# Ubuntu Linux on PPC - Live CD. Nerds should try it.



## TroutMaskReplica (Feb 28, 2003)

Linux made me cry.

But that shouldn't stop you from playing with the PowerPC Live CD* of Ubuntu Linux, using the Gnome desktop: http://us.releases.ubuntu.com/releases/5.04/ Ubuntu is billed as 'Linux for Human Beings'.

The GUI is slicker than I thought Linux would be. The filesystem is very similar to OS X. The GUI is hard to explain - something like a cross between Windows, Mac OS 9, with a little bit of OS X thrown in. Firefox, Thunderbird, GIMP, and a bunch of card games and other crap are preinstalled on the CD. They take a bit longer to launch because they are running of a CD after all, but once they are open they are quite usable.

Anyway, if you're bored and have a broadband connection, download the ISO and try it out (make sure you grab the Live CD, and not the install CD). I was able to download the ISO in 30 minutes on a broadband connection. You can burn the ISO using apple Disk Utility. drag the .iso file to the left sidebar in Disk Utility and press the iTunes style burn icon in the top right hand corner. don't open the .iso from your desktop, just leave it as is. restart the computer with the CD in the drive and hold down 'c' until you get something that resembles a DOS prompt. just hit enter and you will be booted into Linux.

* a Live CD will let you boot Linux directly off the CD. it won't affect your Hard Drive or your OS X install. of course, you have a backup just in case, right?


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## Vexel (Jan 30, 2005)

I actually installed Ubuntu on my iBook for a bit when I first got it. It's a great 'user' OS. And very customizable. It's really fun if you just want to dabble in Linux. 2 Thumbs up.


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## Trevor... (Feb 21, 2003)

This boots painfully slow on a 1.3ghz G4.

It is also funny to see the ASCII screens on a mac.


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## TroutMaskReplica (Feb 28, 2003)

> This boots painfully slow on a 1.3ghz G4.


yep. it has to load the entire OS from a CD.


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## Trevor... (Feb 21, 2003)

so does Knoppix, but it boots in under a minute.


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## TroutMaskReplica (Feb 28, 2003)

do you have a link for the PPC version of Knoppix?


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## The Great Waka (Nov 26, 2002)

Knoppix = uber. I showed it to a friend of mine and we was so impressed that he uses it has his main OS now. If there is a PPC version of it, I would love to have it.


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## Denjira (Jan 23, 2005)

You can order free CDs of Ubuntu, they cover shipping costs, completely free.. ordered 14..

http://shipit.ubuntulinux.org

I just removed it from powerbook.. was just trying it before installing on PC...
Does NOT support Wireless networking for PPC..


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## däycüs mäximüs (Nov 30, 2002)

so i downloaded the .iso because i want to try running this OS, what do i do now? how do i do it?


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## TroutMaskReplica (Feb 28, 2003)

> so i downloaded the .iso because i want to try running this OS, what do i do now? how do i do it?


fire up Disk Utility, drag the .iso to the left side bar (just under where you see your hard drive icon, hit the burn button, and wait until it's finished. restart with CD in drive and holding down the 'c' key. when you get something that looks like a DOS prompt just hit enter. it'll take 3 or 4 minutes, but you'll be booted into Ubuntu, and you can play around.

by default Ubuntu will not mount your hard drive, so don't worry about messing up your files, just make doubly sure you're using the Live CD and not the Install CD, cuz then you'll be in trouble.


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## Guest (Sep 6, 2005)

I did this with GentooPPC Live CD a few years back (disclaimer, I helped create the PPC live CD in the first place so I may be a bit biased  ) so it's nothing new ... but it's great to see other distros picking up on this stuff. It's a nice way to easily try a PPC linux distro without committing to nuking your drive, partitioning, etc.


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## TroutMaskReplica (Feb 28, 2003)

actually, the gentoo distro is the one i'm interested in, but i couldn't find a PPC live CD. do you have a link?


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## Guest (Sep 6, 2005)

hmmm not sure if they still make the live discs or not .. I'll look (I'm no longer with the project).

I don't see anything except a game CD of some sort ... but you can browse all their files at:

http://gentoo.osuosl.org/


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## MacDaddy (Jul 16, 2001)

So I downloaded (Very slowly I might add) the Ubuntu ISO and was greatly excited to try it out, but no matter how I boot (Hit return/enter, type live, or live video=ofsumthin) I get booted into Open Firmware with no way to get out other than holding the power button!
I burned the ISO with Toast 6 instead of Disc Image, would this cause a problem like this?


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## däycüs mäximüs (Nov 30, 2002)

TroutMaskReplica said:


> fire up Disk Utility, drag the .iso to the left side bar (just under where you see your hard drive icon, hit the burn button, and wait until it's finished. restart with CD in drive and holding down the 'c' key. when you get something that looks like a DOS prompt just hit enter. it'll take 3 or 4 minutes, but you'll be booted into Ubuntu, and you can play around.
> 
> by default Ubuntu will not mount your hard drive, so don't worry about messing up your files, just make doubly sure you're using the Live CD and not the Install CD, cuz then you'll be in trouble.



thanks ever so much. i'm gonna try it out now!
i'm excited. if i dig it, can i install it so that i can dual-boot it on my mac?
i have a portable HD. should i just partition a part of it off and install it there?

this is gonna be my first experience with linux... what can i expect?


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## TroutMaskReplica (Feb 28, 2003)

sorry guys. i must confess i don't know much about linux. i've spent about three hours in total on it. it's fun to play around with, but if i were honestly going to get into linux i'd pick up a cheap pc to install it on. the x86 linux user base is several orders of magnitude greater than the ppc one.

it is possible to make a dual boot install but you MUST backup first. i tried it on an external firewire with an aim of making the firewire drive dual boot and it wiped out everything on the first attempt. i had to clone over from my ibook again. also a file called yaboot which is necessary for dual booting fails to install on an external drive for some reason, so some voodoo is required to get it on there.

MacDaddy, you could always burn the iso with Disk Utility, assuming you still have it. I don't have any experience with Toast 6 - whether it is able to burn ISOs or not. (most burning software can't)


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## TrevX (May 10, 2005)

däycüs mäximüs said:


> thanks ever so much. i'm gonna try it out now!
> i'm excited. if i dig it, can i install it so that i can dual-boot it on my mac?
> i have a portable HD. should i just partition a part of it off and install it there?
> 
> this is gonna be my first experience with linux... what can i expect?


Linux GUIs are very Windows-ish. For some reason they all get modeled in some way after Windows, probably for the familiarity of it. Launching programs from the GUI is the same as any platform, either double click or launch it from the programs menu. However, if you find a linux program on the net you want you might find yourself digging around in the command line to either launch it or install it. This has gotten to be less of an issue in the last few years, but its still required to go into the command line some of the time in Linux.

Trev


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## Paul O'Keefe (Jun 3, 2005)

Tried it after lunch today at work. Looked ok. **** people, ordinary don't need Microsoft anymore if Linux GUIs continue to improve the way the do. I'm going to try it on the G5 now.


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## däycüs mäximüs (Nov 30, 2002)

i tried it and i like it.. but not enough to get rid of os x.

problem was, i couldn't get online. does it not support apple's airport?

tried everything.


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## Guest (Sep 8, 2005)

not if it's airport extreme... broadcom (the chip manufacturer) is very tight on their specs and refuse to release enough info for anyone to make an open source driver. They have also been very vocal that if anyone reverse engineers one they will pursue them legally :/


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## TroutMaskReplica (Feb 28, 2003)

> They have also been very vocal that if anyone reverse engineers one they will pursue them legally :/


on what grounds?


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## Guest (Sep 8, 2005)

Not sure, there is some sort of provision legally against reverse engineering though AFAIK


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