[Novalug] FW: Ubuntu on PPC

[Mark A. Metz]

Just realized I didn't respond to the whole list on this.

Thanks guys.

Regarding platform comments, I haven't met the perfect OS, yet.  While I've
encountered numerous Linux hurdles, there's no way Snow Leopard or Windows 7
will run on this machine while the newest distro of Ubuntu does with the
help of the PPC community.  I think that's kind of neat.  And some of what I
want Nate to learn from this "experiment" is the technology challenge; that
there are options, that ease of use and customizability and education and
power can be measure against cost (in cash) and service.  Also, as Greg
mentioned, there are many considerations that go into what makes a device
like a computer work (i.e., drivers).  You can't always blame everything on
Microsoft or Apple.


@American Dave

>$ glxinfo |grep -i rend

Gives:
glxinfo: command not found


>From the Ubuntu Software Center

Compiz (1:0.8.6-0ubuntu9.1(compiz-core)) and Advanced Desktop Effects
Settings (ccsm) (0.8.2-0ubuntu1 (copizconfig-settings-manager)) were
installed out of the box.
We added Simple CompizConfig Settings Manager (0.8.2-0ubuntu1 (simple-ccsm))

We can launch the apps for configuring Compiz, but none of the effects work
when they're checked.

We have spent a considerable amount of time tooling around the nets for
solutions.  Another issue seems to be that the newer Linux kernels are
taking over graphics emulations (KMS?) and not initiating drivers.  The
solutions that we've found so far are pretty old and since we're not command
line people, we can be pretty dangerous with sudo.

The external wireless card is an excellent suggestion for a fix for the
wireless, if nothing else surfaces.  I haven't used cutter for many machines
now.  We'll give it a try.

Thanks again.

Mark



-----Original Message-----
From: novalug-bounces at calypso.tux.org
[mailto:novalug-bounces at calypso.tux.org] On Behalf Of American Dave Kline
Sent: Thursday, December 30, 2010 9:27 AM
To: novalug at calypso.tux.org
Subject: Re: [Novalug] Ubuntu on PPC

On Thu, Dec 30, 2010 at 09:00:03AM -0500, Joseph K Umstead wrote:
> On Thursday 30 December 2010 08:43:04 am Mark A. Metz wrote:
> > Hello Gang,
> > 
> > I have my 17 year old step-son, Nate, visiting for the holidays and
we're
> > trying to get him familiar with Linux.  The wife and I had an old G4
> > PowerBook collecting dust so Nate and I decided to load a distro or two
of
> > Linux.
> > 
> > snip
>  
> This is why LINUX not making it on dest top, just two things make it a
deal 
> breaker. If this group can not get it to work how will someone just coming
to 
> LINUX ever get LINUX to work.

Linux has made it pretty big with my desktops.  I'm not clear why this
example is make or break for Linux's future on the desktop, or if there
was anything helpful said to the poster.

Linux on PPC is certainly possible and works quite well, but as you've
seen there are some gotchas.  With regard to desktop effects, there seem
to be other RV250 owners that couldn't get Ubuntu's desktop effects
dialog working.  You'll want to confirm that 3D acceleration is working.
Per my non-PPC machine:

$ glxinfo |grep -i rend
direct rendering: Yes
OpenGL renderer string: Mesa DRI Mobile IntelR GM45 Express Chipset GEM
20100330 DEVELOPMENT 

Next you can try to enable Compiz manually.  This used to be "compiz
--replace".  It's been some years since I ran Compiz.

If I understand correctly, PowerBooks often had Broadcom drivers for
wireless NICs.  These cards are always problematic and should usually be
avoided if you have a choice.  A search shows many others with
issues and some workarounds:  

  http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1594136
  http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1286143

USB wireless adapters are pretty cheap and might be an option.  Yes it's
lame to have to get a second adapter, but this is a problem with using
proprietary hardware.  Linux is wonderful in that it breathes new life
into older hardware, but there's less that can be done if vendors
don't help.

Best regards,
-A. Dave
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