Stop Microsoft
Operating Systems => Linux and UNIX => Topic started by: jetpaintedblack on 8 October 2002, 05:12
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With so many versions to choose from, which should I use?
What if I have an old Mac? (I've got a 68040/33 and a 604/120)
How about a 486 PC?
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I'm sorry but that's about like asking someone what kind of car you should buy. You're going to get many different answers. This question is one of the most asked though and everyone chimes in with their answers.
I would suggest searching around these forums and you will find similar threads. Look at the answers and see if they are helpful. My opinion is that any answer you get is not that helpful. It's something you have to figure out on your own.
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If you want a Mac OS:
604/120: 8.1 or 8.6 if you can find it cheap
'040/33: Mac OS 7 is availible for download from Apple's website. You have to look though, it's buried
If you want a *Nix:
604/120: Gentoo, Darwin, Debian, LinuxPPC (sorta dead), Mandrake, NetBSD, and Yellow Dog Linux all have PPC versions. Check out the system requirements and make sure you download the PPC version.
'040/33: No version of Linux supports non-PPC processors
486: Any version of Linux that says i386. IT HAS TO SAY i386+, not i586 etc...those versions are too high for a 486. Go to LinuxISO.org, and in the lower right hand corner there is a box, select i386 only.
Have phun with Linux!
Go here to download Linux:
www.linuxiso.org (http://www.linuxiso.org)
[ October 07, 2002: Message edited by: The_Muffin_Man/B0b ]
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how hard can it be to choose from 298 different distrobutions.
How fast is the 486? RAM?
Any major distrobution would be fine (Red Hat, Mandrake)
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Doesn't Void have an old version of Slackware? That would go perfect on an old 486.
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I used to have an old version of Slackware. But at the time it was a new version (about 8 years ago). Someone else was looking for and found an old version of Slackware here (was it Tux?). Search the Linux forum for "slackware" and the thread should be there with a link to the old Slackware distro downloads.
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604 at 120MHz? what model is that? 7300?
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quote:
Originally posted by The Master of Reality / Bob:
how hard can it be to choose from 298 different distrobutions.
How fast is the 486? RAM?
Any major distrobution would be fine (Red Hat, Mandrake)
hmmmm.... i started writing this post when there was no replies.
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quote:
Originally posted by void main:
I'm sorry but that's about like asking someone what kind of car you should buy.
A 1970 Hemi-Cuda with the 427 Hemi big block street engine.
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My suggestion is Coyote Linux http://www.coyotelinux.com (http://www.coyotelinux.com) which I use on my old ass laptop that doesnt even have a cdrom. Its text only, and it requires skill, but the good thing is that you dont need a hard drive.....lol. If you have a cdrom and dont want to try out a full install yet, check out Virtual Linux http://www.virtual-linux.org (http://www.virtual-linux.org) which is great because often I will be at school and I want to show off linux to other computer science students. This allows me to show it using any pc without installing it. The version I use is based on Mandrake 7.2 and runs good on an old 200 mhz clunker. Of course a full distro is the way to go and Mandrake, Redhat, Slackware, SuSe, Debian, and a whole hell of a lot of other places make great distros.
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Any thoughts on Libranet VS Mandrake? Im very curious about it(I have chosen Librant btw), and today im gonna re-install it(fix the fuckin bootloader BS) and have some more Linux fun. I only found out about it cuz someone here mentioned it as a Mandrake alternative.
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IMHO I don't it is right/helpful to suggest that a noob start off with distros like Gentoo, Debian, etc. You know the top noob distros, right?
If a noob starts off with a distro that he has to partition the hard drive, configure X, etc....chances are he/she is going to get discouraged and wind up like Harry, XP Luser, Unixsux.com, and the other haters.
...just trying to give the noobs a chance. (http://smile.gif)
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Enlighten me and tell me how to install Mandrake 9.0 or Red Hat 8.0 on a 486 (http://smile.gif)
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Text Install. :D
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quote:
Originally posted by TheQuirk:
Enlighten me and tell me how to install Mandrake 9.0 or Red Hat 8.0 on a 486 (http://smile.gif)
Actually Mandrake has a nice install feature called Minimum Install. It is simply put only the very base of linux and its programs and does not include unneeded features like X windows. It takes up a quite small 70 mb, so it can fit on some of the smallest hard drives. I installed Mandrake 8.2 on an old 486 this way.
Besides installing only the packages you need and want is fun. I guess though if you are a newbie you might need a full distro.
[ October 08, 2002: Message edited by: ThePreacher ]
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quote:
Enlighten me and tell me how to install Mandrake 9.0 or Red Hat 8.0 on a 486
I've never tried it, the closest is RH7.1 on a 133mhz machine. I understand your point, but trying to do that has a higher probability of success than figuring out how to set up your partitions, how to select the hex code for your swap partition, etc.
I for one, will be ecstatic when I can install slackware, but for now, I am just happy with the "noob" distros. I just put in a new 40gig drive, and did a clean install of SuSe 8.0 with NO DUAL BOOT! Thank God! With a total time of 30 minutes.
Most people only have one computer. If they start an install and can't figure it out in a few hours, they'll probably just reinstall window$ again, and maybe they'll be less inclined to try *nix again.
*nix is GREAT! Let's help keep everybody who tries it! I promise, that once they get hooked, you (QUIRK) can convert them to any flavor of *nix you like! :D
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If your going Mandrake, I suggest 9.0, the newest version. It makes leaps and bounds over 8.1, the version I used before it (I never used 8.2). The install is easy, just put in the CDs, and answer the questions it prompts you for. It will ask you wether you want to do an expert of standard install, choose expert, its not very complicated. Expert install just gives you more of a choice over which packages you want. The whole process could easily take less than an hour.
V
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quote:
Originally posted by TheQuirk:
Enlighten me and tell me how to install Mandrake 9.0 or Red Hat 8.0 on a 486 (http://smile.gif)
I'm pretty sure it can not be done with the distribution disks (at least not with RedHat 8.0, not sure about Mandrake 9.0). The reason being is all of the software is optimized for Pentium II or higher class machines (thank god, performance boost in bigger machines).
I'm not entirely sure that gcc v3.2 will run on a 486 anymore but you still should be able to generate 486 compatible binaries with it. If the compiler still can generate 486 code and if RedHat has optimized for PII+ then at minimum you would have to generate your own kernel targeted to the 486 and possibly have to recompile all of the RPMs targeted to a 486. You would have to rebuild the entire distro and make your own CD if my thinking is correct. It certainly would be a major chore. I believe I saw somewhere that RedHat 7.1 was the last version of RedHat that supported 486 but don't quote me on that either. One way to find out. Stick a RedHat 8.0 CD in and try it (assuming you meet the memory requirements).
I could be off base on all of this but I think I am close. I would suspect Mandrake 9.0 would be in a similar boat but you would have to do some searching.
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posted by The Jimmy James (and his Blue Flames):
quote:
604 at 120MHz? what model is that? 7300?
It's a Power Wave 120 by Power Computing, a 1995-era Mac clone. Good machine, except for the POS CD-rom by FWB. The driver is very unstable, and the tray has those 4 spring clips like old CD-roms used to have. So basically it has no CD-rom, but it's OK besides that.
[ October 08, 2002: Message edited by: Jet Painted Black ]
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O.k. O.k., I installed slackware on my spare box. And actually it went pretty easy. I guess if you can figure out how to set up two partitions, anybody can do it.
So fine! A noob can try any distro he damn chooses!
Now I gotta configure X on that fucking thing.....
I decided to use RedHat 8.0 on my main box afterall. Cuz you can choose those cute little purple penguins as wallpaper.And because all the damn books I have are for RH. And because it was taking too long to download the other CDs for SuSe. :D
EDIT: X is configured, and no fires!!!! So now I have to be ecstatic. (http://tongue.gif)
Though it needs tuning, the picture is too big for the screen, this is a "virtual screen" I suppose, but I want it all to fit on the monitor screen.
[ October 09, 2002: Message edited by: RudeCat7 ]
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you dont want to download the SuSE Cds anyways... they leave out too much of the software that they dont offer for 'free' and its a major pain. But SuSE is very nice and well worth the price... its the only thing i use anymore.
they have power PC versions also