Apple G5 PowerMac

[liquidfunk]

Considering it's specs are about the same as mine, how well would this perform?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/APPLE-G5-POWERMAC-DUAL-CORE-2-3GHZ-4GB-250GB_W0QQitemZ120309997537QQcmdZViewItem?hash=ite m120309997537&_trkparms=72%3A1300%7C39%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C 240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

[DRM_free]

It's a fairly recent and powerful system, but Apple makes a lot of proprietary customizations to its hardware, so Ubuntu may not have optimized drivers for it.

[tiresia]

Ubuntu runs very well on my PowerPC G5 (2x2.5).
To get a first impression, before installing Ubuntu, you can try the LiveCD.
http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/ports/releases/hardy/release/

The Mac G5 is a 64 bit powerpc - so when you install or run the LiveCD at yaboot prompt, hit TAB and choose the powerpc64 option. You have the same limitation as every PowerPC (no flash - but I don't find this a big limitation, there are other solutions). If you need to use MOL (Mac on Linux), there is no port for Powerpc64. Anyway you can always use a dualboot configuration with MacOSX.

Be aware that in some powermac g5, the installer fails to install a correct yaboot configuration.
Here you can get more informations. https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/yaboot/+bug/122607
This bug should be solved in the next release (Intrepid)

[pxwpxw]

Ubuntu runs very well on my PowerPC G5 (2x2.5).
To get a first impression, before installing Ubuntu, you can try the LiveCD.
http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/ports/releases/hardy/release/


Be aware that in some powermac g5, the installer fails to install a correct yaboot configuration.
Here you can get more informations. https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/yaboot/+bug/122607
This bug should be solved in the next release (Intrepid)

The current powerpc64 intrepid version has the revised yaboot package (ofpath) fix, and it installed nicely here on g5 to an external firewire and dual internal sata, for a cli install. Then sadly. for the GUI, the xorg install fails, "cant find core keyboard", and I had to go back to using xorg from hardy, with the intrepid kernel and base.

[tiresia]

Then sadly. for the GUI, the xorg install fails, "cant find core keyboard", and I had to go back to using xorg from hardy, with the intrepid kernel and base.

In the last days I tried to install Intrepid on my G5, but my Drive could not mount the CD. I did then a dist-upgrade from Hardy. There was no GUI, as you report. But yesterday I updated the system, and now everything is working well.

[pxwpxw]

Yes I now have intrepid X gui running ok on a reinstall of xorg, after having installed and removed hardy and gutsy xorg to compare. Don't want any special effects or video/audio for now. Installed using the net instaall mini.iso, very slow server at ports.ubuntu.com. (20kB/s average).

[tiresia]

Yes I now have intrepid X gui running ok on a reinstall of xorg, after having installed and removed hardy and gutsy xorg to compare. Don't want any special effects or video/audio for now. Installed using the net instaall mini.iso, very slow server at ports.ubuntu.com. (20kB/s average).
Which g5 do you have? Have you got problems with the installer CD?

[Frak]

Let's just say, if I lived in the UK, I'd buy it.

G3's run slow, G4's run rapid with 3rd party upgrades, G5's run rapid with no upgrades (don't think there are any).