I did have to edit the rules so that mldonkey would work. And
apache, no-ip2, and other internet daemons didn't have to wait for
someone to log in as root before they could access the internet. That
frustrates me the most! Not to mention the fact that ext3 wasn't
suggested by the installer due to lack of support?!?

If you want to go Debian, look to ppckernel.org for a kernel that will
run on your machine because the Debian one wont. Not that a new kernel
for any linux isn't a good idea, but unnessisary if you go Yellow Dog.

You should be able to boot to the second drive from either os if you
wish to dual boot. Either system fits in under 20Gb with everything.

Frank Meyer

Post by Lawson English
Hi. I have to start using Linux on my old G5 Mac. What is the best
version of Linux (in your opinion) to install, and can anyone give me
pointers for info on how to install?
I've got a 100GB partition reserved on a second drive. I can reformat if
need be, but would prefer not to.
Thanks.
Lawson English

[peterh5322]

The newest Yellow Dog isn't free to download, but I'm thinking that I
might just have to part with the money!

5.0.0 was released for the PS3. DVD distribution. Free mirrors quickly
followed.

5.0.1 was released for Macs shortly thereafter. Initially DVD
distribution, but CD distribution followed. Free mirrors quickly
followed.

5.0.2 was released in one unified distribution for Macs, for the PS3
and for several current and future IBM PPC products. DVD distribution,
so far. Free mirrors followed within two weeks.

I'm running 5.0.2 on my Mac Mini, dual boot with MacOS 10.4.10. 5.0.2
replaced a prior 5.0.1 installation. Both were good, marred only by an
outdated version of Firefox.

I've installed from both the DVD and CD distributions. All downloaded
from Oregon State's mirrors.

The distrubutions for Macs support G3, G4 and G5, and they may support
"Old World" Macs, too, if BootX is used instead of YABoot.

Free, just for the time to download them.

[Frank Meyer]

WONDERFUL! This debian install is hitting the dirt in as long as it
takes to download the dvd images. Thank you so very much for pointing
me in the right direction! I've always had luck using bootx with my old
world mac, even including the new 2.6 kernels and hopefully this will
work out great! I'll get back in touch later.

But thanks again!

Frank

Post by peterh5322

The newest Yellow Dog isn't free to download, but I'm thinking that I
might just have to part with the money!

5.0.0 was released for the PS3. DVD distribution. Free mirrors quickly
followed.
5.0.1 was released for Macs shortly thereafter. Initially DVD
distribution, but CD distribution followed. Free mirrors quickly followed.
5.0.2 was released in one unified distribution for Macs, for the PS3 and
for several current and future IBM PPC products. DVD distribution, so
far. Free mirrors followed within two weeks.
I'm running 5.0.2 on my Mac Mini, dual boot with MacOS 10.4.10. 5.0.2
replaced a prior 5.0.1 installation. Both were good, marred only by an
outdated version of Firefox.
I've installed from both the DVD and CD distributions. All downloaded
from Oregon State's mirrors.
The distrubutions for Macs support G3, G4 and G5, and they may support
"Old World" Macs, too, if BootX is used instead of YABoot.
Free, just for the time to download them.

[peterh5322]

On 2007-07-18 20:57:28 -0700, peterh5322

Post by peterh5322
I've installed from both the DVD and CD distributions. All downloaded
from Oregon State's mirrors.

The ISOs for CD distribution of YDL 5.0.2 are on OSU's mirror now.

[Roger Leigh]

Post by Frank Meyer
After running Yellow Dog and Debian on a g3 I have to tell you that
Debian isn't the greatest. The newest Yellow Dog isn't free to
download, but I'm thinking that I might just have to part with the
money! Debian doesn't load a firewall, doesn't setup networking
without help, doesn't use proper versions of Mozilla, Firefox, or
others. The Java works sometimes, the gcc and make not at all

I would have to say that this does not mirror my own experiences of
Debian on powerpc hardware over the last three years. I use a G4 Mac
Mini for everything, my desktop, multimedia stuff, work, and coding
(including Debian development, tracking unstable daily as well as
following stable in various chroots). I use GCC and make daily,
without *any* powerpc issues, *ever* (except when testing development
GCC snapshots). It also configured networking automatically from the
get-go. I find your comments to the contrary rather surprising.

Your assertion that it does not use "proper versions" of Mozilla and
Firefox is perhaps with a little merit. The names have been changed
in order to legally comply with use of Mozilla trademarks (by not
using them at all, given the non-DFSG-free licensing terms); the
actual programs are identical to their "properly named" counterparts.
The alternative was not to distribute them at all, so a minor cosmetic
name change is not really a big issue. You'll likely see most
distributors make the same decision in the near future for the same
legal and technical reasons.

Regarding Java, Debian doesn't distribute Java, so problems with it
are not typically within our purview unless you are using GCJ/GIJ or
Kaffe. Now that Java is being GPL licensed, it is likely we will have
proper Java support natively in the future, as well as increased use
of Java in free software development.


Regards,
Roger