Fewer Broken Pieces

When it comes to running Linux on an Apple iBook G4 (or any iBook or PowerBook in general), there are a few essential resources.  Here they are:

• Gentoo Linux PPC Handbook - The installation instructions for Gentoo are among the best documentation available for Linux.
• Gentoo PPC FAQ - This document answers all your questions about the idiosyncrasies of running Linux on PowerPC hardware.  This includes information on how to enable your soundcard as well as recommendations for laptop-specific applications (which can be installed with portage).  First and foremost of these is pbbuttonsd (”PowerBook buttons daemon”), which makes the volume, brightness, and eject keys work, along with sleep and other power managment features.  There is nothing like being able to close the lid and forget about it, just like in Mac OS X.
• Airport Extreme Howto - This is a very clear and concise guide to getting your Airport Extreme wireless network card working.  Until these drivers came along, Linux on the iBook G4 was not very fun.  Now I can enjoy its full laptop potential.
• Gentoo Hardware 3D Acceleration Guide - You have a Radeon Mobility video card in that iBook.  Use it!  Follow this guide to ensure that hardware rendering is enabled.  This will open the door to goodies like Compiz Fusion, which does work fairly well on the iBook G4.
• Inputd - This program allows for right-click solutions (e.g. command + left-click = right click) and much more.  The cure to the one button mouse.  It requires some changes in the kernel and perhaps its config file, but it should not be too challenging for any user who has successfully completed the Gentoo install.

It is best to consult all of those resources during the initial installation.  That way you do not have to go back and rebuild your kernel when you add each feature.

While Debian may be suitable for my Apple Powermac G3 Blue and White, nothing can beat Gentoo on my iBook G4.  I have resolved that being a Gentoo developer is not part of my future.  But I cannot stay away from Gentoo as a user, especially when it comes to my iBook.  Pure computing joy.

It was not always so.  When I first started using Gentoo there were no drivers for the Broadcom wireless card it has.  Thankfully since then free and open drivers have been developed which work great for me.  Also, all of the Mac buttons and features (including sleep) work perfectly, so it makes a great notebook.  I plan as using it as my main work horse for thesis research and writing.