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Hi. For each PPC architecture you can download a XFCE liveCD that will install a full desktop environment. Did you try this option?
I also remembered that in its review, NathanJHill (who answered since) reported errors with PolicyKit, compositor, ... But as he has just explained, he didn't use the xfce image. Maybe that was the right way to ease the installation ...
 
WHAT THE HELL DOES XFCE MEAN ???? When i tried to download a distro of PPC linux, it said XFCE ? WHat does this mean ?
 
@Macbookprodude Xfce is a desktop environment for UNIX-like operating systems. Historically, it was an acronym for 'XForms Common Environment', but the meaning was eventually dropped and it doesn't actually stand for anything in particular now.

The official project does recommend thinking of it now as 'X Freakin' Cool Environment', though.
 
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The default browsers on 32bit do suck. However there are multiple other Mozilla based browsers available for voidppc32 not found in voids repo.
4 found here: https://github.com/wicknix/SpiderWeb/wiki/Download
1 found here: https://github.com/wicknix/Arctic-Fox/wiki/Downloads
Thanks! I had a look to find ArcticFox but when I saw the deb package, I also did read a discussion where it was discouraged ... but if it works well, I am open to test. Could you add in the download page how to install on Void Linux?

About browsing on 32-bit ... that brings the question (to me) "is it possible to really use these machines in a near future? should we focus on the 64-bit support?". I don't want to open a new debate in this thread, I just think about that.
 
About browsing on 32-bit ... that brings the question (to me) "is it possible to really use these machines in a near future? should we focus on the 64-bit support?". I don't want to open a new debate in this thread, I just think about that.
I've managed to get Void working on my G5, and frankly, modern Firefox is painfully slow. Now, it could just be because of bugs, but these forks of FF are a wonderful thing, because they can bring the current web to much older hardware. They perform better, and they don't need to be 64-bit.

So I figure, if it doesn't hurt to keep on porting forks of Firefox that work on 32-bit hardware, why not keep it up? After all, the G5 is the only on that runs 64-bit code, and a slow G5 isn't much faster than a fast G4.
 
Could you add in the download page how to install on Void Linux?
No, but here's how.
There are 2 ways.
1) Just extract the .deb archive anywhere and run the binary inside. ( cd /path/to/arcticfox then ./arcticfox )
Then you could manually create a .desktop file if you want a menu entry / desktop icon.
2) Install dpkg from voids repo then: sudo dpkg -i /path/to/arcticfox.deb (this will create a proper menu entry as well)
This method is tested and safe regardless of what "they" say.
 
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I've managed to get Void working on my G5, and frankly, modern Firefox is painfully slow. Now, it could just be because of bugs, but these forks of FF are a wonderful thing, because they can bring the current web to much older hardware. They perform better, and they don't need to be 64-bit.

So I figure, if it doesn't hurt to keep on porting forks of Firefox that work on 32-bit hardware, why not keep it up? After all, the G5 is the only on that runs 64-bit code, and a slow G5 isn't much faster than a fast G4.
In fact, we have a very recent window into why maintaining those Firefox forks is extremely useful. I can't stress how much harder this would be to do if the focus was exclusively 64-bit.
 
No, but here's how.
There are 2 ways.
1) Just extract the .deb archive anywhere and run the binary inside. ( cd /path/to/arcticfox then ./arcticfox )
Then you could manually create a .desktop file if you want a menu entry / desktop icon.
2) Install dpkg from voids repo then: sudo dpkg -i /path/to/arcticfox.deb (this will create a proper menu entry as well)
This method is tested and safe regardless of what "they" say.
I applied the 2nd method and it worked well. Thanks!
I like ArcticFox! Great work!
SeaMonkey seems to be simpler (too simple?) and appears to be less reactive here.
 
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Only as a user, not a linux programmer, I would prefer a G5quad for modern browsing (Firefox). Firefox (64b) is working smooth, but main problem is video rendering (glitches) and (sometimes) picture presentation.
Again a short video: parallel videoplaying with Arcticfox and Firefox and JACK Audio.
As you can see, the cpu is on the limit, but has no problem.
Thank for the hard work to the voidppc developers!!

 

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Guys, I do not see my battary under /sys on iBook G4. Also (as the result), ACPI does not generate an event for /etc/acpi/handler.sh
Did I forget to load some module manually?
 
SeaMonkey seems to be simpler (too simple?) and appears to be less reactive here
What do you mean by too simple? It's a full fledged internet suite with a browser, email, news, rss client, composer, address book and chatzilla irc built in. It also has more adjustable preferences than any other browser without having to dig through about:config. Its page rendering is also similar in speed to arctic fox. Other reports also claim its zips along as well. I use it as my default browser and email client on my powerbook g4 running ubuntu. Maybe it just doesn't like Void. ;-)

@dreadbit : Try modprobe pmu_battery then log out and back in. You should have a battery indicator now depending on your DE.

Cheers
 
What do you mean by too simple? It's a full fledged internet suite with a browser, email, news, rss client, composer, address book and chatzilla irc built in. It also has more adjustable preferences than any other browser without having to dig through about:config. Its page rendering is also similar in speed to arctic fox. Other reports also claim its zips along as well. I use it as my default browser and email client on my powerbook g4 running ubuntu.
I am sorry .. it seems my opinion was far from what it has to propose. I was plainly wrong and I should reconsider it and test further.
I quickly tested and made my opinion on the GUI that looked less rich that ArcticFox.

Thank you again, wicknix (and others), this forum is great and allows to learn much!
 
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I just noticed that Midori and Epiphany won't connect to any websites anymore. I don't usually use them but I have been trying to use Whatsapp web and Replit (ambitious on a PB G4 I know!). I just get an "oops" message, the same in Midori and Epiphany. There is also an error message if I run from terminal. Anyone having the same problems or got any tips?
 

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hey guys, i've got a 17" powerbook g4 aluminum with void linux running on it. I can't seem to get wifi to work on it however. It has the BCM4306 controller, and i've followed the guide on the void linux wiki to install the b43-firmware-classic and it cannot find the adapter. Tried the other driver as well and that didn't work either. Ami i missing something?
 
hey guys, i've got a 17" powerbook g4 aluminum with void linux running on it. I can't seem to get wifi to work on it however. It has the BCM4306 controller, and i've followed the guide on the void linux wiki to install the b43-firmware-classic and it cannot find the adapter. Tried the other driver as well and that didn't work either. Ami i missing something?
I fought with that on iBook G4 and gave up (it detects and even able to connect, but the speed is horrible and disconnects are awful) -- so I use USB WiFi. If you have this option, I believe that's what to do.
 
Any advices for making void on G5DP (also G4 tower) to turn itself on when power is restored?
The desired scenario: I turn it off via some command like halt (but not shutdown / poweroff), and then turn off the power socket remotely. And next, I want it to turn on automatically when power is restored.

Is there a way to do halt not poweroff (and, is that a must for this scenario)? Is it possible to convince G5 to turn it on when power is restored (I see smth in MacOSX; is there a better way to do that via OFW or like that, without MacOSX)?
 
Any advices for making void on G5DP (also G4 tower) to turn itself on when power is restored?
The desired scenario: I turn it off via some command like halt (but not shutdown / poweroff), and then turn off the power socket remotely. And next, I want it to turn on automatically when power is restored.

Is there a way to do halt not poweroff (and, is that a must for this scenario)? Is it possible to convince G5 to turn it on when power is restored (I see smth in MacOSX; is there a better way to do that via OFW or like that, without MacOSX)?

I wanted to do that some years ago with a macMiniG4 runing as a small server.
From my small experience, so people more knowledgeable here will correct me.
WoL is possible , but power on a Mac PPC remotely , no.

From the wiki on WoL
"Mac hardware (OS X)

Modern Mac hardware supports WoL functionality when the computer is in a sleep state, but it is not possible to wake up a Mac computer from a powered-off state.

The feature is controlled via the OS X System Preferences Energy Saver panel, in the Options tab. Marking the Wake for network access checkbox enables Wake-on-LAN.

Apple's Apple Remote Desktop client management system can be used to send Wake-on-LAN packets, but there are also freeware and shareware Mac OS X applications available.

On Mac OS X Snow Leopard and later, the service is called Wake on Demand or Bonjour Sleep Proxy and is synonymous with the Sleep Proxy Service. It comes enabled out of the box, but in previous versions of the operating system, the service needs to be enabled under the Energy Saver pane of System Preferences. The network interface card may allow the service to function only on Wi‑Fi, only on Ethernet, or both."


So it is possible to make it sleep at a specified time, then wake at a specified time, or wake it up sending a magic packet.
There are even online services for this, you can try this :
Note your router must be set accordingly to route the magic packet to the right machine (MAC address).

Now this is on Mac OSX. On Linux is another matter. You'd have to have a Linux that support sleep on G4 and G5, Which as far as I know is broken on G4 with recent kernels, and is't always been broken on G5.
This because G5 uses a specific power management system called SMU , instead of previous PMU :
I don't know of any linux that support the G5's SMU. My iMac G5 running Void can't sleep.
 
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Hi,
I've got a late 2005 dual-core G5. I've installed Void Linux on it and works great, for the most part. The exception is that audio is not working properly. All I get is static out. I've played with alsamixer and can mute/unmute and adjust the level of the static, but get nothing useful out of the headphones or built-in speaker. Anyone with a G5 also experiencing these issues? Audio works fine under OS X. Thanks.
 

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Hi,
I've got a late 2005 dual-core G5. I've installed Void Linux on it and works great, for the most part. The exception is that audio is not working properly. All I get is static out. I've played with alsamixer and can mute/unmute and adjust the level of the static, but get nothing useful out of the headphones or built-in speaker. Anyone with a G5 also experiencing these issues? Audio works fine under OS X. Thanks.
I remember having no sound after install (iMac G5). I think solved it after installing another sound mixer, QasMixer, and playing with the settings... don't remember exactly what I did but here a screenshot with both alsamixer and QasMixer open showing the settings. It worked. Hope that helps.

2021-05-08-200106_1680x1050_scrot.png
 
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Hi,
I've got a late 2005 dual-core G5. I've installed Void Linux on it and works great, for the most part. The exception is that audio is not working properly. All I get is static out. I've played with alsamixer and can mute/unmute and adjust the level of the static, but get nothing useful out of the headphones or built-in speaker. Anyone with a G5 also experiencing these issues? Audio works fine under OS X. Thanks.
Depending on how you config your VoidLinux install, the Desktop Environment should install pulseaudio (and I personally don't like it, for my use/necessity alsa serves me very well) and could be broken or configured wrong. I don't know any way of removing completely pulseaudio or his daemon but to kill the instance in your session type in your terminal without root

Code:
pulseaudio -k

Unless someone knows how to remove the whole pulseaudio or the daemon you'll have to do this every session.
 
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Depending on how you config your VoidLinux install, the Desktop Environment should installed pulseaudio (and I personally don't like it, for my use/necessity alsa serves me very well) and could be broken or configured wrong. I don't know any way of removing completely pulseaudio or his daemon but to kill the instance in your session type in your terminal without root

Code:
pulseaudio -k

Unless someone knows how to remove the whole pulseaudio or the daemon you'll have to do this every session.
Exact ! Now I remember why it wasn't working at first on my iMac G5, I first had installed Mate as desktop environment.
And the Mate meta package installs pulse audio. I had to remove completely the mate desktop environment with his dependencies, with sudo xbps-remove -R ThePackageYouWantToRemove. And it removed PulseAudio with it.
I then installed XFCE, Mate wasn't working well anyway. Audio didn't work at first , but after installing QasMixer and selecting the correct driver, it worked.
 
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I didn't go that in depth. Instead i just adjusted the preferences of VLC, MPlayer, Audacious, etc to use alsa instead of pulse audio (which seems to be the default on most media players). Problem solved.

+1 for QasMixer. It solved the muted sound issue for me as well.

Cheers.
 
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Yes! Thanks for the tip. Pulseaudio is indeed causing the problem. Issuing "pulseaudio -k" did the trick. Now to keep it from starting up automatically....
 
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