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erniesthings · Jan 27, 2006, 06:20 PM

I want to start playing around with linux, but don't really want to install an OS in a dual boot situation. It's the family computer. Is somethings like QEMU the best option?

Using a PPC distro sounds like it will give me the fastest OS.

Will apps need to be recompiled for a PPC processor. Or do you have to do that any way, since not all distros are the same.

Thanks for the help.

WJMoore · Jan 27, 2006, 08:35 PM

Hi, I posted a very similar question a few days ago unfortunately there were no replies so it doesn't look good. Here's what I know. We're both after a virtualisation solution like VMware that doesn't completely emulate the system. Unfortunately it appears there is nothing for Mac OS X that does this. Your best bet for running Linux inside OS X is therefore qemu, (use the excellent Q Cocoa port) however it won't be fast. If you want it to be fast dual booting is the only way.

erniesthings · Jan 28, 2006, 08:36 AM

I guess with Fink and X11 there isn't much of an interest in running other *nix variants within X.

erniesthings · Jan 29, 2006, 10:18 AM

Kind of related, but are there any nice live CDs distros that are on the smallish (size) wise. I have an idea I want to try out. So I don't really need all the packages that are installed.

Somethings lik Damn Small Linux is really what I'm trying to find, but there doesn't seem to be a PPC version available.

[APi]TheMan · 06:43 PM

Mac OS X and X11 will do most things that you'd ever need a Linux box for. I guess if you're a developer or a hacker and you want to test, for example, some of the intricacies of the Linux kernel or its specific implementation of POSIX threads or data structures, then you'd maybe need access to a real Linux system.

Did you have anything in mind, or did you just want to play with Linux?

But wow, I hadn't seen Q before. It seems way better than QemuX, which I could never seem to get working right.

Detrius · Jan 30, 2006, 03:46 AM

If you are wanting to play around with things like KDE and Gnome, check this out:

http://www.macosxhints.com/article.p...84&query=Xnest

It's my tip for how to use these desktop managers in a window instead of full-screen.

WJMoore · Jan 30, 2006, 06:24 AM

In my case I'm attempting to build a kernel and root file system for an embedded Linux system. This depends on certain Linux headers as well as the ability to create, mount and modify an ext2 filesystem. So in other words I need a full Linux system.

erniesthings · Jan 30, 2006, 10:38 AM

My real reasons for running linux are game related. I've always wanted to play MUGEN.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M.U.G.E.N

I've always been a mac user, so we've been a little out of luck. On the xbox, the community has come up with a way to use a minimal linux set up and run the game.

http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=483379

I thought if I could find a smallish Linux that I could run via emulation or live cd with MUGEN installed, I could finally give it a try.

I've really been wanting to play this since if first came out. I tried DOSBox, but being someone who knows nothing about dos/windows I didn't know where to start.

(edit) after a quick search it looks like it doesn't work in DOSBox anyway

[APi]TheMan · Jan 30, 2006, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by erniesthings

I've really been wanting to play this since if first came out. I tried DOSBox, but being someone who knows nothing about dos/windows I didn't know where to start.

(edit) after a quick search it looks like it doesn't work in DOSBox anyway

What about dosemu?

I'm not sure if dosemu works on Mac OS X, I've only used it on x86 Linux.

[APi]TheMan · Jan 30, 2006, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by WJMoore

In my case I'm attempting to build a kernel and root file system for an embedded Linux system. This depends on certain Linux headers as well as the ability to create, mount and modify an ext2 filesystem. So in other words I need a full Linux system.

Wow, there you go, sounds like you do need a Linux platform to develop on. Q runs the Damn Small Linux ISO pretty decently, but I'd hate to do any coding/debugging in there... give it a try with something Knoppix...

erniesthings · Jan 30, 2006, 03:15 PM

Originally Posted by [APi]TheMan

Wow, there you go, sounds like you do need a Linux platform to develop on. Q runs the Damn Small Linux ISO pretty decently, but I'd hate to do any coding/debugging in there... give it a try with something Knoppix...

I downloaded Q over the weekend, but didn't install yet. I think I'll give DSL a try.

If I want to add an application to use with it, what is the best way?

WJMoore · Feb 5, 2006, 07:48 AM

DSL is Debian based. I'm pretty sure you can just apt-get install new software.

WJMoore · 09:30 AM

I have no idea why I did not find this before but Mac-on-Mac seems to be exactly what we're asking for. A virtualised environment that can run OS X within OS X or Linux within OS X. It's too late for me to check it out tonight, will do tomorrow.

Edit: It seems I spoke too soon. It doesn't support Tiger and has more or less been abandoned :-(

[APi]TheMan · 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by WJMoore

I have no idea why I did not find this before but Mac-on-Mac seems to be exactly what we're asking for. A virtualised environment that can run OS X within OS X or Linux within OS X. It's too late for me to check it out tonight, will do tomorrow.

Edit: It seems I spoke too soon. It doesn't support Tiger and has more or less been abandoned :-(

Wow, that's really cool. I'm also surprised I had never heard of that. Nice find, WJMoore. Too bad it hasn't had more activity lately.

Chris O'Brien · Feb 6, 2006, 06:07 PM

Originally Posted by WJMoore

Edit: It seems I spoke too soon. It doesn't support Tiger and has more or less been abandoned :-(

Well, I just got it to build fine, now I'm going to play around with it. Just note that it fails miserably with gcc 4, so use `sudo gcc_select 3.3' before compiling it.

Edit: Ah, just seen this forum post over there. Seems it might not've been so simple.

Baryon · Feb 12, 2006, 01:54 PM

PCs are dirt cheap. You could get a headless PC box and use VNC or KVM switching to access it from the Mac.

WJMoore · Feb 13, 2006, 03:16 AM

That's what I'm doing now, without the need for a KVM ;-). I can use the Mac keyboard and mouse to control the PC, whether it's booted into Windows or Linux with synergy.

Dr.Michael · Feb 13, 2006, 08:47 AM

Yellow Dog Linux 4 boots from an external disk.
Maybe this is a solution for you?
You are right, Linux is much faster than OS X. So for the raw horsepower it is an option. Otherwise, like has been pointed out, OS X is much better and has very similar capabilities like linux. In general linux software sucks compared to the polished apps that we get for Mac OS.

scottlinux · Feb 15, 2006, 03:21 PM

Virtual PC will let you do this, err- run a x86 distro, that is.

Dailyplanet · Feb 22, 2006, 10:26 AM

I would suggest trying out the Ubuntu 5.10 "breezy badger" LiveCD first. It lets you run Linux without having to install it on the HD. Just pop the cd in, reboot while pressing C to start up from the CD-ROM drive. Here's the link:http://www.ubuntu.com/download

erniesthings · Feb 22, 2006, 03:37 PM

Originally Posted by [APi]TheMan

Wow, there you go, sounds like you do need a Linux platform to develop on. Q runs the Damn Small Linux ISO pretty decently, but I'd hate to do any coding/debugging in there... give it a try with something Knoppix...

I downloaded the DSL iso and can't seem to figure out how to get it running in Q.

I thought I set up the "guest pc" correctly:
x86 pc platform
left the ram at 128
no floppy
chose the dls.iso
built in cd rom

and got an error about a not supported drive or something (can't remember excactly)

any ideas

Thanks

Ernie