i need help geeting started with linux on an new intel imac
 

first of all i am a newbie to linux, althought i am comfortable using some of mac os x's UNIX features. I have heard good things about linux and thought that it couldn't hurt to try it out(since most distributions are free). I need to find a linux distro. that will be compatable with an imac that has the following specs:



1GB 667 DDR2 SDRAM - 1x1GB
250GB Serial ATA drive
ATI Radeon X1600/256MB VRAM
SuperDrive 8x (DVD+R DL/DVD+RW/CD-RW)
Keyboard & Mighty Mouse + Mac OS X - U.S. English
Accessory kit
20-inch widescreen LCD
2GHz Intel Core Duo
AirPort Extreme
Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR

and preferably free. does this even exist (yet)? any help would be great, thanks

I always suggest Slackware if the person is willing to do a little reading. If the person just wants things as GUI as possible, I would suggest Suse. The Slackware forum here is very helpful and you can find a lot of answers here. I used all the major distros and some minor ones, but I learned the most about Linux using Slackware.

As far as your hardware goes, you might want to check out the hardware compatibility list. A distro is just some tools (gui and command line) that a person or group of people add to Liunx. The Linux kernel may have some options added or remove when compiled, but you can always add them late. You can also find modules for hardware not included in the kernel.

All Linux distros are free (Fedora is a free Red Hat, OpenSuse is a free Suse). I would suggest if you find a distro that you like to donate or purchase a copy.

BTW, how does OSX run on the Intel arch? I played around with it on the PPC arch and that it was nice.

ht tp: //ww w.sla ckware.c om/install/sysreq.p hp

(without spaces(sorry but this site won't let me post links))

says that I need a "486 processor". A few other distributions require an "x86" processor. Is there any distributions that will work on an Intel Core Duo CPU?

I've mac os x tiger works really great(panther is good, well better than windows anyway), I haven't had much of a chance to try it out since my ibook broke. I'm still waiting for this thing to ship

I suggest that you dual boot, so that you can still use MacOS if you want. I don't know about the Macintels, but for my Powerbook it is very easy. Search Google for more info.

Any x86 distro will work, it is basically the standard for Intel CPUs.

I would recommend Ubuntu, it is a good distro for Newbies. I think Slackware is only really good for people who know their way around Linux. I know too many people who have been scared off by Slackware. Ubuntu has pretty good hardware detection, but you may have problems with your Airport Extreme. I have a Powerbook (PPC), and the airport is not detected. You may be more lucky though.

--Ian

This is the min requirements i.e oldest processor that slackware will run on. Intel designs there CPUs to have a downward compatable instruction set. A kernel compiled for the 486 will run on all Pentium and newer CPUs.

AFAIK running linux on an Intel MAC is not plug & play. The standard lilo or grub will not work because the hard drives do not use the standard partition scheme anymore.

On getting linux to run on an Intel Mac check out this link.
http://www.pcw.co.uk/vnunet/news/215...nux-onto-intel

oh, thanks for the CPU thing clarification. this is sounding a little over my head so I think I'll wait a little till it is "plug and play". Intel macs are fairly new so linux may not have had enough time to adapt yet.

As I said, Slackware is not for newbies - it probably is over your head.

Try an easier distro, such as Ubuntu. You will probably not have too many problems, and you will quite probably enjoy it :) Dont just give up though.

--Ian

if you want you can initially try live cd (see distrowatch)
that do not install anything onto the HD
when it comes to newbies, mandriva, suse, ubuntu, fedora etc are good
Do not wait too much before doing a dual boot because
IMHO live cds are slowing down the learning curve

That is because they do not want to read a little or do not want to search Google.

Here is a step by step install with pictures:
http://www.bitbenderforums.com/vb22/...?postid=311808

After the install log in as root and type xorgconfig and answer the questions. Then adduser to creat a normal user. Then log in as the normal user and type startx. You are up in running in gui mode. From install to gui can be done in about 20-25 minutes.

Here is site with a lot of how to:
http://shilo.is-a-geek.com/slack/

To a point, yes.

Shilo's site is very good for howtos written to be understood. But you must admit that the learning curve for Slackware can be quite steep...

--Ian