[TriLUG] Linux on MacIntel: What's the best way?

[John Wheeler]

Here are some different things to consider:

The linux kernel patches being worked on @ mactel-linux.org are young  
but working ok it seems.

Going the Apple route...
Instead of using a kernel patch that is under development for EFI  
compatibility you are using an Apple Developed firmware update.
They usually do it right when it comes to those. Personally I might  
feel a little better about an Apple built EFI -> BIOS "interpreter"  
than I do about kernel patches from the fringe.

Also... bootcamp burns a CD of windows drivers for the hardware in  
your particular mac. This might come in handy if you have trouble  
with the Airport Extreme wireless in linux.
You very well might be able to use the AirPort driver for XP (that  
Apple is providing) through ndiswrapper.
Airport Extreme has been the bane of many linux-on-mac geeks for a  
while now but these days there are other solutions too:
http://bcm43xx.berlios.de/
(For a bit of discussion behind it: http://www.digg.com/linux_unix/ 
Finally,_a_linux_driver_for_the_Airport_Extreme_)

Also the mactel-linux solutions require replacing the bootloader with  
elilo 3.0a (EFI compatible lilo)... yes... alpha.
Also partitioning with a utility like Parted which if not done just  
right can keep OS X from booting.
In any case you should ensure the cleanliness of your OS X partition  
before attempting to resize with bootcamp or parted.
It is very vulnerable and bootcamp has been documented to corrupt  
things when resizing the HFS+ OS X partition.

Personally I would stick with the firmware update and Apples  
bootloader and play with things like that first.
You might see quicker success.

Not any great insights here but thats how I would treat the option  
for the time being, especially if you have a flavor of choice that  
you want to run.

John Wheeler
jwheeler at etherealfringe.com

On Apr 8, 2006, at 6:17 PM, Jonathan Mills wrote:

> It looks like there are now two ways to go about running Linux on  
> an Intel Mac, without using a VM.  You can install a linux modified  
> to use EFI (http://www.mactel-linux.org), or you can take advantage  
> of the new firmware/Bootcamp/BIOS and run standard linux.  But  
> which is better?  Advantages/Disadvantages?  Driver support?  I'd  
> be interested in hearing your opinions...
> -- 
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