[wplug] Linux on Mac questions

[Brian Sammon]

> Just a couple of quick questions about running Linux on the Mac.
> 
> 1 - Is anyone doing this?
> 
> 2 - If so, how does it compare to the PC in terms of hardware support, update
> and such?
> 
> 3 - Some distro's offer install iso's.  Do these allow for leaving OS-X in 
> place and adding Linux or do they attempt to overwrite Mac OS.

As with Intel computers, this depends on whether you can find/make free space 
for Linux.  Usually, this hinges on shrinking the OS-X partition.  There's 
beta support for shrinking HFS+ partitions available for GNU parted.  I'm not 
sure which of the PowerPC-Linux distros have HFS-shrinking support built in, 
and I suspect the odds are slim/none of finding a point-and-click GUI for 
HFS-shrinking in the installer.
Also, it's important to note that you can only shrink your OSX partition if 
it's the (default) case-insensitive HFS+.  If you install OSX on a 
(case-sensitive) UFS partition, there's no applications to  shrink it, so be 
sure to leave space for Linux.

> 4 - Are hard disks partitioned on the Mac similar to the PC?

No, not really.  It's a little simpler, as you don't have the 
Primary/Extended/Logical silliness.  It's a little more complicated by the 
fact that OSX wants to have 8 or so little system partitions before the main 
data partition(s).  Also, booting works a lot like it does in the DOS/Windoze 
world -- the firmware boots the first partition it can read that is "blessed", 
so you'll have to think about what partition you're booting from when you 
partition the disk (usually a "bootstrap" partition)

I have a Powerbook with Linux on it that I bring to every WPLUG meeting, if you want to take a look.
Also, keep in mind that the next installfest is March 13 (and the next after that is in May)