How do you setup GNU/Linux on an iMac G4 with Panther OS X 10.3.9 ?...

Question

How do you setup GNU/Linux on an iMac apple computer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IMac_G4
with Panther OS X 10.3.9
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OSX10.3 ?...

Answer 1

There is a Ubuntu 10.4 version for Mac with PPC architecture; not sure
how that would work in the computer you may consider running it in.
Some leads on that kind of discussion can be found by using a Google
search, and the words: *ubuntu for PPC G4 Mac* + read through results.
Or choose to search using these terms: *Open Source Linux PPC G4 Mac*
A few results point back to Apple Discussions, where there were inquiries.
Note the version of a Linux-type of OS, compatible with Mac PPC hardware,
on the following page-link: *• Ubuntu 10.0.4 LTS (Lucid Lynx)*
http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/ports/releases/10.04/release/
{You would have to put the image, as downloaded from such a site, on a CD
for use as an Installer; then follow any instructions as available to install it.}
An old page (from 2007?) with some details, some not up-to-date,
may be of help to a limited degree, from here: Ubuntu PPC wiki
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/PowerPCFAQ#Is%20Ubuntu%20supported%20on%20PowerPC?
Or: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/PowerPCFAQ
See their home page to look for other information on the site: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/
These wiki groups are like communities, with rules & other such considerations; you
may be able to also find +Open Source+ sites with information and builds of suitable
Linux versions capable of running well in an older PPC Mac. There are newer ones
that would have no problem on a newer Intel-based Mac, of course.
• Mac Linux Links: (perhaps too dated)
http://lowendmac.com/linux/index.shtml
• Comparison of Linux distributions:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparisonof_Linuxdistributions
Hardware support in the older PPC G4 Mac computer should be considered, in order
to have the better experience possible with the Linux-based OS; and some specs in
an old Mac may not be ideal. The graphics processor unit and amount of dedicated
RAM for the graphics alone, could make a difference; depending on what you had in
mind when running a Linux-based OS in a PPC Mac. So consider hardware specs.
Some hardware in the computer may or may not be supported by the Software; and
then, there may be some problems implementing a Linux OS version in your Mac.
If you had an old Mac Mini (PPC or early Intel) & considered running Linux, there's
a page of general ideas worth a peek: http://sowerbutts.com/linux-mac-mini/
You may not have enough room on the existing internal hard disk drive inside the
iMac G4, for a complete OS X 10.3.9 or Later OS X, and a partition for Linux in it.
And, you may find through reading further, if you need to (or don't) start fresh and
have a partition for each different OS, or not. For organizational purposes and ease
of removing one system or the other, a partitioned hard disk drive may be best.
There probably is a way to have Linux on an external bootable hard disk drive; &
that would have to be compatible with the Mac hardware requirements to be seen
and used by the computer, and also the ability to restart from Linux into Mac OS X
would have to exist in the system software. Hopefully without incident.
You will have some degree of a learning curve in this matter, from reading up on
the details of any viable Linux versions, through the ones likely to work in your
old PPC G4 Mac, and then if there are more than two or three good ones, of those
what one would be most likely to be worth the additional effort to attempt to use in it.
Depending on the version and specifications of your iMac G4 computer, there could
be different versions of linux systems capable of running it. However, some items
may not be supported which you would need to have working, such as wi-fi internet
and sleep mode, etc; among others. Searching the net does bring up more info.
{You may find, that going to OS X 10.4.11 would be more worth the effort, in that
most everything would 'just work' and you can still find many good software bits
and some fine freeware or low cost shareware to run on it. Linux versions vary
so much on what they can and cannot do, I would not recommend running it.}
Since I am not an expert in the matter, hopefully someone with a experimental time
and results in a similar vintage Mac as yours will reply and give you insightful info.
Good luck & happy computing!