Epiphany on Powermac G5 Linux
I just played around a little bit and found out that Gnome Browser Project Epiphany (Gnome Web) is also installable within Arch Linux for PowerPC on my Ppwermac G5. I tried out just to see that it works. But it soon crashes, because OpenGL Rendering is broken. But when you start the Browser in a Terminal with the URL behind, like this:
epiphany https://de.wikipedia.org
Compiling Classic Thunderbird Client Epyrus for PPC64 [UPDATE 3] - It works!
Long time ago I found out that someone started a project for Classic Thunderbird, because they were not really happy about the newly established way it goes from then. And on PowerPC based Linux, actual Thunderbird will not build because
Warnung: Kann "libicui18n.so=74-64" nicht auflösen (eine Abhängigkeit von "thunderbird")
libiciu cannot be built. There are some alternatives like Claws-Mail but this is really old, feels really old. It works but it is not in the actual repo of Power ARCH but you can compile it easy by yourself. Anyways. Because Epyrus is based on older classic Thunderbird, there is a change I can compile it on actual Arch with Python 2.7. I give it a try.
Epyrus was first conceived of sometime around March or April of 2022, after they started to feel another UXP-based e-mail client was needed, but found that there were complications that would prevent the revival of Fossamail. The original codename was actually Mercurius Civicus very briefly, before they came up with the codename Hermopolis and finally settled on Epyrus as the browser's final name.
How to install Xfce Desktop on ArchLinux ArchPOWER ppc64
As I wrote yesterday, the new ArchPOWER Linux for PowerPC 64 works like charme and with big thanks to (Kernel/Linux)-Hacker René Rebe, Firefox is working on POWER-Architecture (and much more) again after years. So you can use a modern Browser if you want.
ArchPOWER Linux for PPC64(/32)
My bigfat Powermac G5 Workstation running ArchPOWER 64 while compiling Claws-Mail under XCFE and running TerminalDrome
Because of a friendly comment by Powerlinux user Matias, I am willing to try out ArchPOWER Linux for PPC (Link) again. ArchPOWER is an unofficial Port of ARCH Linux for the PowerPC Architecture: It supports: powerpc64le (>=POWER8), powerpc (>=604), powerpc64 (>=POWER4+/G5 & PS3) and espresso (WiiU SMP).
Matias wrote that Firefox is also able to run on Powermac like on T2/Linux, thanks to René Rebes Patches. I bet Firefox actually is able to run on a lot of PPC Distros outside - I am happy about that. Thank you man.
Claws-Mail 4.3.1 ArchPOWER Linux successfully compiled for PPC64
Due to the lack of a good graphical email client [^1] for my Arch POWER Linux Distro (Arch Linux for PowerPC), I tried several things and ended up with claws-mail. But it is not installable or not existing in the repos of pacman for powerpc. So I dcided to compile it by myself.
Claws-Mail 4.3.1 just compiled successfully on my Powermac G5.
claws-mail first window, first start
Claws Mail is an email client (and news reader), based on GTK+, featuring:
- Quick response
- Graceful, and sophisticated interface
- Easy configuration, intuitive operation
- Abundant features
- Extensibility
- Robustness and stability
todays screenshot of my inbox on claws-mail on my powermac g5
Okay, it is an really not beautiful email client, but it works great and we should not forget my ancient hardware from 2005 :-)
[^1]: I think there is no one. Not only one.
Ressources
Tags: archlinux, powermacg5, email, ppc, ppc64
Hello ArchPOWER Linux for PPC64
In a nice comment from Matias, he told me he is using ArchPOWER Linux, an unofficial Build of Arch Linux for PowerPC, PPC64, PPC and PPCle for the Power8 Architecture etc. pp.; If I remember correctly, I stumbled across this Linux Distro while I researched for the best Linux for my Powermac G5, but maybe because I was at the beginning of my Linux journey on these machines, I found it to heavy or something else told me not to try. I don't know but it is not important anymore, because I installed ArchPOWER Linux current on my NVMe-SSD in the Powermac, multi-booting with T2 Linux, Debian 12 SID, Adelie Linux and Fienix Linux. :-)

← An IndieWeb Webring 🕸💍 →