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Linux on a Mac, Part 2 Since I got such a nice upbeat response on the first Linux on a Mac article, I decided to continue this saga with more articles concerning running Linux on the Macintosh! For those of you who just joined us, the Macintosh is probably the computer sitting right in front of you and Linux is an operating system that used to be for PC's only, at least for awhile. I had mentioned MKLinux (my fave... I go for the Underdog!), LinuxPPC, one of the most widely supported ports (also called a distribution) of Linux to the Macintosh, as well as Yellow Dog Linux, which is built to run on PowerPC machines as well as G3s! This means you can experiment with Linux on your iMacs! As some of my readers brought up, I did leave out some other very important groups in the MacLinux world. One of these major players being "old school" in the Linux world, NetBSD. This is a port of a "similar" version of UNIX that predates Linux on the Mac. See http://www.netbsd.org/Misc/call-it-a-duck.html for some interesting tidbits. Well, you might be asking yourself, will this run on my machine? Well it depends upon what machine you have. There is a port of NetBSD for 68k machines. Here is a list of those machines as follows: * Mac II, IIx, IIcx, SE/30 * Mac IIci * Mac IIsi, IIvx, IIvi * Performa 400/405/410/430, 450, 460/466/467 * LC/Performa 520, 550/560 * Performa 600/600CD * MacTV * LC II, III, III+ * Centris 650 * Quadra 610, 650, 700, 800 * Quadra/Centris 660AV * Quadra 840AV These next models marked with the (1.4)* are systems for which support was added in NetBSD 1.4. The (*) denotes a system based on the 68LC040. Also a little note the FPU functions are not fully supported: Quadra 630 * Centris 610 (1.4) * * Quadra 610 DOS (1.4) * * Quadra 605 (1.4) * * LC 475, Performa 475/476 (1.4) * * LC 575, Performa 575/577/578, (1.4) * * LC 580, Performa 580/588 (1.4) * * LC 630/630 DOS, Performa 630/631/635/636/637/638 (1.4) * * Performa 640 DOS (1.4) * * PowerBook 170 (1.4) * PowerBook 550c (1.4) Now I'm not exactly sure what NetBSD for 68k Macs has to offer because the last 68k I owned was a MacPlus, not exactly powerful enough to be running a UNIX-like OS. If someone who does have a 68k Mac and is interested in Mac BSD, go ahead and download it from the NetBSD.org web site. It's free and the only thing you have to loose is... well hard drive space. Technically you wouldn't be losing it because it's going to good use. I could go on and on about this system ( from what I have read ) but I would love to know a real persons first hand experience. There is still more ground to cover! Another version of MacLinux would be TurboLinux. This one, which had slipped my mind a press time, was told to me by some readers who were miffed that I accidentally left it out! Thanx guys! Now on to TURBOLINUX!!! TurboLinux, like NetBSD, is a port to multiple hardware systems. This one was compiled for Intel and PPC hardware, and possibly some other systems too. Now, I have not tired this version of the PPC Linux port either. Hopefully soon I will! This version from what it sounds, is similar to that of MachTen (another UNIX port) It installs like any other application on your Macintosh. Simply double click on "Install Linux" answer a few questions and you're all set! Here's a quick excerpt from their web site: "TurboLinux features TurboDesk, a functional, easy-to-use desktop. It includes TurboDesk Control Panel to adjust your desktop settings, and XTurboAppMgr application launcher bar that lets you customize your desktop so your favorite applications are always at your fingertips. TurboDesk includes everything you expect from a desktop environment: drag and drop functions, pulldown menus, folders, icons, and a find file utility." Sound's great doesn't it! Well we aren't done yet! As I mentioned a little bit earlier on, there is another version of a MacLinux/MacUNIX port called MachTen. This product is by a company named Tenon Intersystems. Now these guys know their stuff! They make software development tools, UNIX for the Macintosh, Mail Servers. X Windows for Macintosh (X Windows in the Linux/UNIX world is the GUI for the Linux and UNIX systems ) and WebTen, the Award winning Apache based Web Server for Macintosh. ( WebTen won an award from Macworld a little while back, "WebTen 2.1 has won 1st Place for Best Server Software in MacWorld Magazine's 1998 Eddy Awards!" Now this sounds yummy! The big difference between Tenon's UNIX and the other's is that Tenon charges for MachTen. A hefty $250 dollars! Not a good choice if you are a student with no money to toss around. Still, it's another version of Linux/UNIX on the Macintosh. Just goes to show that we have a very versatile platform! This is it for now on the different versions of Linux for the Mac, if anyone knows of any more versions or would like to comment on a version that they have ( NetBSD's 68k, TurboLinux, and MachTen ) I would be glad to put them in the NeXT article. This is Chris.... and Happy Hacking to you all! For those of you still interested in my past articles on Mac Linux, I am republishing them here. Linux on a Mac, Part 1, and my new column, Linux on a Mac is Back!! PS: Here are the links to the different versions of Linux for the Mac: www.netbsd.com and www.macbsd.com - The NetBSD port of a Unix-like system to Apple Macintosh 68k and PPC machines www.mklinux.apple.com and www.mklinux.org - I do some development for this distribution. I'm working on getting the Mach Kernel to support larger partitions if anyone is interested.... :-) www.linuxppc.com and www.linuxppc.org - The one and only LinuxPPC! www.turbolinux.com - TurboLinux for Intel and PPC computers www.maclinux.com - A link to Yellow Dog www.yellowdoglinux.com - Linux for PowerPC based Machines www.tenon.com -MachTen and other Macintosh Products
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