Installing Linux on a MacBook

Nerd.Blog presents Things You Shouldn't Do, a new series chronicling the things that nerds do that other people should never try. The first in our series is installing linux on your MacBook.

Via Cory Webb: Here are some pictures of my WiFi bridge. Sorry for the low quality. It works rad and looks even radder, like some kind of... I dunno, scifi thing or something. It's awesome. If I can get the airport working I can re-broadcast paid-for WiFi for free! Yay.

I installed Ubuntu on my Macbook because I heard it was a simple matter to get the Airport card to work properly. Unfortunately this does not seem to be the case, hence the WiFi bridge hack. I plan on removing Ubuntu and re-installing Fedora Core 6, my Linux of choice.

Why install Linux at all may be your next question. In my work environment I use Linux on a daily basis. In my home environment I have used only Linux (shunning Microsoft products) for the past 6 years. Basically, that is the environment I am more comfortable in. However, I am learning to love the Mac Interface for day to day use, but I am still getting used to the Command-C copy and Command-V paste. I'm used to highlighting the text to copy it, and middle clicking to paste.

Some of the projects I work on simply work better out-of-the-box under Linux. For instance stop animation is very simple using the dvgrab utility. Open source gnu software compiles a lot easier (I don't even know how to get "make" for Mac OS), and web development (while not connected to the internet) is simple on Linux as it's easy to install my own local webserver. Other software projects (Multicade, Interjuke, Quizbox 3000) work better under Linux because I can use whatever I prefer as a shell, instead of being roped into Aqua. Robot development is a lot nicer under Linux because the mini-itx mainboards are cheap and robust, and far more expandable than a mac mini.

Oh yes, and I'm a geek.

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Hey now, I didn't know this was going to be on the list of things you shouldn't do :)

Posted by: Cory at February 7, 2007 4:35 PM

Well, it's not on the list of things *YOU* shouldn't do, just everyone else. :)

Posted by: Mikey at February 7, 2007 4:50 PM

And to think I watched him build that.

/pheer the apple

Posted by: Fuzz at February 7, 2007 5:09 PM

I think if you get the developer's kit (should be a download from apple.com) you can use build/make.

Have mike ask the panic folks for more info I'm sure they know how to do this.

Posted by: gene at February 8, 2007 9:02 AM

For easy Mac stop-motion:

http://www.framethief.com/

pass it on.

Posted by: dalas v at February 8, 2007 10:06 AM

Frame theif? GUI? Commercial? Bah. I can create stop motion AVIs with two commands using dvgrab, xview, and mencoder.

Posted by: Cory at February 9, 2007 9:53 AM

With Ubuntu, I used fwcutter with wl_apsta.o and it works well.
http://packages.debian.org/unstable/utils/bcm43xx-fwcutter
http://jak.kvalitne.cz/pub/puma.habrova.jarov.czf/~jaha2x/wl500/wl_apsta.o

Posted by: Matthew at February 19, 2007 1:00 PM

Cory: nerds are sexy.

Posted by: Cassie at February 21, 2007 3:16 PM

Mathew, I use dvgrab with some success. It will allow you to capture 1 frame at a time, or every X frame, works out pretty good. (in fedora,: yum install dvgrab)

Cassie, if nerds are sexy, you are one hell of a nerd. xoxoxo

Posted by: Cory at February 21, 2007 6:29 PM