HMUG: Linux

MkLinux

The grand-daddy of Linux on Mac hardware. At this time the stable version of MkLinux is R1. The final release of R2 has been imminent for several years. Mklinux supports NuBus based PowerPCs and PCI based PowerMacs. There is no iMac, iBook, G4, PowerBook G3 (1999 & 2000) and PowerBook G4 support (no USB and FireWire drivers). David Gatwood has put out as series of Generic Kernels that have patched the production DR 3 kernel, and have extended support to additional machines. Binary compatible with Yellow Dog Linux. mklinux is no longer active.

Home Page(s):

http://www.mklinux.org/

Linux/PPC NuBus

Linux/PPC has been ported to NuBus Power Macs since June 2000. The current range of hardware support is somewhat limited, but supports for various hardwares are being worked at as time permits.

Home Page(s):	http://nubus-pmac.sourceforge.net/
FTP Site(s):	ftp://nubus-pmac.sourceforge.net/pub/nubus-pmac/
Mailing List(s):	None

Linux-PMac

Linux-PMac is a monolithic linux kernel (>2.1) for the PCI based Power Macintosh Computers. Binary compatible with mklinux.

Home Page(s):	http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~tesch/linux_info/
FTP Site(s):	ftp://ftp.dodds.net/pub/linux/pmac/
Mailing List(s):	None

SUSE (Novell) PowerPC

Based on the current version of SuSE Linux, the version for PowerPC is built from the same sources as all other versions of SuSE Linux, includes all of the Open Source software found in the Intel version, and is identical to use and administer to other SuSE Linux versions. Note: this release is currently in BETA. Current indications are that SuSE is not binary compatible with MkLinux.

Home Page(s):	http://www.opensuse.org/
FTP Site(s):	http://www.suse.com/download-linux/
Mailing List(s):	http://en.opensuse.org/openSUSE:Mailing_lists

Yellow Dog Linux and Black Lab Linux

Yellow Dog Linux and its Beowulf (clustered parallel computing) cousin Black Lab Linux (only available on preconfigured systems) implementations of monolithic LinuxPPC. Yellowdog is available on CD or can be downloaded. The value added is that preconfigured Apple and Apple-Marathon Rackmount systems are available. Binary compatible with mklinux.

Home Page(s):	http://www.fixstars.com/en/technologies/linux/
FTP Site(s):	http://www.fixstars.com/en/technologies/linux/downloads/
Mailing List(s):	http://www.fixstars.com/en/technologies/linux/forum-and-lists/

Debian

The Debian 2.2 (potato) release will be the first to support PPC based machines. Yes there also is a port of Linux to 68k Macintoshes. A minimum machine has to have a 68020 with the PMMU 68851, a 68030 or a 68040, and can be run on a machine with as little as 5MB RAM and 35MB hard drive. Debian 2.1 (slink, stable) is a full implementation of the 2.0.36 kernel (2.2.1 optional), and libc6.

Home Page(s):	http://www.debian.org/
FTP Site(s):	http://www.debian.org/distrib/ftplist
Mailing List(s):	http://www.debian.org/MailingLists/subscribe

Linux/m68k

Yes there is also a port of Linux to 68k Macintoshes: Linux/m68k. The primary goal of this project is to get Linux running on Macintosh m68k models and to support as much hardware as possible.

Home Page(s):	http://www.mac.linux-m68k.org/
FTP Site(s):	ftp://ftp.mac.linux-m68k.org/pub/
Mailing List(s):	mailto:linux-mac68k@mac.linux-m68k.org

Other MkLinux/LinuxPPC Links

Mac on Linux

NeXTStep and OpenStep like Window Managers

AfterStep
Gnome
GNUStep
WindowMaker