Snow Leopard Distros

[milmacman]

I would second the call for a distro.

 

True, installing via Boot-132/Retail would be the preferred route, and as more and more Intel and AMD PCs are capable of running close to (if not actually) a vanilla install, the need for distros is naturally going to decrease. My take is that if you can successfully install Snow from a retail disc that you've bought, that's the best option as:

 

a.) you have total control over the system,

b.) you can learn a great deal more about operating systems, and the workings of Mac OS X in particular, and

c.) you support Apple by doing so and ensuring they get their cut

 

However, there remains the issue of people with slightly older hardware (like myself), as well as people who don't have a lot of time to custom-construct a retail install from scratch. Further, not all of us who use a distro are absolute "n00bs," some of us have systems that require a lot of patching, modified kernels, usage of modified kexts and drivers, etc. For people in these situations, a distro is a godsend as it effectively streamlines the process for the end-user and also increases the chance of a successful install, thereby getting more people running OS X. To this end, I am aware that SnowOSX has already been out, and uphuck's team has iKaros in the works.

 

True, distros do require some homework--one needs to be at least somewhat computer-savvy with the hardware installed on their rig, and what it's capable of (e.g. one needs to know what their processor supports--SSE2 vs. SSE3 vs. Core vs. AMD vs. 32/64-bit, ensuring their BIOS supports AHCI, their ethernet, audio, and video cards, optical media, printer drivers--the list goes on).

 

I realise that just as Apple has cut off PowerPC support with Snow (either be content with Leo or replace the old Mac with an Intel), so I see the OSx86 movement will one day end up drawing a line between what works and what is simply too obsolete to run the latest-and-greatest. For example, I do think that SSE2 support is eventually going to subside, and eventually, modifications for pre-Core processors.

 

Perhaps we are slowly reaching that point as more and more of us are (or will soon) be running systems more capable of Retail install. I would like to, though I have not been successful with retail install, nor with SnowOSX.

 

In addition, I do realise compiling a distro and ensuring it works universally is a long and difficult process--and those that do put them out deserve literally tons of credit and thanks.

 

So, in summation I would say we shouldn't knock those of us who are asking for a distro, as many of us have a good reason to (and still buy copies of OS X and other Apple goodies). Rather, we ought to recognise that not everyone who wants a Snow distro is a total newbie who wants to appear like a "wanna-be" geek, but that there are OSx86 users (and I would imagine quite a few power-users as myself) who have valid reasons for using a distro.