Why Run Linux on a Low-end Mac?

- 2006.07.19

Low End Mac Reader Specials

Memory To Go Special: MacPro 8 Core Memory 4GB kit $192 / 2GB kit $109. MacBook Pro / MacMini / iMac Intel Core2 DUO 2GB $44 1GB $23--Free shipping available.

Download Typestyler, still the Ultimate Styling Tool for Internet, Print and Video Graphics. Works great in Classic with a Native OS X Version on the way. Free Tryout: www.typestyler.com

LA Computer Company: LA Computer Company: Specials on AppleCare, Apple Displays, MacBooks, iMac's, MacBook Pros, Laptop and iPod accessories and more. Apple A/C Adapters for laptops starting at $25.00 Call 1-800-941-7654 or Click Here.

Other World Computing: Power up your PowerMac G4! Make you trusty PowerMac G4 like new again with up to 2.0GHz Processor Power. G4/1.2GHz for $199, Dual 1.8GHz $498, & More Plug & Play for like new A-OK for OS 9 & OS X, etc.

Mac users can finally play Party Poker for Mac. Not only that, they can also learn how to play PokerStars for Mac.

Laptop Hardware Provided by TechRestore - Overnight Mac & iPod Repairs.

Compare products like desktop computers, laptops, and LCD TVs side by side! All the information and reviews to make the best purchasing decision for a new cell phone GPS products or MP3 players. The Ciao network makes searching products easy for you.

NEW MacPro Memory 800Mhz With Apple Spec Heat Sink 2GB Kit $104 / 4GB Kit $184 / 8GB Kit $362 Click to Maximize your Macs...

Welcome to Linux on the Low End. Over the past year, Low End Mac has answered many of my questions about Macs. This is my attempt to give something back and to give some of you another option for your low-end Macs.

Who am I and why do I blaspheme a Mac by running Linux?

I've been using computers for about 20 years, starting with TRaSh-80s, CoCo2s, Tandy 1000s, IBM XT, etc. all the way up to my current fastest machine, a Celeron Mobile 2.2 GHz in a desktop overclocked to 2.95 GHz that I use for video encoding.

My main desktop/server is a Dell Precision Workstation 610 with Dual Pentium III Xeon 500 MHz w/ 2 MB L2 cache.

All my computers run SuSE Linux from v9.2 to v10.1. Linux is a great alternative to OS X, since it runs with less resources, which is what Low End Mac is all about.

What's with all these x86 machines? This is Low End Mac!

Because that's what I have been using forever. However, I have acquired numerous Macs over the years, and now that openSuSE is actively supporting the PowerPC platform again, I have been using it on my Macs. My son's PowerBook G3 WallStreet Series I (upgraded with a PowerLogix G3/466) is running openSuSE v10.0. My Power Mac G3 B&W (upgraded with a G4/400) is running openSuSE v10.1. My Beige G3/266 is running openSuSE v10.0 connected to a 20" Multiple Scan monitor and is used for Web browsing,

Why not run Classic or OS X?

My Old World Macs do have Classic, because I have to run BootX in order to start Linux. I use Classic for some things, and my son plays a lot of his games (like Pajama Sam) on his PowerBook under Mac OS 9.2.2.

As for OS X, I've found that not only does Linux still support a lot of the older ATI cards (like those built into the WallStreet and Beige G3s), it runs very well with just 256 MB RAM. Most users of OS X recommend at least 512 MB RAM and prefer 1+ GB. The WallStreet tops out at 512 MB and the Beige G3 tops out at 768 MB RAM.

Linux also allows me to run the current versions of numerous programs, like OpenOffice, Firefox, the KDE desktop (being a former OS/2 user, I prefer it over Gnome), and K3b for DVD/CD burning. Linux also supports most PC-based PCI cards without having to have an Apple ROM on them (other than video cards - the primary video card has to have a Mac ROM).

Finally, it's nice to be able to run the same, familiar OS on all my machines. I don't run WinDoZe at all and do not intend to use it in the future.

Isn't Linux harder to use? Don't you have to be a techie?

Nope. It can be a little more difficult to get up and running, but modern Linux distros are very polished, support most hardware out of the box, and are very easy to use.

Installing Linux presents some challenges, and that's one of the areas I intend to focus on. I plan to share my experiences installing Linux on the following machines I have available:

Power Mac 7500 with Sonnet G3/400
Power Mac 9600/300
PowerBook G3 WallStreet Series I with PowerLogix G3/466
Power Mac G3 Beige
Power Mac G3 B&W w/ G4/400
Power Mac 6500/225 (I haven't succeeded yet, but I am hopeful).

I recommend the following Power Macs as excellent candidates for running Linux:

Power Mac 73/75/76/85/86/95/9600 - Up to 1 GHz G3 or 8000 MHz G4, 1.0-1.5 GB max RAM
Power Mac G3 Beige
PowerBook G3 WallStreet
Any "New World" Power Mac or PowerBook

These machines may do okay but have limited RAM, so they may run better as a mail server:

Power Mac 5400/5500/6360/6300-160/6400/6500 - Only 128 MB RAM, recommend newer video card for GUI
PowerBook G3 "Kanga" - Only 160 MB RAM, 1 MB VRAM, 800 x 600 Max display, not processor upgradable.

I don't recommend the following Power Macs due to no Open Firmware/no PCI bus:

Power Mac 61/71/81/9150
Power Mac 52/53/62/6300 - Road Apples

Of course, there are various Mac clones as well, and they each have similar advantages and disadvantages.

While I primarily use openSuSE, I will be exploring Yellow Dog as well as NetBSD. Hopefully, I can answer a lot of questions about getting Linux up and running for those who are interested.

And thanks to Dan Knight for giving me this opportunity to contribute.

Link: openSuSE
Link: Yellow Dog Linux
Link: NetBSD

Recent Linux on the Low End articles

Pros and cons of using Linux on a WallStreet PowerBook, 05.06. The old PowerBook G3 Series notebooks aren't without a few quirks when running openSUSE Linux, but for the most part they are good performers.
Picking the right cheap computer, new or used, 02.13. Unless you're working with video or hooked on 3D gaming, you don't need a lot of computing power. You might be surprised at how little will satisfy you.
The past and possible future of Apple's Intel transition, 01.04. Going Intel has been Apple's third successful CPU transition since the Apple II era - and the future is wide open.
More in the Linux on the Low End index.

Recent Content on Low End Mac

Leopard is the way to go, even on most old G4 Macs, Carl Nygren, My Turn, 05.14. The useful and just cool features in Mac OS X 10.5 make this the biggest step forward in the history of the Mac OS.
Mac OS 9 still nice, anticipating Odysseus, PowerBook 1400 upgrades, and more, Charles W. Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 05.14. Also rebuilding PowerBook batteries, FastMac vs. NuPower replacement batteries, and only one G4 upgrade left for WallStreet PowerBooks.
Windows on Macs: Three paths for integration, Jason Packer, Macs in the Enterprise, 05.14. Mac users have three routes for running Windows apps: Run Windows using Boot Camp or virtualization, or use a compatibility layer such as WINE.
Up-to-date or low-end, we need technology in our schools, John Hatchett, Recycled Computing, 05.14. Modern computers are great educational tools, but sometimes less distracting options (like no Internet) make more sense.
Best iMac G4 deals, Low End Mac Deals, 05.14. Used 15" 800 MHz Combo, $320; SuperDrive, $380; 1 GHz Combo, $400; SD, $485; 17" 1.25 GHz, $459; 20", $750.
Best Mac OS X 10.0-10.3 deals, Low End Mac Deals, 05.14. Mac OS X 10.0.3, $40; 10.1, $49; 10.2, $60; 10.3 DVD, $50; CD, $100; 10.1 Server, unlimited users, $109; 10.3 Server, $130.
Best MacBook Air deals, Low End Mac Deals, 05.14. 1.6 GHz, 80 GB, $1,694 after rebate; 1.8 GHz, $1,994 a/r; 1.6 GHz, 64 GB SSD, $2,689 a/r; 1.8 GHz, $2,950 a/r; SuperDrive, $99.
Mac of the Day: Quadra 700, Oct. 1991 - The successor to the Mac IIci ran a 'wicked fast' 25 MHz 68040 processor.
List of the Day: NewtonList supports Newton users.
May 15 in LEM history: 00: Advantages of a small Mac market - 01: Just different - Restoring after reformatting your hard drive - Mac as religion in the UK - The CRT isn't dead yet - 02: Xserve G4 - Why laptops need docks - 03: Don't break up Apple, build it up - Upgrades for slot-loading iMacs - 06: Old Macs still fun to use, productive tools - Is Mac OS 9 still a player? - David G. Wood's Mac legacy - 07: 13" 2.16 GHz MacBook - 8 free apps every Mac user should know
10 cult Macs adored by collectors, Tamara Keel, Digital Fossils, 05.13. Macs are not only noted for their longevity, but also by the passion which collectors have for some of the most interesting models ever made.
Low End Mac's Compleat Guide to the Lombard PowerBook G3, Charles W. Moore, 'Book Value, 05.13. With the Lombard PowerBook, Apple abandoned the legacy ADB and serial ports for USB, trimmed 20% from WallStreet's weight, and hit 400 MHz.
Best PowerBook G3 deals, Low End Mac Deals, 05.13. Used 14" WallStreet G3/266 MHz, $90; Lombard G3/400 MHz, $200; Pismo G3/400 MHz, $300; 500 MHz, $350.
Best Apple TV deals, Low End Mac Deals, 05.13. Refurb 40 GB Apple TV, $199; new, $210; refurb 160 GB, $279; new, $319.
Best Xserve deals, Low End Mac Deals, 05.13. Used 1 GHz dual G4, $1,399; close-out 2.0 dual-core Xeon, $1,999; refurb 2.66, $2,799; 3.0, $3,499; new 2.8 GHz quad, $2,888; 8-core, $3,299; 3.0, $4,059.
More links in our archive.

About LEM | Support | Usage | Privacy | Contacts

Entire Low End Mac website copyright ©1997-2008 by Cobweb Publishing, Inc., unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved. Advice presented in good faith, but what works for one may not work for all. Please report errors to .
LINKS: We allow and encourage links to any public page as long as the linked page does not appear within a frame that prevents bookmarking it.
Access our RSS news feed at http://lowendmac.com/feed.xml.
Email may be published at our discretion; email addresses will not be published without permission, and we will encrypt them in hopes of avoiding spammers. If you prefer your message not be published, mark it "not for publication." Letters may be edited for length, context, and to match house style.
PRIVACY: We don't collect personal information unless you explicitly provide it. For more details, see our Terms of Use.
Low End Mac is an independent publication and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Apple Inc. Apple, the Apple logo, Macintosh, iBook, iMac, eMac, iPod, PowerBook, MacBook, Mac Pro, Apple TV, and AirPort are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. Additional company and product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks and are hereby acknowledged.