Despite improvements in recent versions of Yellow Dog Linux to make it easier to install on your own Mac Terra Soft Solutions Inc. announced a plan to make it even easier to get Linux on the Mac. Now the company — an authorized Apple Value Added Reseller (VAR) — offers Macs with Yellow Dog Linux pre-installed.
Terra Soft co-founder and CEO Kai Staats called the effort “an important turning point” for his company and part of “a renewed relationship” with Apple. Yellow Dog Linux is a popular alternative to corporate and scientific users looking for a Mac equipped with Linux for server, workstation or processing cluster applications.
The systems Terra Soft offers come custom-configured as standalone units or in clusters and maintain a full Apple warranty. This new offer takes the hassle out of having to install Linux on a Mac, which Terra Soft emphasizes “has greatly improved” with recent versions.
Yellow Dog Linux itself is an RPM-based distribution designed from the ground up for the PowerPC processor. Terra Soft supports a wide range of Mac models, from Power Mac 7200s on up through today’s models. The company counts home users, universities, corporate managers, scientists and researchers spread over 100 countries among their customer base.
The Terra Soft Store offers Power Mac G4s, iBooks, flat panel iMacs and AirPort cards. Terra Soft noted that Xserves equipped with Yellow Dog Linux would also be an option available soon.