Low End Mac publishes an ongoing series of Compleat Guides to things like Mac OS 9 and different computer lines, but we can't do that with Linux and BSD - they are moving targets. Both families of operating systems are under constant development, thus this incomplete guide.
The specific focus of this family of articles is running these Unix-derived operating systems on "classic" Mac hardware - that is, Macs that can run the Classic Mac OS without the need to resort to an emulator. That means any 680x0 or PowerPC Mac that can run a version of BSD or Linux.
Linux Distros for Classic Macs
- Debian
- Debian on Motorola 680x0 (68020 - 68040, some Macs not supported)
- Debian for PowerPC (Old World and New World Macs, but no PowerPC 601 support)
- Fedora, PowerPC G3 or later (no Live CD)
- Linux/mac68k, most 68030 and 68040 Macs are supported with some limitations (serial and SCSI often "broken"), 68LC040 problematic, no updates to this distro since April 2006.
- MkLinux, PowerPC only distro (PowerPC 601-604 Macs, Kanga and WallStreet PowerBooks, G3 Power Macs, authorized Mac clones), no longer maintained
- openSUSE, PowerPC (Old World and New World Macs)
- Slackintosh, PowerPC (New World Macs), designed for experienced Linux users
- Ubuntu, PowerPC version is community supported (New World Macs)
- Kubuntu, PowerPC version is community supported (New World Macs)
- Xubuntu, PowerPC version is community supported (New World Macs)
- Yellow Dog, PowerPC only distro
- version 4 dropped Old World Mac support
- version 6 dropped G3 support
BSD Distros for Classic Macs
- FreeBSD/ppc (New World Macs with G3 or G4 CPU - AltiVec and G5 not supported, SMP not supported, ADB keyboards not supported)
- NetBSD
- OpenBSD
Checklist
- LiveCD available?
- bootable from FireWire or USB?
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