I think I'd like to toy with Linux

I would like to check out and run Linux on my Mac. Can anyone recommend a free version? It seems like redhat is the way to go, but I can't seem to find a place to download from that works. All links are dead.

why would you want linux on your computer anyway, stick with OSX and buy tiger
BUT if you still want to go with linux red hat i think you're gonna have to buy it at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005EBF2/linuxonlinetheli/102-0836321-6040147

The free version of Redhat no longer exists. It has been replaced by Fedora. I would not recommend Fedora for the Mac though.

Try the Ubuntu live CD for PowerPC. If you like it grab the installation CD.

http://www.ubuntulinux.org/download/

Alternatively try Yellow Dog Linux

http://www.yellowdoglinux.com/

For more advanced users there are Gentoo and Debian. Since you are just starting out though I would not recommend either of these.

macAttack said:

why would you want linux on your computer anyway, stick with OSX and buy tiger
BUT if you still want to go with linux red hat i think you're gonna have to buy it at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005EBF2/linuxonlinetheli/102-0836321-6040147

Click to expand...

I like OSX.. I plan on getting tiger. I just want to check it out, and see what it's all about.

If you really want to toy around with Linux, grab a PPC Live-CD version of Kubuntu or Ubuntu and just play around.

If you want to explore more, then get a cheapie PC from a flea market or something and try to install one of the harder distributions of Linux on it (Slackware, Debian, or Gentoo.)

If you want to explore more after that, try one of the BSD variants (FreeBSD, OpenBSD, and NetBSD.) The BSDs are older, much more mature and developed than Linux is - which is partially why Mac OS X is based off of FreeBSD and not Linux.

Well I've got the Yellow Dog downloading. I'll get to it in the morning.

Nothing wrong with broadening one's horizons. I love to try out as many different platforms as I can. Even among Unix systems, there are interesting differences. Linux is interesting because so many things can be different between distros, installations, or even sessions. And I'd love to have more time with IRIX or Solaris, for example.

It's commendable to want to know what's out there. How many of you would never have gotten a Mac if you hadn't "toyed" with it first?

Good luck to dstyrk

I don't really know a thing about computers. I've just recently got the itch to learn more and more about computers. I'm pretty sure I'm really going to mess something up in the morning while I partition my HD for the 1st time and try to put linux on one side and osx on the other.. But you know what, I've got nothing else to do tomorrow, so it should be quite a learning experience putting it all back together. lol.. But there is no better way to learn without money.

Hopefully tomorrow around lunch time I will make my first post here running Linux.

Give Gentoo a whirl...

Sure, will do.. Where do I get it? Is it free?

dstyrk said:

I'm pretty sure I'm really going to mess something up in the morning while I partition my HD for the 1st time and try to put linux on one side and osx on the other..

Click to expand...

Have you ever heard of/tried a Live CD?

http://us.releases.ubuntu.com/releases/5.04/

Download the PowerPC live CD, burn it to a CD-R or RW. Put it in your Mac and restart your computer while holding down the 'C' button, and Ubuntu Linux will run directly off the CD while not even touching your hard drive. When you're done, just restart or shutdown computer and take the disc out of the drive. It's how I learned how to use Linux when I just started out.

dstyrk said:

Sure, will do.. Where do I get it? Is it free?

Click to expand...

http://www.gentoo.org/

Yep

I even think that you can order free Linux CD's somewere, my friend offered me one once...

Fyi

Ok well I've got Yellow Dog downloaded and installed, but it doesn't seem to be working properly. I'll have to jump on one of their forums for some help I suppose. BUT I did get Ubuntu Live CD to work and I was pleased. Pretty nifty. Anyhow, I was hoping to be up and running on a Linux machine today, but I'm off to go fishing.. Maybe tonight I'll tinker with it some more..

Linux is a practice in patience. Less so now than 6 years ago, but it is still not an instant gratification kind of thing. The more you work with it the more you learn but you have to get over that initial hump first.

In other words, patience is a virtue. Take your time and don't get discouraged.

I did it! Up and running with no major issues YET. I went with Ubuntu, and so far I like it. I just need to find my way around a little better. Hope some IRC channels are helpful.