New Patches Let iMac G5 Boot Linux

An anonymous reader writes "Apple enthusiasts and Linux geeks allied and the result is the announcement of a set of patches (still in test stage) that allows iMac G5 owners to (at least) boot Linux on their toys."

Comments

Another Linux victory

[ssimontis]

I don't have an iMac, so this doesn't really affect me. Still, it is another symbolic victory for Linux, and hopefully many more will come. Perhaps this will help Linux market share rise above Macs?

Real advantages over using Linux on Macs?

[rzei]

I don't mean to troll or hurt anyone's feelings :) But the obivious question; what are the advantages of running Linux on Mac hardware?

As far as I've read, Linux can be run on iBooks but the hardware support is seriously lacking, which disables some important functions like power saving.. I doubt that Apple has yet documents available on controlling G5's fan system, enabling driver writing?

Again, as far as I've read different articles and reviews about OS X, it seems like heaven on earth for most Linux users.. Including something like extremely nice user interface, stable system, quality programs, programming tools, ability to run most linux applications with a recompiling.. Not that I had ever used a mac, there ain't too many around here. Hopefully my next computer will be one.

So back to the point; is there some long term goal like full G5 support or is this some "just for fun" stuff?

Re:Real advantages over using Linux on Macs?

[mibus]

But the obivious question; what are the advantages of running Linux on Mac hardware?
It's nice hardware, and I got my iBook for a better price than I could find an equivalent x86 laptop for.

I got firewire, long battery life, 12" screen (I wanted something small I could lug around easily), as much RAM and HDD, all for less than the closest x86 laptop. It's also hellishly attractive. :-)

Oh, and the suspend/resume stuff is far faster than on all of the Linux/x86 laptops I've seen.

As far as I've read, Linux can be run on iBooks but the hardware support is seriously lacking, which disables some important functions like power saving..

Only the latest iBooks have "seriously lacking" hardware support, and even that is close to being fixed. (IIRC the latest benh kernels can enable power-saving).

My iBook was bought at the start of last year.

After 12 months on OSX I decided to switch back to Debian, mostly just because I prefer GNOME, and it was what I used everywhere else. It also gave a much-desired speed boost :)

The only thing that doesn't work is the modem, and that's just because it's a software modem and I don't want to use the (buggy, non-open-source) driver.

Overall, it was worth it, the biggest thing I lost was the ability to use WINE to play Windows games!

Screw G5 or X86....

[Creepy Crawler]

I'd like to see somebody come up with a dual-cpu monstrosity using hyperconnect or such, and link a G5 and an X86 together.

Even slicker is to use the old neXt packed binaries and compile for both X86 AND G5. I figure Jobs came up with it, why not use it ;-)

And why do this? Best of both worlds. There's a lot of software that is only MS NT X86 binary structure.. this beast could run it.

oh, and this beast could bootstrap all those X86-only pci cards that you cant use in the Mac.

Why?

[gklinger]

Other than the obligatory references to climbing mountains because they're there, why would anyone want to run Linux on a G5? OS X is just as UNIX-like as Linux and with projects like Fink and DarwinPorts most software familiar to Linux users is available under OS X. Case in point, last night I read a story about BZFlag so I downloaded it and had it running in under 5 minutes. And please, don't dismiss the question (or me) by saying I'm anti-Linux because I'm not. My old but beloved Sparc LX running Solaris was headed for the scrap heap so I installed Linux and now I have a machine to use when someone takes over my iBook to play BZFlag.

If you're going to pay the premium for a G5, why not enjoy the complete hardware integration and plethora of available software offered by OS X?

Re:Why?

[dr. chuck bunsen]

I don't buy that for a second, and niether will anyone running OS X and linux side by side. I just put together a AMD64 3400+ with 3 gigs of RAM nvidia 6800 etc. etc., I run dual boot Fedora, SUSE. Right now I type this message on a 1.2 G4 Powerbook. The Powerbook has a much "speedier" interface than my linux box. In fact it kind of makes me mad to think about how much I'm always waiting around for Gnome.

Fedora Core 3 testing for PPC could use this?

[jbn-o]

I recently read Colin Charles' blog and came across his announcement of FC3 for PPC is in testing. He notes that "the release is known to not boot on G5's, and we are working on re-building another tree, which we can push out soon", would this new Linux kernel patch help with this?

What is the FHS?

[Matthias Wiesmann]

Who exactly is behind this FHS initiative? The linked web-site is scant on details and information. There seem to be no know organisation sponsoring this operation and the only other thing on this web site are Enya lyrics (which is nice, I like Enya, but still).

The answer to why run linux on this

[Raleel]

well, i have 2 macs on my desk, and have 2 powerbooks current. I run 2 mac clusters and bought another one this week. All currently have os x.

However, there is a good reason to run linux. OS X is (currently) a 32 bit OS. Many of the apps can't see all the memory. PPC linux is 64 bit.

that having been said, I'm only just now finding a need :)

Re:Redundant…

[NardofDoom]

In order to run OpenOffice.org on a Mac, you have to first have X11 installed, then install it with Fink, then start up X11, then run soffice. To open a document you have to do all the above and then select "Open" then navigate to the document you want to open.

On Linux, you can double-click documents and they'll open.

So the native version of OS X, the kind you can install from a binary and double-click documents to open them, DOES NOT EXIST.