I've never used Linux but would like to see what all the fuss is about. I know there are loads of different variants of it, which one is a 'good' one to use? I do image editing etc, browsing and mainly writing...the odd bit of web design too (not design really, just making images in photoshop and slapping them in Dreamweaver)...
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Linux on an iBook
- Thread starter harveypooka
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To Dabble in a little Linux I would get Ubuntu/Kubuntu but there are lots of options for you. I suggest dual booting with OSX if it is on a laptop because right now they are still having some problems with AirPort
http://www.ubuntulinux.com
http://www.ubuntulinux.com
You don't seem to be a particularly good candidate for using linux, perhaps it would be better to focus on exposing the unix side of OS X, as most of the tools you would be use to do what you want on Linux are already native to OS X (e.g. Firefox, GIMP, ...)harveypooka said:
Lots of good info in this thread:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/180534/
B
Acutally another flavor that you might want to give a shot is Yellowdog. They are exclusivly a PPC Linux distro that does quite well at making there stuff quick and easy to get going on Macs. They are releasing 4.1 publicly really soon (Anyday now!) and it will fix a lot of the problems that I am having with my PB so I am anxiously awaiting!
balamw said:
Yeah this actually might be a good idea for you... did not even think that you might not have gotten a bit of a taste for Linuxy goodness from OSX already (that is what happended to me!). There is lots to learn that OSX will readily teach you about using a *nix system...good luck!
I use UNIX at work so I've got a bit of knowledge about it but wouldn't mind giving Linux a go, just for experiments sake really. I might download one of those - I've heard stuff about Yellow Dog so might give them a go! Thanks! 
Yeah, I am waiting fot YDL too.godbout said:
As for Ubuntu/Kubuntu, it is a great Linux distro.
BTW: There is nothing wrong with installing Linux on a Mac. I have done it for the same reson as the original poster, which is to see what Linux is like.
I haven't yet found a good use for Linux, except for just exploring it.
I never said there was anything wrong with installing Linux anywhere. I tend to install linux on anything it'll run on.Mac_Freak said:
But the motivation of my linux installs is always to enable functionality that is missing.Like replacing Windows, or the stock firmware in a WRT54g or NSLU2, or the embedded hardware project I was working on last year.
These are all installs where linux adds significant functionality, whereas linux has very little to offer over Darwin at the OS level, and even less at the app level thanks to darwinports and fink.
EDIT: I also think there is a general misconception as to what Linux is and is not.
IMHO Linux is just the unix-like kernel that runs on a variety of hardware platforms. The Linux distros provide the complete operating environments, typically referred to as "Linux" and are typically based on X11 various toolkits such as GTK or Qt. The operating environments are mainly GNOME and KDE based. Both of those already run natively on Macs/Darwin/X11/OSX. http://dot.kde.org/1073009304/ http://www.xdarwin.org/
So from the user perspective, unless you are writing device drivers that interact closely with the kernel, there is little difference between which set of unix-like underpinnings you are running these user environments and apps on.
B
LINUXs sucks
I agree use Mac OS X. I used to port linux and write device drivers, found lots of poor writen code. Linux has no control over its development. Anybody can hack into it. It has not gone to far on the UI side either. FreeBSD is better, try darwin with x windows on it, that is nice, ran it on intel before. Never used yellow dog. I used linux from 1992 - 2001 then switched to Mac OS X.
Solaris is very nice too. But that will not run on you iBook. I have heard lots of really good things about yellow dog.
If the linux community of dividing up work, quality control, and not try to have it run on every thing, like toasters, ipods, etc, maybe then they could develope a better system. I think freeBSD is more stable and has better internals. FreeBSD (darwin which is Mac OS X unix side) is a UNIX, linux is not unix, it unix like, but underneath it is its own beast.
I agree use Mac OS X. I used to port linux and write device drivers, found lots of poor writen code. Linux has no control over its development. Anybody can hack into it. It has not gone to far on the UI side either. FreeBSD is better, try darwin with x windows on it, that is nice, ran it on intel before. Never used yellow dog. I used linux from 1992 - 2001 then switched to Mac OS X.
Solaris is very nice too. But that will not run on you iBook. I have heard lots of really good things about yellow dog.
If the linux community of dividing up work, quality control, and not try to have it run on every thing, like toasters, ipods, etc, maybe then they could develope a better system. I think freeBSD is more stable and has better internals. FreeBSD (darwin which is Mac OS X unix side) is a UNIX, linux is not unix, it unix like, but underneath it is its own beast.