linux/unix

[jtgotsjets]

Alright, while I'm not really a newbie to the Mac OS, I am almost totally a newbie to OSX, and even more of a newbie to this whole Unix thing. About the only thing I've done with it is play in the command line to find this crazy psychologist program (and I only figured that out cos I saw it in a book).
So what I do know is this:
Unix and Linux are somehow, vaguely related
There is some way to run Unix program on my iBook

My question is this:
Is it possible for me to run Linux program on my Mac? I ask this only because I really like Wolfenstein: ET, which really means that its not a huge deal. There's a Linux and a Windows version, and while the Windows version will run on my PC, my mac's much faster and I was hoping I could run the Linux version on my Mac.

Thanks for any help

 

[jsw]

Do you know of anywhere that has the Linux source code? Chances are good that you can compile it for your Mac - using tools you either already have installed or which came with your system. Then you cold play it natively.

Linux is essentially just a flavor of Unix. Not exactly, but close enough for most purposes. And command line Linux stuff you know will work 95% of the time on your Mac.

Also, you can run Linux via an emulator on your Mac. However, I'm still trying to get that working (just started yesterday) - it involves downloading a free emulator and a free Linux image. I'm sure it's easy, but I'm missing a step or two. I'll post once I get it all working.

 

[robbieduncan]

You are missing a very important distinction. There is a difference between the operating system (Mac OS, Windows, Linux, Unix...) and the architecture (Power PC, x86, Sparc etc). The Linux version of Wolfenstein ET is compiled for x86. You Mac is Power PC. Without using hardware emulation like Virtual PC or bochs you cannot run an x86 executable on a Power PC computer without recompiling. The Linux like Unix thing does not really come into it.

 

[jtgotsjets]

You are missing a very important distinction. There is a difference between the operating system (Mac OS, Windows, Linux, Unix...) and the architecture (Power PC, x86, Sparc etc). The Linux version of Wolfenstein ET is compiled for x86. You Mac is Power PC. Without using hardware emulation like Virtual PC or bochs you cannot run an x86 executable on a Power PC computer without recompiling. The Linux like Unix thing does not really come into it.

I figured that might be a problem, when I started to download it and it said x86.

So is there no way to get W:ET on my mac (with decent speeds?)

 

[jsw]

As I said, if you can get the source code - someone has it posted, I'm sure, if it's out for Linux - then you might be able to compile it for the Mac. Maybe. If not, you can run an emulator. Still, probably not worth the trouble.