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How can I run Linux programs on Intel Mac OSX?

post #1 of 15
10/19/06 at 12:36am
Thread Starter 
Hi,

Is there a way to run linux programs such as games and a SPICE simulation program for linux on an Intel-based Mac (Macbook Pro) under OSX without recompiling them. Until now it was not possible due to difference between PPC and x86 architectures. But is it possible now? If yes then how?

Thanks,

Smit
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post #2 of 15
10/19/06 at 12:53am
Linux software still needs to be recompiled to run on Darwin as Darwin is Unix and not Linux so things are slightly different.
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post #3 of 15
10/19/06 at 1:09am
for starters you must have X11 installed as part of your OSX setup... then, you can actually install portage in osx so that it will compile apps for you to use. http://gentoo-wiki.com/Gentoo_MacOS

keep in mind that this is extremely experimental and discouraged. have you perhaps considered a dual boot, or vm options?
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post #4 of 15
10/21/06 at 1:28pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for all your posts. I don't like the dual boot option as it requires restarting everytime I want to run a linus program in OSX. I think I will probably just go with parallels although I mighttry the X11 method (which I was hopingwould work well). By the way for all you electical engineers out there, can you suggest names of great schematic capture and SPICE analysis programs for Macs? By the way this was the reason for my first question as I don't know of any good schematic capture sfotware for Mac but I know tons for Linux.

Thanks,

Smit
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post #5 of 15
10/22/06 at 5:08am
http://newton.ex.ac.uk/teaching/CDHW/MacSpice/
http://mac.softpedia.com/get/Math-Sc...c/iSpice.shtml
http://www.mactech.com/articles/mact...are/index.html
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post #6 of 15
10/22/06 at 5:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kakaze
Linux software still needs to be recompiled to run on Darwin as Darwin is Unix and not Linux so things are slightly different.


Well first things first, allow me to correct this. Darwin is no more Unix than Linux is....

Ok that is open for debate, and has been extensively. The point is Darwin is BSD based, but is not Unix. Both Darwin and Linux are OSes that are LIKE Unix, but are not Unix.

bsmith have you looked up darwinports, or fink, or gentoo-osx(The latter you probably don't want since you don't want to recompile) to see if the software you are looking for is in any of those repositories? Might save you a lot of trouble.

Seablade
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post #7 of 15
10/22/06 at 6:27pm
OSX is a somewhat odd bird. It has some pieces in it that harken to BSD, but it is more Unix-ish than Linux is. However, unlike both it uses a micro-kernel.

There are good sites for learning about OSX, which I have been starting to discover. I think it is also good to do some research on NeXT when learning about OSX.
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post #8 of 15
10/22/06 at 6:40pm
Heh you are about to start on an entirely different topic and debate that won't ever end

Seablade
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post #9 of 15
10/23/06 at 12:39am
Really?

I just have a curiosity bump about the OS I use. Being a somewhat recent Mac convert, I am starting out trying to learn about Mac OSX, not just how to use it but what it is.
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post #10 of 15
10/23/06 at 1:28am
This debate forks very rapidly into which OS is better, but aside from that it can fork into kernel level code differences between BSD and Linux, and various other topics that short of being a kernel hacker I don't think many here can speak reliably on.

As it is though, Mac OS is less like Unix than BSD or Linux because of the Mach implementation in it. One of the best comparisons of them that I have heard thus far though has been BSD is Unix for PCs written by Unix admins. Linux is Unix for PCs written by PC admins. It is not entirely accurate, but can provide you with a good example of how there are differences, but in the end for most people they arent all that large.

Does it matter which is better? Probably. But each has their strengths in certain situations, and you in the end want to use what works for you.

The debate over OSes at a kernel level, which is better, etc. has been ongoing for a LONG time between kernel hackers and the like. As I mentioned above, in order to make truly valid arguments you rapidly get into the realm of the kernel though, and the overall design concepts of it.

Seablade
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post #11 of 15
10/23/06 at 1:39am
Quote:
Originally Posted by seablade
Well first things first, allow me to correct this. Darwin is no more Unix than Linux is.... Ok that is open for debate, and has been extensively. The point is Darwin is BSD based, but is not Unix. Both Darwin and Linux are OSes that are LIKE Unix, but are not Unix. bsmith have you looked up darwinports, or fink, or gentoo-osx(The latter you probably don't want since you don't want to recompile) to see if the software you are looking for is in any of those repositories? Might save you a lot of trouble. Seablade
BSD is not Unix? It is a direct descendent of of the original Unix time sharing system from everything I've ever heard. It has evolved since then but BSD is still considered Unix from what I understand as it still uses a kernel directly evolved from Unix. Whereas Linux, on the other hand, uses it's own completely unique kernel. OS X uses the BSD Unix kernel on top of Mach and while considered a hybrid is also still considered Unix. From what I've read Apple is actually seeking Open Group approval to use the Unix trademark—legally—on 10.5.
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post #12 of 15
10/23/06 at 8:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kakaze
BSD is not Unix? It is a direct descendent of of the original Unix time sharing system from everything I've ever heard. It has evolved since then but BSD is still considered Unix from what I understand as it still uses a kernel directly evolved from Unix. Whereas Linux, on the other hand, uses it's own completely unique kernel. OS X uses the BSD Unix kernel on top of Mach and while considered a hybrid is also still considered Unix. From what I've read Apple is actually seeking Open Group approval to use the Unix trademark—legally—on 10.5.
Nope. BSD is not Unix. Berkley Unix is the actual UNIX you are thinking of, but in general this is not the exact equivalent of a BSD source such as OpenBSD, FreeBSD, or NetBSD. For reference...
Quote:
Originally Posted by http://www.openbsd.com/
The OpenBSD project produces a FREE, multi-platform 4.4BSD-based UNIX-like operating system
Quote:
Originally Posted by http://www.netbsd.org/
NetBSD is a free, secure, and highly portable Unix-like Open Source operating system
Most of the BSD variants have language just like this, the thing is they are Unix-Like, not Unix themselves. Both BSD and Linux are very similar, but not the same. this may help with some of the history in how they both developed for you though... http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO...x-license.html Both OSes have kernels that are completely rewritten to not contain any of the Unix source code(Thus why SCO has such a problem in court as they tried to say their System V code was in Linux, and thus far have failed miserably) BSD has already faced similar lawsuits and as you can see on the above page, managed to avoid them. So in effect, they are both Unix-Like OSes, that developed in different ways, but neither are Unix itself. If they were SCO would have a much more powerful suit against either. Seablade
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post #13 of 15
10/23/06 at 11:24pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks a lot for all your posts. I guess I will just have to install parallels and solaris to run hspice with which I am quite fimiliar. I just didn't want to go through all that trouble.
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post #14 of 15
10/24/06 at 12:08am
Hey Smith there are a few spice simulation programs availiable under FINK, a quick google turned that up, which means they are probably availiable under darwinports or gentoo-osx.

Not that parallels is a bad idea, just lettin you know since you asked.

reference:
http://forums.macnn.com/100/software...er-enginering/

Seablade
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post #15 of 15
10/24/06 at 12:52am
Here's the wiki on the development of OSX. It's pretty informative.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Mac_OS_X
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