[K12OSN] OT: Apple Imac lab

[David Hopkins]

> PowerPC Apple boxes don't use PXE; they use a system more akin to how Sun
> boxes net-boot.  That said, they make fine thin clients assuming they've got
> decent screen resolution.  That'll of course depend on when it was made.

This would be a completely new lab with new hardware.  Probably 20"
all-in-one units.

> Since you're talking about iMacs, that means they all use the newer
> OpenFirmware, like all other "NewWorld" PPC Macs.  You should be able to
> netboot these things just fine.  However, if you run into trouble with that,
> I've done basic Yellow Dog Linux installs with pretty much just X11 (no
> GNOME, KDE, Firefox, or any of that other stuff).  Just enough to get X11 to
> run.  Then you can stick the following in the rc.local file.
>
>   X -query w.x.y.z
>
> where w.x.y.z is your LTSP server.  This alternate strategy works very well
> with anything, regardless of architecture, just so long as you've got X11
> installed (OpenBSD, FreeBSD, any GNU/Linux, Slowaris, whatever)
>
> So, if it's dirt-cheap, has 10/100 like all iMacs should, and has decent
> screen resolution, then yeah, go for it!
>

I think the estimated cost is almost $40K for this lab.  I"m not keen
on it, but I was asked about it.  If someone can show me a way to do
movie editing, sound editing, etc with OSS and local apps using the
latest k12Linux, I would be ecstatic.