Don't junk your old Mac hardware just because it can no longer get new software updates. Get some new life in your old Macs with the GNU/Linux operating system! We'll show you how to 'try it before you buy it' so to speak to see how a specific version of GNU/Linux, Ubuntu, will run on your aging Mac.
Why bother trying GNU/Linux on your Mac?
I have a late 2010 MacBook Air. It's not as fast or as optically pretty as my 5K iMac nor my iPad Pro for that matter. I do, however, use it daily. https://heavenlyan.weebly.com/blog/what-is-a-good-software-on-mac-to-eit-photos. I'm writing this article on it. As old as it is, it's 'good enough' for what I use it for and I still prefer the keyboard on it to the one on more modern MacBooks.
My MacBook Air just made the cutoff for being compatible with the newly released macOS High Sierra. I'm happy to know that for at least one more year, I'll be able to get the latest and greatest doodads, bells and whistles, and more importantly, I'll get the latest security updates (good thing too as while I'll write this, we've just found out that WPA2 has been cracked and clients will need to be updated with security patches).
Hi David, on Linux or Unix and Mac the Agent is not running constantly. It will only run on the configured schedule! Normaly 1 Day at 21 pm (crontab Job) or when you start it manually with sudo./snowagent. Top bookkeeping software for mac.
However, Apple at one point will deem this well working, useful, good-enough MacBook Air as unworthy of any more updates. And as I understand the reasons why my venerable MacBook Air can't be supported indefinitely, I still find it to be wasteful that a decent-enough, capable, and not to mention still functioning computer be put to pasture because of lack of software updates.
This is where GNU/Linux comes in. GNU/Linux is a free and open source operating system very similar in many respects to the under-pinnings of macOS. It comes with modern networking capabilities, web browsers, and content creation tools. Not only is it known to run well with older hardware, but you will also get many years of software and security updates that you'd likely miss out on if you were to remain on a macOS-only installation.
See how well Ubuntu Linux runs on your Mac![]()
You needn't throw out the baby with the bathwater and wipe your old Mac's hard drive clean before trying it out. All you need is a USB drive of a least 2GB in size and an internet connection to get started. Here's how to do it.
Get your USB drive ready
Download the Ubuntu Linux installation file.
Prepare your USB key to run Ubuntu Linux
We now need to make the USB drive capable of booting Ubuntu Linux with special software. Ubuntu recommends using Etcher.
Try Ubuntu Linux!
You're now ready to try Ubuntu linux by booting off of your newly created bootable USB key drive.
You'll be able to connect to Wi-Fi, browse the web, write up an article (or anything else you may want to do) without making any permanent changes to your existing hard drive. See how much you like it and you can eventually install Ubuntu side by side with your macOS install or go full bore with a Linux only installation (tutorials coming later).
What do you do with your old hardware?
I get a real kick out of repurposing old technology with new abilities. I really value the longevity of a computer system that can still run modern software. If I can keep it going beyond it's expected lifespan, I'm a happy camper. What's your take? What do you do with your old hardware? Let us know in the comments!
We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.
My heart
This timelapse of macOS 10.0 through 10.15 is a nostalgic wonder
The very first version of macOS, or Mac OS X as it was known, arrived almost 20 years ago. This video takes us through every major update the Mac has seen since in one amazing timelapse.
If you’re familiar with apt-get from Linux, then you know what a package manager does. It handles downloading, installing, updating and managing certain applications and their dependencies within the operating system. MacPorts is a command-line package manager for macOS. With MacPorts you can install Linux applications on macOS from the command line.
What can I install?
Most of these applications are open-source command-line utilities, but there are a fair share of GUI-based applications available as well. Applications like GIMP or GUI versions of command line utilities like diff can often be downloaded through MacPorts after a little exploring.
Here’s how it works: MacPorts hosts a collection of programs, called packages or “ports” in MacPorts parlance. Using a downloaded command line interface, you can search MacPorts’ library of software. When you find what you need, MacPorts downloads and installs the appropriate software and dependencies in the right places. This way, you don’t need to deal with opaque build instructions or confusing dependencies while still getting access to a wide range of the best and most powerful command line utilities.
Since macOS doesn’t come with many of the “standard” utilities included in most Linux distros, moving from Linux’s command line to macOS’ Terminal can sometimes be a let down. We can use MacPorts to install these missing commands, making the macOS command line nearly as capable as its Linux counterpart.
Installing MacPorts
Before you use MacPorts, you’ll need to install Xcode to gain access to a set of higher-end developer tools. These tools are required by many ports and packages, and by the MacPorts package manager itself. Xcode is an IDE made by Apple, and if you do much development, you likely already have it. If not, you can download Xcode from the Mac App Store or Apple’s developer website. You’ll need a developer account for the second option, so if you don’t have one, just go through the App Store.
While you can run most of the MacPort commands without Xcode, you won’t be able to run many of the packages until you install it. You also won’t get much of a warning, so things just won’t work, often without explanation.
Installing Xcode Developer Tools
Once Xcode is installed, you’ll need to install the Xcode developer tools. These are a separate set of command line utilities that many Terminal commands and ports rely on. Fortunately, it’s straightforward.
1. Open Terminal from /Applications/Utilities/Terminal.app
2. Use the command below to trigger the installation of macOS’ developer tools:
3. Click “Install” in the pop-up box to install the developer tools. If you don’t have Xcode, you can also click “Get Xcode” to install the application from here.
3. Wait for the files to download and install. It might take a while, so be patient and make sure you stay connected to the Internet.
Installing the MacPorts Package
Once Xcode is installed, you can move on to actually installing MacPorts. If you already have the Xcode and the developer tools installed, you can jump right to this step.
1. Download the latest release of MacPorts from GitHub. Make sure you scroll down to choose the version that matches your version of macOS. At the time of publication, there is no version of MacPorts for Apple’s newest OS, High Sierra, but one should be released soon.
2. Double-click and install the package from your Downloads folder.
3. When you’re done with the installation, open a new Terminal window and run the command
port .
If that command returns “MacPorts 2.4.x” and provides a slightly different-looking command prompt, then you’re ready to rock!
Install Linux Apps with MacPortsCan I Run Linux Programs On Mac
To install some Linux apps on macOS with MacPorts, we will first need to search for the relevant programs.
1. To see a gigantic list of all available packages, open Terminal, type
port list and press Enter.
3. Obviously, that’s a lot to look through, and it wouldn’t be very efficient to scan it all. We can use the
port search command to find something specific. Let’s search for the networking utility nmap using the command below:
4. That returns a few matching packages. It looks like many of them are extensions for nmap, which we’re not interested in. The first one, just called “nmap,” is the one we’re looking for.
Id card printing software for mac. 5. To get more information about that package we can use the
info command:
Mac Software On Linux
6. That returns some specific information about nmap. That makes it pretty clear that this is the scanner we’re looking for. We can install with the command below:
Don’t forget that the
sudo prefix which will require your admin password to fire. If you’re not logged in as an admin user, you’ll need to run the process again from an administer account.
7. Depending on the package you’re installing, there might be a large list of dependencies. These are software packages that your desired port relies on, and you’ll need to install them alongside your port of choice. Type “Y” and press “Enter” to accept the installation.
8. When the installation is complete, you can run the installed port as you would on Linux via Terminal.
Conclusion
You can check out an the awesome range of ports available by searching for tools you might like. You don’t need to restrict yourself to port names: any keywords will do. Poke around a little bit (
port search image , for example) and you might find something unexpectedly useful.
You might also like:
Can You Run Linux On A MacUpdate Mac Apps Using TerminalGetting Started with Terminal: Adding New Commands with HomebrewGetting Started with Terminal: Must-Know macOS Terminal CommandsComments are closed.
|
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
December 2020
Categories |