Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2000 13:20:49 -0600 (EST)
From: Jason Haas <jhaas@www.linuxppc.org>
To: lwn@lwn.net
Subject: LinuxPPC Inc. unveils LinuxPPC 2000 at Tokyo Macworld Expo

LinuxPPC Inc. unveils LinuxPPC 2000 at Tokyo Macworld Expo 

New Linux for PowerPC computers features breakthrough partitioning and
installation tools.

February 14, 2000 -- Macworld Expo, TOKYO, Japan -- LinuxPPC Inc. has
unveiled LinuxPPC 2000 on the floor of the Macworld Expo in Tokyo. LinuxPPC
2000 leapfrogs other PowerPC distributions by being the first with an
entirely graphical installation process.

Everything from disk partitioning to software installation can now be
performed with easy to use, GUI-based software. Other major features
include faster CD booting, Mac emulation software, and the ability to boot
directly into Linux on startup from a CD or hard disk. It is also the
company's first product to be offered as a boxed set.

"LinuxPPC 2000 is the most complete product we've created in our four years
of developing Linux," said LinuxPPC president Jeff Carr. It has so many
great new features that we're describing them as the Seven Wonders of
LinuxPPC 2000."

The Seven Wonders of LinuxPPC 2000 

1. Bootable CD-ROM. 

All supported Apple Power Mac computers can be booted directly from the
LinuxPPC 2000 CD-ROM. This works on everything from the Performa 6360 to
the newest iMac and G4 computers. Previously, users needed to use special
software to boot into Linux from the Mac OS. The new CD boots directly into
the LinuxPPC installer.

2. New graphical installer boots two to four times faster than 1999 installer. 

The LinuxPPC 2000 installer can boot as much as four times faster than the
LinuxPPC 1999 installer, and features a host of improvements to the
installer software. The LinuxPPC installer, previously known as XLI, has
been renamed xinstaller, and is at version 3.7.5.

3. Graphical partitioning utility for easy hard disk partitioning. 

Possibly the most significant new development is LinuxPPC's native
graphical disk partitioning utility. The first of its kind on the LinuxPPC
platform, the new utility makes the most technically difficult tasks into
simple mouse based operations.

"It's simple, it's easy to use, and it works," notes LinuxPPC developer
Brian Bresen, author of the new utility. "If you hated partitioning, you'll
love LinuxPPC 2000."

The partitioning tool has been released under the GNU General Public
License, making it completely free and open source.

4. Ability to boot Power Macs directly into LinuxPPC. 

New boot software has made it possible to boot a Power Mac directly into
LinuxPPC without using a Mac OS-based boot program first. And you don't
have to be a programmer to be able to use the new software.

Direct booting works on all supported Power Mac models, including the old
PCI Power Macs and the very new iMac and G4 computers.

The traditional boot methods of using the BootX software or reprogramming
Open Firmware are still available to those users who prefer those
tools. LinuxPPC Inc. recommends that first time users use the BootX
software for easy dual booting LinuxPPC and the Mac OS.

5. New GUI software 

The newest Gnome desktop environment software from Helix Code is
prominently featured as LinuxPPC 2000's default desktop system. The new
Gnome packages include all new 16-bit color icons, improved file browser,
and many new menu options.

LinuxPPC 2000 uses the Sawmill window manager as its default window
manager. Sawmill is a relatively new entry into the Linux GUI arena, known
for its efficient use of resources and Lisp scripting support.  Traditional
GUI systems including AfterStep, blackbox, Enlightenment, fvwm, KDE 1.1.2,
and are included in the distribution.

6. Mac-on-Linux MacOS runtime environment. 

Mac-on-Linux (MOL) is a remarkable piece of software that literally runs
the Mac OS concurrently with LinuxPPC, inside LinuxPPC. Like most of the
software in LinuxPPC 2000, it is 100% free software. To run the Mac OS in
Linux, users must have the Mac OS installed on a disk partition, and a copy
of the Mac OS ROM. A "ROM grabber" is included on the LinuxPPC 2000 CD-ROM,
and a Mac OS ROM file is included on every Mac OS CD version 8.6 or higher.

LinuxPPC Inc. will not be providing technical support for the software.
Instead, the company will set up a new Mac-on-Linux mailing list, which
will be available for users to assist other users in setting up the
software.

7. LinuxPPC Developer Reference Release 1.1/Red Hat Linux 6.1 packages 

LinuxPPC 2000 features new software ported to PowerPC processor by the
LinuxPPC Developers, an independent PowerPC Linux development group. "Every
package has been rebuilt and recompiled," explains Jeff Carr. The majority
of the packages in LinuxPPC 2000 are Red Hat Linux packages ported by the
forementioned developer group.

LinuxPPC's software arsenal includes a vast array high-power server and
workstation software, including PHP3 and MySQL, OpenSSH, OpenSSL, Apache,
clustering tools, and hundreds of other packages.  More complete
information on what's in LinuxPPC 2000 will be available at
http://www.linuxppc.com/products/2000/.

Pricing and Availability 

LinuxPPC Inc. is selling LinuxPPC 2000 as a standalone two (2) CD-ROM set
for U.S. $20.00, and as a boxed set for U.S. $49.00. The boxed set includes
two (2) CD-ROMs, a printed manual, and for a limited time, a LinuxPPC
t-shirt.

LinuxPPC 2000 will be shipping in limited quantities until February 28, at
which time the company will be able to ship in reseller quantities. Prior
to that, availability will be limited to direct orders from LinuxPPC's web
site and corporate office. All orders for LinuxPPC 1999 Q3 are currently
being fufilled with LinuxPPC 2000.

Attendees of the Macworld Expo in Tokyo can purchase LinuxPPC 2000 at the
Amulet Computer Shop booth, and meet Jeff Carr of LinuxPPC Inc.

About LinuxPPC Inc. 

LinuxPPC Inc., headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, develops and
distributes LinuxPPC, the most popular Linux distribution for PowerPC
computers. LinuxPPC 2000 is the successor to the award-winning LinuxPPC
1999 Q3. The company dealt a body blow to Windows 2000 in the recent
LinuxPPC Security Challenge, in which a Power Mac 9500 running LinuxPPC
bested a 500 MHz Pentium III running Windows 2000.

The company sponsors development of Linux on PowerPC through hardware
donations and developer sponsorships. LinuxPPC Inc. is a member of Linux
International and the Motorola Computer Group Partner Program.

Contact Information: 

    LinuxPPC Inc.
    414-427-8555
    http://www.linuxppc.com/ 

Media contact:

    Jason Haas
    LinuxPPC Inc.
    912-236-6097

PowerPC is a trademark of International Business Machines Corporation and
is used under license therefrom. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus
Torvalds. Apple, iMac, Mac, PowerBook, and Power Mac are registered
trademarks of Apple Computer Inc.