Time for PPC to Fight Back!

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June 18, 2012 - 8:04am
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swinsor
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Time for PPC to Fight Back!

Apple and third party software developers are constantly screwing over (am I allowed to say that on here?) PowerPC Mac Users (especially G3 users). I believe that it is time to fight back! We have already seen the likes of TenFourFox porting Firefox to the PowerPC and LibreOffice still being released for the PowerPC Macs, as well as a PowerPC based flash alternative for linux that someone who is much more skilled then me could probably port to OSX. If a bunch of like minded Mac users such as us here on the 'Fritter all pull together I am sure that we could write/port a whole bunch of (semi)modern software to PowerPC Macs capable of running 10.1-10.4 (PowerPC 601 through 750). Why should we have to suffer running outdated software when Pentium II PC users can run Windows 7 and all their modern software? Whos up for the challenge?

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June 18, 2012 - 4:42pm
mmphosis
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Re: Time for PPC to Fight Back!

Frittering with the build settings, targets, architectures, version of GCC in XCode, I just did a build for ppc Mac OS X 10.1. I was able to run this very simple program on a G3 running 10.3.9, and it also runs on intel Mac OS X 10.6.

Kind: Unix Executable File (Universal)

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June 19, 2012 - 7:53am
swinsor
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Re: Time for PPC to Fight Back!

Frittering with the build settings, targets, architectures, version of GCC in XCode, I just did a build for ppc Mac OS X 10.1

Do you mind sharing it? I would be interested to see how it turned out.

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June 19, 2012 - 5:39pm
mmphosis
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Re: Time for PPC to Fight Back!

Okay, "it" was the just the default "Hello, World!" command line program that is created by default: main.c

#include <stdio.h>

int main (int argc, const char * argv[])
{
    // insert code here...
    printf("Hello, World!\n");
    return 0;
}

I am using XCode Version 3.2.6, newer versions require Lion, and Lion won't run on the older model of Mac that I have. If you are using a different version of XCode the settings may be different.

Open XCode 3.2.6

File > New Project... > Mac OS X > Application > Command Line Tool > Type: C

    This project builds a command-line tool written in C.

Choose...

    Save As: hello
    click "Save"

Project > Set Active Build Configuration > Release

Project > Edit Project Settings

    Project "hello" info > click the "Build" tab
    Configuration: All Configuration
    Show: All Settings

Architectures: Other...

    click "+" to add another architecture
    type "ppc" and press return
    click "OK"
      Architectures: ppc $(ARCHS_STANDARD_32_64_BIT)

Build > Build

In the main, project window in XCode, under "Overview" > Groups & Files

    expand the "hello" project

      expand the "Products" folder

        control-click on "hello"
        choose "Reveal in Finder"

From the Finder, select "hello" and Get Info

    the "Kind" should be "Unix Executable File (Universal)"
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June 20, 2012 - 2:08am
swinsor
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Re: Time for PPC to Fight Back!

Okay, I am using the default XCode from my OSX CD (XCode 2.1 I believe) on my G3/500. I know, old school. But anyway, I wonder what applications we could get ported. I now issue a coding challenge to the members of Applefritter (including me I suppose) - To get a full suite of modern applications that can run on a 5 Colors (or similar) iMac running OSX 10.3/10.4 (and where possible 10.2). This suite should include: A web browser (TenFourfox based perhaps?)
An office suite (LibreOffice based?)
Image editor (is that even possible :~ )
Flash Player (Lightspark based?)
Java Implementation (Again, is that even possible?)

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June 20, 2012 - 7:32pm
mmphosis
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Re: Time for PPC to Fight Back!

Mac OS Secret You mention porting to 10.2 where possible, is this because there are Macs that won't run 10.3 / won't run 10.4?

TenFourfox doesn't run on 10.3. Sad

> Image editor: is that even possible?

10.3 already comes with Java 1.4.2_12

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June 21, 2012 - 2:21am
swinsor
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Re: Time for PPC to Fight Back!

Well, as a user of TenFourfox I am wondering what's actually stopping it running on 10.3 or earlier so thats why I mentioned that as a possible base. Yeah, I mentioned 10.2 because of Macs that can't run 10.3/10.4, although I think that for a 601/603 series CPU you need 10.1 or 10.0 but anyway (and thats only with XPostFact).

Well with the Java implementation, my thinking was: Can we get a more modern version of Java running?

And although something like MacPaint would be fine, I as thinking more along the lines of a more fully featured one :coolmac:

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June 21, 2012 - 6:16am
mmphosis
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Re: Time for PPC to Fight Back!

Well, as a user of TenFourfox I am wondering what's actually stopping it running on 10.3 or earlier so thats why I mentioned that as a possible base. Yeah, I mentioned 10.2 because of Macs that can't run 10.3/10.4, although I think that for a 601/603 series CPU you need 10.1 or 10.0 but anyway (and thats only with XPostFact).

A command line tool is easy. Recreating Applications like TenFourFox require possibly remaking the interfaces, and writing stubs and work-arounds for all the missing pieces in the Software Development Kit (SDK). Thank Cameron Kaiser for doing a lot of work to get TenFourFox working.

Well with the Java implementation, my thinking was: Can we get a more modern version of Java running?

Hmmm. What specifically requires java? I have java turned off in FireFox.

The GNU Compiler for the Java(TM) Programming Language

And although something like MacPaint would be fine, I as thinking more along the lines of a more fully featured one :coolmac:

Like The GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP)?

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June 21, 2012 - 6:40am
swinsor
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Re: Time for PPC to Fight Back!

Like The GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP)?

Pretty much.

Well the whole point of this was to stop PowerPC users falling too far behind their Intel counterparts. Why should my G3/533 not be able to do anything my PII/450 can do? Apple and software developers screw PowerPC users over and yet I can Run iTunes 10.6 on a Pentium II, REALLY? As is said on the TenFourFox Homepage

Why shouldn't an iBook be able to look at embarrassing pictures on Facebook, or Twitter about our lunch break? These are our computers, dang it. We paid good money for them. They still work. They may not be as fast, but there's no technical reason they can't do everything that a MacBook can. So if you want something done, you do it yourself, and we did. The result is TenFourFox

We as PowerPC users get screwed by Apple and other software developers and we are just meant to take it? Not likely.

Well, sorry for going on one of my rants, but I think that people just don't get it anymore!

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