PowerPC and Linux
gbudny Feb 16, 2022
Hi

I'm wondering what options Linux users have if they would like to use Linux on a computer with a PowerPC processor:

- IBM server
- Amiga computer
- Raptors motherboards
- Pegasos
- old Mac

The last two options aren't useful in 2022 because these computers are too old. On the other hand, Amiga computers and Raptors motherboards are quite pricy. We still have old IBM servers for Linux, but they are completely useless for current versions of AIX.

I'm waiting for when PowerPC Laptop will be published:

https://www.powerpc-notebook.org/en/

Do you know other options?

Last edited by gbudny on 16 February 2022 at 10:18 pm UTC
GustyGhost Feb 16, 2022
Hawk the forums at forums.raptorcs.com, sometimes users are selling unwanted gear.
Valck Feb 17, 2022
Nintendo Gamecube had a PowerPC CPU. It probably wouldn't rate too high on your list, but still.
Way back in the day, I got it to boot gcLinux EDIT:(old version of the Wikipedia page, but not much else. I haven't been following the progress since then, so there's not much I can say how viable an option it might be today.

Last edited by Valck on 17 February 2022 at 12:57 am UTC
Chuckaluphagus Feb 17, 2022
Quoting: ValckNintendo Gamecube had a PowerPC CPU. It probably wouldn't rate too high on your list, but still.
Way back in the day, I got it to boot gcLinux EDIT:(old version of the Wikipedia page, but not much else. I haven't been following the progress since then, so there's not much I can say how viable an option it might be today.
Nintendo Wii and Wii U, as well - they were iterations off the Gamecube platform, and maintained backwards compatibility. The Wii U is 11 years old now, but might be practical in terms of hardware: 1.2 GHz PowerPC three-core CPU, Radeon graphics, 2 GB of RAM, onboard flash storage, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, SD card slot, 4 USB ports, HDMI out (official specs at: https://web.archive.org/web/20160227131607/http://www.nintendo.com/wiiu/features/tech-specs).

Mind you, I have no idea whether there's anyone working on a port to the Wii U. It has been jailbroken, if anyone wants to try: https://wiiu.hacks.guide/
PublicNuisance Feb 17, 2022
Quoting: gbudnyHi

I'm wondering what options Linux users have if they would like to use Linux on a computer with a PowerPC processor:

- IBM server
- Amiga computer
- Raptors motherboards
- Pegasos
- old Mac

The last two options aren't useful in 2022 because these computers are too old. On the other hand, Amiga computers and Raptors motherboards are quite pricy. We still have old IBM servers for Linux, but they are completely useless for current versions of AIX.

I'm waiting for when PowerPC Laptop will be published:

https://www.powerpc-notebook.org/en/

Do you know other options?

Do you mean what distros one is able to choose from ? If so then here is a brief list:

Open Suse Leap:

https://get.opensuse.org/leap

Debian:

https://www.debian.org/distrib/netinst

Ubuntu:

https://ubuntu.com/download/server/power

There's man more so I'll just post a link to Distrowatch.

https://distrowatch.com/search.php?ostype=All&category=All&origin=All&basedon=All&notbasedon=None&desktop=All&architecture=ppc64&package=All&rolling=All&isosize=All&netinstall=All&language=All&defaultinit=All&status=Active#simple

If you meant which hardware uses that architecture well you listed most of them. The easiest way to find a Linux desktop experience on is the Raptor systems. Expensive as they may be you get the most private and secure hardware one can find on a desktop currently as you bypass so much of the closed source firmware/BIOS/blobs/etc that most boards will come with. I hadn't heard about the PowerPC notebook that you had a link for so thanks for that. Think I will donate to them soon.

https://www.raptorcs.com/content/base/products.html
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