20th May, 2008
Posted by Sayamindu 3 months, 2 weeks ago
- New iMacs and Linux:
Can anyone tell me how good the Linux experience is on the newer editions of the aluminium iMacs ? I need a second machine badly (I can’t send away my Dell XPS M1330 for servicing before I get a second box to work from). I have been looking at the Dell Vostro systems, but it looks like due to some new laws/regulations, I’ll need to do a lot of govt. paperwork myself before I can get the machine, so Dell is out of question.
I’m looking at the lowest version of the iMac (20 inch, 2.4 Ghz one). I need to run a couple of VMs on it, and access some external storage to it (for storing my photos, etc). I will max out the RAM to 4 GB (no, I won’t buy Apple RAM) - the rest of the config should remain the same. - New internet connection:
I have been using the UL900 plan of BSNL, which gave me 256Kbps speed (with no data transfer cap) for the past one year. 256Kbps was a bit slow for my work, so I finally changed my service provider, and opted for a 1Mbps no-cap plan from Airtel Broadband. It costs a bit more (Rs 2222 monthly, which is approximately equal to 52USD), but I’m pretty happy with the service till now.
I’m sorry to hear about the prices of “broadband” around where you live… Where I live at you can get 100/100mbit connection (naturally no one sells capped connections) with that money.. I’m writing this solely because I’d wish everyone had good internet connectivity! It is good for development. (Not software, but actually important things… Culture, economics, etc)
I had to configure both openSUSE and Ubuntu on the previous generation of iMacs for a local deployment. They SUCK:
* NVidia is a pain to get working.
* EFI BIOS is painful.
* Wireless required a proprietary driver that didn’t always work.
* The flat keyboard is absolute rubbish. It’s impossible to touch-type in those things.
* I couldn’t get audio to work.
I’d avoid Apple hardware
I installed Arch Linux on my MacBook Pro. Except for a few problems with the touchpad everything runs smooth. RadeonHD drivers work great (the lower-end iMacs have a HD2400 afaik). Audio works with default kernel and ALSA, WLAN using newest Madwifi drivers.
I’d avoid Apple hardware as they make some of the lowest quality machines out there. You’re better off going with just about any other company out there… check out Toshiba, Gateway, or Sony if you can’t get Dell.
iMac 24″ fedora
heaven
I have a 20″ aluminum iMac (first rev) and I love the hardware, especially the keyboard.
However, it’s my wife’s computer now so its base OS is OS X. VMware Fusion is great for virtualizing Linux or Windows.
If you’re looking for a comparable all in one machine, I don’t think you have too many options, if any at all.
The current iMac specs don’t look any different to me than a regular machine so you should be able to install your favorite linux on it. I know for sure that the Airport Extreme card works with recent distributions. That used to be the single most painful piece of hardware in the past and the only one I had a problem with while installing linux on my iBook, circa 2005.
That said, why not leave the default OS X installed, and use virtualbox (free) or vmware fusion ( $$$ ) and get the best of both worlds.
I’ve got a 24″ iMac (first generation) running Ubuntu (starting with I think Feisty and now on Gutsy) and it works. Compiz and all. Of course I’ll advise swapping the keyboard, Apple keyboard is just naff (although I have no opinion on the flat keyboard as never used them).
No issues whatsoever with the hardware or whatever. Off top of my head, a few things that doesn’t work are things like bluetooth and erm…I think wireless - I’ve done abosultely nothing to set them up however as I didn’t see the point, it have a wired network and thus no need for wireless at all. I don’t use bluetooth either so I can’t tell you if that does work or not.
The sad thing? It’s not my iMac…it’s a work iMac and my last day with them is tomorrow…sigh…
plz sand me th picture of 20th may