Linux-Ubuntu on Apple Mac
You may be wondering why there was no addition to my blogpost.
I did not have access to internet for two solid weeks all due to thunder storms and the local telecom server unable to provide service.
I wanted to write about Linux on an Apple Mac and my first encounter with Apple Mac computer had to be delayed by about three weeks.
Three weeks ago, I was hunting for a RAM for IBM Server which I had misplaced after dismantling its components.
With the strike on, I did not want it (the server) to be obstructing my massive clean up efforts.
Before tidying up, I just wanted to see whether I could find few 266 DDR RAMs.
I was looking for them over the past 9 months.
It needed an EEC (Error corrected) dedicated RAM.
I walked into a computer shop and the guys knew me instantly and after a little search gave me a negative reply.
As I was walking out I saw an Apple Mac (Globe) with a beautiful monitor.
I asked, is it working and the guy said not Apple but Ubuntu.
That was a pleasant surprise and I got the young chap to run it and he even did not know how to open the CD tray.
I jacked in a USB Linux and it did not boot but after a long pause it booted up Xubuntu and it had Abiword, my favorite word processor.
I told him nobody except me would by it and nobody knows Linux in Kandy as much as I do and it is not Ubuntu but Xubuntu to be precise.
I checked the hard disk capacity which was 36 odd and the RAM was pretty low in today's standard and it was a good toy for me to play with Linux testing.
I told him I will be back in two hours and if they quote a good price the deal was on.
I was collecting money for breast cancer project in those two hours.
Try all your tricks and tell me how it boots and BIOS etc were my instructions.
When I came back, they had given up on it and only the live CD was booting after a very long delay.
I managed to take the live CD out and could boot live only once at home and the thunder storms started and the install script did not work.
The same night the local server of the telecom was out and I could not have any access to download a Linux CD to install.
Ubuntu 5 and 9 power pack editions, I had were of no use and did not boot.
I downloaded Xubuntu 10 and it also did not boot.
All this was due to low RAM.
Toady morning I managed to download both Xubuntu and Ubuntu 6.0.6.1 and fortunately I managed to install Ubuntu on the first go.
Several goes with Xubuntu (to save the RAM) did not work with some file errors in the CD.
I could not find a Debian or any other less than 700 MiB (CD version) to instal on the old Apple Mac.
It is again Ubuntu to rescue.
What ever false propaganda people are spreading against Ubuntu, it was Ubuntu which had the nerve to spread its influence even on Apple hardware.
In less than 10 minutes it copied the files and in another 7 minutes it installed and configured the hardware in a Mac which had 80 odd RAM.
It is amazing what Linux can do even with low RAM.
It has open office 2 and firefox which was old but got me to my email and blogspot in an instant but without cookies.
I hate cookies which is pain in the neck and delay mounting files.
BIB THANK YOU to guys at Canonical and the guys who keep old repositories full of old Linux distributions.
If not for you lot of working hardware would be in the junkyard.
Now I can say I am an Apple hardware (if not software) convert.
