PPC version of Knoppix

**AmigaGuy** · 06-27-2003, 05:49 PM

I found Knoppix at my local Linux user's group meeting in Davis, CA, USA. Runs perfectly on my PC.

A quick search of the forums here has indicated some interest in a PPC version of Knoppix. New Amiga computers have just been released (December, 2002) that are now PPC-based (G3 and G4) and use standard AGP and PCI hardware on the mainboard. Eyetech in the UK are responsible for the boards and Hyperion Entertainment is writing the new OS 4 for the machines. A competing board is also being made by Thendic Electronics, also PPC-based (G3 and G4), running Morph OS.

My point is this: there are at least two other platforms in addition to Mac that run PPC processors. And they're new.

These customers might be very interested in PPC Knoppix and have a world-wide base that is very loyal.

Hopefully a new PPC Knoppix will be forthcoming that will enable these machines to run on it. BTW, the Eyetech board is currently running most forms of PPC Linux already, including Debian, SuSE and Yellow Dog using a standard Linux kernel. Install problems would be obviated by the Knoppix install model. Memory capacities are 1-2 gigabytes, so that isn't a limit either. Hardware detection should be similar to the current Knoppix.

Just some ideas I hope will be interesting in the forum.

**aay** · 06-27-2003, 06:05 PM

You might want to try this:

http://www.gentoo.org/news/20030603-ppclivecd.xml

**rickenbacherus** · 06-28-2003, 01:26 AM

I'd love to see a ppc Knoppix too. One that runs on old-world Macs not just the expensive new ones like the Gentoo disc.

They say that people who use Macs are more educated and make more money. I'd say that's because more educated people make more money and you have to make ALOT of money to buy a Mac. My boss just spent $2000 for a 14" mac notebook. It's a teeny tiny little thing- hardly justifiable. You could have the baddest x86 Barton in the world for 2G's!

Macos is just as awful if not worse than M$ IMO. This old ppc I have is almost worthless running macos 8.1. It's slow, has to be rebooted every time you change anything and it is completely unconfigurable. They only give you cute little icons to click on and hope they actually do something.

Isn't it interesting that Mac also switched to NIX? That fact alone speaks volumes.

It was only recently that I heard that Amigas were still being made. I thought they were dead long ago. Is the Amiga a mac clone or is Mac actually making them? I have also heard that you can buy a Mac w/ Linux preinstalled.

**fleny68** · 06-28-2003, 02:41 PM

You can try the port of knoppix-MiB for PPC here (alpha release):

ftp://ftp.crihan.fr/mirrors/knoppix-mib.org/

Read carefully the README-PPC.txt

The knoppix-Mib is presented here:
https://www.bouissou.net/knoppix-mib...oppix-Mib.html

there is screenshots here:
http://fynl.free.fr/K-MiB-PPC/

it runs on some powermac, ibook, imac CRT. No tests on powerbooks yet. No success on Imac TFT or eMac yet

for NewWorld machine.

kernel-2.4.21-ben1
QTParted/parted with hfs/hfs+ resize
swapfile on hfs/hfs+ partition
OpenOffice.org 1.0.3
XF 4.3
encrypted swap (AES 12

encrypted persistent home (AES 12

autodetection of the usb persistent home

this a test release.

**fleny68** · 06-28-2003, 02:55 PM

It could maybe run on some oldworld if you use bootx. No tests yet.

**Rono64** · 07-05-2003, 09:08 PM

This is a great version of Knoppix, it's only in alpha stage but ran fine on an iMac 233 bondi and even better on a G4 cube, it recognized all the firewire and usb hardware no problem, the only difference from the PC version I found was it was slower in booting applications, this may be solved with a HD install. when I have made the 100% switch with my macs I will do a HD install and let everyone know how it goes.

**AmigaGuy** · 07-08-2003, 08:25 PM

The Amiga bears absolutely no "clone" or other relationship to the Mac. They are so completely different that any comparison between them fails.

The impression that the Amiga has "died" was fostered by the bankruptcy of the parent company in 1994 or 1995. Since then, several companies have owned the Amiga IP. Now, Amiga is a consortium of three companies: Amiga Inc., Hyperion Entertainment, and Eyetech.

Amiga runs a completely proprietary OS that has been in use since 1986. Nine OS versions have appeared in that time, with the tenth (OS 4) due out soon. More information appears on these sites, if you're interested:

www.amiga.com
http://amiga.org
www.amigaworld.net
http://ftp.uni-paderborn.de/aminet. This is a software archive site.

The new boards are running PPC processors with architectures that bear no relationship at all to Macs except for the presence of the PPC processor. More info on the boards (generically) can be gained from www.mai.com. We, obviously, think that they run better than anything else.

Thanks to the others in this topic who have posted their information as well. I will attempt to run these PPC linux versions, even though they are still alpha software, and report the results I have to the forum.

Thanks for writing back and for your interest, one and all.

**fleny68** · 07-09-2003, 03:45 PM

The question is: will your amiga run a debian ppc linux, with the linux ppc kernel?

if the answer is yes, you can try. But:
The CD is bootable only in NewWorld Mac. I have absolutely no idea about how to make a amiga bootable CD.

If you find an amiga bootloader for linux, the kernel is /boot/linux.bin and the initrd image is /boot/root.bin.gz; root=/dev/rd/0; this can help you maybe.

Good Luck

**reub2000** · 07-09-2003, 05:27 PM

I'd also love a GameCube version of Knoppix, which also uses PPC. GameCube has no hard drive, so a live god version of linux would be needed.

**gill1109** · 07-20-2003, 11:10 AM

Originally Posted by rickenbacherus

I'd love to see a ppc Knoppix too. One that runs on old-world Macs not just the expensive new ones like the Gentoo disc.

They say that people who use Macs are more educated and make more money. I'd say that's because more educated people make more money and you have to make ALOT of money to buy a Mac. My boss just spent $2000 for a 14" mac notebook. It's a teeny tiny little thing- hardly justifiable. You could have the baddest x86 Barton in the world for 2G's!

Macos is just as awful if not worse than M$ IMO. This old ppc I have is almost worthless running macos 8.1. It's slow, has to be rebooted every time you change anything and it is completely unconfigurable. They only give you cute little icons to click on and hope they actually do something.

Isn't it interesting that Mac also switched to NIX? That fact alone speaks volumes.

I have to object to many of the comments here! The MacOS has always been perfectly tuned to the state of the art, which means that the newest OS is always too big and too slow on 10 year old Macs, and insanely fantastic on the newest ones. As opposed to M$ where things work the other way round: the OS is designed around yesterday's hardware, not tomorrow's.

I am educated and make some money, so I work with macs and play with linux. I would really have fun with a live knoppix cd on my iBook, and show it to all my mac friends, use it to give talks at conferences...