Yellow Dog Linux
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Yellow Dog Linux (often abbreviated YDL) is a free software, open-source Linux distribution for Power Architecture hardware. First released in 1999 for the Apple Macintosh, Yellow Dog Linux has since become one of the most widely used Linux distributions for PowerPC-based computers.[citation needed] Yellow Dog Linux is a product of Terra Soft Solutions, Inc., a Colorado (USA)-based software company specializing in Linux on the Power Architecture.
Yellow Dog Linux is primarily targeted at Apple Macintosh computers, IBM BladeCenter JS2x and Series p5 servers, Mercury XR9, and several other systems and platforms built around the PowerPC architecture. Yellow Dog Linux partially supports the Sony PlayStation 3[1], without offering any support for the graphics hardware[2].
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[edit] Features
As with other Linux distributions, Yellow Dog Linux includes well-known GNU/Linux components such as the Linux kernel proper, GCC, and the GNU C Library, as well as other free/open-source technologies such as Apache, PostgreSQL, Python, Webmin, and XFree86. The distribution also includes the expected suite of user applications, such as the Mozilla Firefox Web browser, OpenOffice.org, Evolution, Rhythmbox, MPlayer, Gaim, and the GIMP.
Yellow Dog Linux is a derivative of Fedora Core and relies on the RPM package manager. Through successive versions of Yellow Dog Linux, Terra Soft Solutions has invested heavily in implementing support specifically for Apple and IBM hardware. As a result, Yellow Dog Linux supports accelerated graphics and audio hardware out of the box, although some other hardware components such as AirPort Extreme (Apple's 802.11g wireless cards) on Apple PowerBooks and iBooks will not function properly without modifications to the kernel. (The closed nature of Apple Computer has traditionally made reverse engineering of such components difficult.)
Yellow Dog Linux defaults to a Bluecurve-themed KDE, although other window managers such as GNOME and Xfce are also provided and supported.
[edit] Releases
Distributed on eight CDs (four install CDs and four source CDs), YDL 4.1 comprises over 1000 packages.
Yellow Dog Linux 5.0 is the first Linux distribution to run officially on PlayStation 3. [3] It is designed specifically for HDTV so users with SDTV will have to use the commands 'installtext' and 'ydl480i' to be able to install and run.[4]
[edit] Distribution
Yellow Dog Linux is available in several editions ranging in price from $30 to $90 — boxed with printed manual, support, and T-shirt; boxed with printed manual but without support; and a “geek edition” with CDs only (no documentation). The proceeds from these boxed distributions partly fund the development of the operating system. Their packaging is designed to match the white polycarbonate coating of the iMac and iBook computers on which the desktop version is likely to be run.
As with most Linux distributions, Terra Soft Solutions also makes Yellow Dog Linux available as a free download from public FTP mirrors.
[edit] External links
[edit] Primary links
- Official Yellow Dog Linux homepage
- Terra Soft Solutions, the company that produces Yellow Dog Linux
- Yellow Dog Linux downloads page
- YDL.net, Yellow Dog Linux user community and value-added services
[edit] Related links
- GNU/Linux on Power Mac site
- Yellow Dog Linux Message Board Community
- “Yellow Dog Linux on the iMac” (Linux Journal)
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