PowerBook G3

[DGortze380]

Ok, so not new to apple, or Ubuntu, but I cut my teeth on an Intel MacBook. Came accross a deal I couldn't pass up on a PowerBook G3 Pismo (Firewire). Always wanted one, so I figured what the heck.

I'm thinking a command line install of 7.10 (maybe 8.04), then add xfce and fluxbox over it for a nice, lightweight internet browsing and C++ machine.

Any thoughts? Is this a common set-up, what issues can I expect to run into with Ubuntu on a PPC Mac? Reading through the wiki now, just hoping for a little direction on where to begin.

[deamon_knight]

I think I have a simliar system, a G3 Pismo. I think you should have at least 256MB RAM if you can swing it, and Xubuntu runs just fine. I'd recommend booting to an Xubuntu live CD even if you do a command line install, that can give you some indication if there will be problems. Also, although there is no Flash for PPC, Gnash works really well, just remmeber to get all the restric extras installed and you should be fine. the PPC build always feel a bit rougher, but they seem to work.

[DGortze380]

I think I have a simliar system, a G3 Pismo. I think you should have at least 256MB RAM if you can swing it, and Xubuntu runs just fine. I'd recommend booting to an Xubuntu live CD even if you do a command line install, that can give you some indication if there will be problems. Also, although there is no Flash for PPC, Gnash works really well, just remmeber to get all the restric extras installed and you should be fine. the PPC build always feel a bit rougher, but they seem to work.

It's just something to keep me busy really. If it's really unstable I'll just run a command line system since it's mostly going to be used for programming classes. Hate dragging the macbook to class in a backpack, gone through two top cases already.

Figured I'd give a light weight desktop and window manager a go since I have it. Rough is ok, long as it's stable. I'll probably just run Gnash since I won't be using it that much anyways. Just found all the restricted extras in the wiki.

I think the specs should be fine to run xubuntu. Anyone have any experience with fluxbox? or better yet, fluxbox on a ppc?

[mikjp]

I have on old iBook 600MHz & 384 MB. I could not get Ubuntu 7.10 boot on it so I ended up installing Debian on it. Debian + IceWM works great on this old laptop!

mikko

[stream303]

Be sure to search the PPC forum read-only archives from years (and the pretty recent) past. A quick search for pismo will turn up lots of good info.

http://ubuntuforums.org/forumdisplay.php?f=133

I mention it because sometimes it is easy to forget about the archives.

[DGortze380]

I mention it because sometimes it is easy to forget about the archives.

As did I, thanks for the tip.

Any good tutorials on customizing xcfe? I like the system stats on the desktop like in dsl, but their not default in ubuntu. Like I said, fine with gnome, not a clue where to start on xfce.

Thanks in advance

[mikjp]

http://xubuntublog.wordpress.com/2008/02/10/design-your-own-desktop-with-xfce-44/
http://xubuntublog.wordpress.com/2008/02/15/design-your-own-desktop-with-xfce-44-part-2/
http://wiki.xfce.org/faq

Does DSL use torsmo for showing the system stats? You could probably just copy its configuration file to Xubuntu.

Mikko