Lubuntu PowerPC Linux on a Clamshell iBook G3
I installed Lubuntu on my clamshell iBook to see if I could use a modern web browser on this laptop computer. I was using OS X Panther, whch works great on this old machine, but I was stuck with Firefox 2, and iTunes 8. With Lubuntu 12.04 I could try the latest Firefox, and transferring files off my iPod touch – something that is not possible under Mac OS Panther.
I also tried the standard Ubuntu with the Unity desktop. It looked good on the small screen actually, but was too slow to be usable. This was not a surprise of course, I didn’t expect it to be fast on 366MHz.
Then I installed Lubuntu with the LXDE desktop, which was created to be more efficient than Ubuntu. This video shows how it works on the iBook. Short answer – the speed is okay but the wifi didn’t work and there are weird graphical glitches on the screen.
iBook SE Graphite specs:
CPU: 366 MHz PPC 750 (G3)
bus: 66 MHz
RAM: 576 MB
Video: ATI Rage Mobility with 2x AGP
display: 12.1″ 24-bit 800 x 600 SVGA
hard drive: 8GB CompactFlash (Photofast G-Monster 533X SLC)
wifi: Airport card
introduced: February 2000
Where to download the liveCD iso for PowerPC computers:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/PowerPCDownloads
Classilla – the web browser for OS9
If you want to know why I’m bothering to mess with such an old computer, there are two answers.
1. Nostalgia – this was my first laptop computer.
2. The keyboard. I’m a keyboard geek and this is a joy to type on.
Filed under: Computer
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I would call the battery life the only pro of your iBook, it’s been many many years now, put the litlte guy out to pasture.New is good, you have your desktop for any of the really demanding stuff you want to do.Make sure you be careful going the getting windows and installing Ubuntu route as some of the manufactures ship different Linux and windows hardware, and some people have had problems going to the other OS. I don’t know about Dell, but some of the eees had this issue.Going to a full notebook is gonna cost you a lot more, because of the small size premium you are gonna pay.Most 6 cell batteries are gonna get you that 3-4 hour battery life range, the 9 cell batteries are usually 6 and up.If you are gonna wait for anything wait for the Ion platform from nVidia, it looks sexy.