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Path: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au!newshost.anu.edu.au!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!simtel!news.sprintlink.net!news.mcn.net!bzpm01-035.mcn.net!user From: Hedstrnl@ctrvax.vanderbilt edu (Nathan Hedstrom) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc,comp.sys.mac.system,comp.sys.mac.hardware,comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc Subject: Re: BSD UNIX on a PowerMac?? Date: Wed, 25 Oct 1995 15:36:20 -0600 Organization: Vanderbilt University Lines: 38 Message-ID: <Hedstrnl-2510951536200001@bzpm01-035.mcn.net> References: <45uc7c$llu@bubba.nmsu.edu> <460fb0$5t8@orion.cc.andrews.edu> <461glf$9s7@news.iii.net> <308CE3F3.3694@utxvms.cc.utexas.edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: bzpm01-035.mcn.net Xref: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au comp.sys.mac.misc:99004 comp.sys.mac.system:106863 comp.sys.mac.hardware:150023 comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc:8054 In article <308CE3F3.3694@utxvms.cc.utexas.edu>, Jennifer Fierro <pjfierro@utxvms.cc.utexas.edu> wrote: > Am I crazy or would it be possible to run Linux using SoftWindoze 2.0? > The program emulates a 486 which is required by Linux but I don't know > if there are any other hardware issues involved. I don't want to do > anything fancy. I'm just interested in learning Unix. Any input anyone? I > haven't bought SW yet but this might make it worthwhile. I'm afraid this isn't possible. Since Linux needs direct access to the hardware it won't run on top of windows and thus the SoftWindows emulation technology is useless to Linux. A more practical port might be to have Linux run on one of the 486 cards for the PowerMac. But since device drivers would still have to be written for the hard drive, video, mouse and other devices, (not to mention whether trying to get things to mesh with the MacOS) this probably won't happen before the PowerMac port. To find out about the state of the Linux PowerPC (and PowerMac) port check out... [html://liber.stanford.edu/linuxppc/PPCHomePage.html] for the development team's home page. As a sometimes RedSox fan, I've learned the value of not getting one's hopes too high. Personally, I don't expect the NuBus PowerMac port until after the spring of next year. [But I do expect it out before the Soxs win another pendant :) ] Your best option for learning Unix on the PowerMac would be to get a commercial Unix package (I believe Tennon offers educational discounts [://www.tennon.com/] Otherwise, since Linux will run on pretty minimal system, buy a used 386 system to use as your Linux box. You might be able to get one for $500-$600 or less. Besides, this way when you reformat your hard drive there will be no danger to your really important software [like Myst ;) ]. Nathan Hedstrom