Linux on the iMac G4

Brent Foster writes: "The staff at iMacLinux.net have Linux running on the new flat panel iMac G4s. They have an initial installation guide available here(1). It has several photos of the iMac G4 during the installation as well as cat /proc/cpuinfo. They also have some photos of the unpacking available here(2). The iMac was sponsored by PowerMax, it is nice to see companies sponsoring Linux efforts, especially in the Apple world." John Buswell adds: "It currently works in novideo mode, but we plan on testing newer kernels and XFree 4.2 with nvidia patches later this week."

Comments

One more answer as to why

[brennan73]

Some people might really like the new iMac from a physical/enclosure design standpoint, but might not like OSX (see plenty of articles as to why), or might just prefer Linux. So, buy the Mac, run Linux on it, and you get basically what you want.

Also, the whole "because it's there" thing.

-brennan

personal choice

[BiggyP]

the idea behind GNU/linux is to produce/provide an opensource and completely free Operating system for whoever wants to use it, the idea of OSX is to sell Macs, i would never consider buying a mac at the ridiculous prices for such hardware but if i did then the OS i would choose would have to be Linux, for no other reason than i happen to like it.
Apple have used opensource for their own gain and the end result is Darwin, giving just enough back to keep people happy, but not enough to produce a usable Desktop OS at this stage, oh, and under a strange license.

here's why

[geekoid]

Cause you enjoy Linux, and want a piece of kick ass hardware to run it on.
Personally, I wouldn't do it, If I bought an Mac, I'd use osx, but thats ME and my choice.