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There are other operating systems supported for the Mac Mini G4. For example, NetBSD and Linux.

by wslh 2y ago

p_ing 2y ago
NetBSD yes, but 32-bit Linux distros are getting rare. Adélie Linux is one of the few that has current releases of software. https://www.adelielinux.org/download/ https://www.adelielinux.org/download/
- bodyfour 2y ago
  A few months ago I happened to install Debian/unstable on a G4 mini. ppc32 is no longer a supported architecture -- purely "what you get is what you get". Still, the process was mostly painless. Everything I needed worked out of the box.
  - deaddodo 2y ago
    This is the exact same transition process 68k went through for most platforms it was on. Just left it in the build process and as packages were unable to be built for the arch they just delisted them from the builder until core packages no longer functioned; at which point total support was removed: https://people.debian.org/~cts/debian-m68k/etch/ https://people.debian.org/~cts/debian-m68k/etch/
- filchermcurr 2y ago
  Gentoo is there for you!
- inversetelecine 2y ago
  I have an iMac G4 800Mhz and I could never get linux to install as the boot screen (that loads the installer) would always be solid white with light pink text. I imagine it had to do with the nvidia GPU but never bothered to debug. MacOS X and 9.2 worked fine.
duskwuff 2y ago
Why, though? If you just wanted a small form factor computer to run Linux on, there's no lack of modern hardware that'll do a much better job of that. Running old versions of Mac OS is what makes this hardware interesting.
- johnklos 2y ago
  Not everyone wants to participate in the x86 monoculture and its myriad bugs. A PowerPC machine has many benefits, particularly if someone wants to test that x86 assumptions aren't in their code or infrastructure tools. Like running NetBSD on the Nintendo Wii, it also has a bit more personality ;)
jdboyd 2y ago
There is also MorphOS.

There are other operating systems supported for the Mac Mini G4. For example, NetBSD and Linux.

by wslh 2y ago

There are other operating systems supported for the Mac Mini G4. For example, NetBSD and Linux.

NetBSD yes, but 32-bit Linux distros are getting rare. Adélie Linux is one of the few that has current releases of software. https://www.adelielinux.org/download/ https://www.adelielinux.org/download/

bodyfour 2y ago
A few months ago I happened to install Debian/unstable on a G4 mini. ppc32 is no longer a supported architecture -- purely "what you get is what you get". Still, the process was mostly painless. Everything I needed worked out of the box.
- deaddodo 2y ago
  This is the exact same transition process 68k went through for most platforms it was on. Just left it in the build process and as packages were unable to be built for the arch they just delisted them from the builder until core packages no longer functioned; at which point total support was removed: https://people.debian.org/~cts/debian-m68k/etch/ https://people.debian.org/~cts/debian-m68k/etch/
filchermcurr 2y ago
Gentoo is there for you!
inversetelecine 2y ago
I have an iMac G4 800Mhz and I could never get linux to install as the boot screen (that loads the installer) would always be solid white with light pink text. I imagine it had to do with the nvidia GPU but never bothered to debug. MacOS X and 9.2 worked fine.

duskwuff 2y ago

Why, though? If you just wanted a small form factor computer to run Linux on, there's no lack of modern hardware that'll do a much better job of that. Running old versions of Mac OS is what makes this hardware interesting.

johnklos 2y ago
Not everyone wants to participate in the x86 monoculture and its myriad bugs. A PowerPC machine has many benefits, particularly if someone wants to test that x86 assumptions aren't in their code or infrastructure tools. Like running NetBSD on the Nintendo Wii, it also has a bit more personality ;)

jdboyd 2y ago

There is also MorphOS.