Re: Installing Debian on a Mac
On Tuesday, January 27, 2015 at 11:50:06 PM UTC+5:30, Patrick Bartek wrote:
> On Tue, 27 Jan 2015, Rusi Mody wrote:
>
> > On Monday, January 26, 2015 at 9:30:06 PM UTC+5:30, Dan Ritter wrote:
> > > On Mon, Jan 26, 2015 at 04:24:37PM +0200, Jonathan Copeland wrote:
> > > > Hi Debian Community
> > > >
> > > > I am a student and need to have Debian installed on my Mac for my
> > > > degree, What is the best and most secure way of doing this?
> > >
> > > You have several options.
> > >
> > > 1. You can run Debian in a virtual machine.
> > >
> > > 2. You can repartition your disk(s) and install Debian in a
> > > dual-boot.
> > >
> > > 3. You can wipe Mac OS and install Debian by itself.
> > >
> > > In any of those scenarios, you can encrypt the Debian partitions
> > > and make them secure enough to hold patient data.
> > >
> > > What hardware do you have, and what other requirements do you
> > > have?
> >
> > So does something like
> > http://www.howtogeek.com/187410/how-to-install-and-dual-boot-linux-on-a-mac/
> > work? And its safe??
> >
> > I am not the OP but have the same question.
> > I am running a class -- some students have windows, some have some
> > linux distro. And very few have macs.
> >
> > It would help me if there was uniformity with all using linux
> > Since I have no idea about macs, wondering if this works.
>
> If you need uniformity -- all students using the same Linux distro --
> regardless of their systems' native OSes, running a VM is the best
> (and safest) option. And when the class is finished, the VM and distro
> can be easily removed, and it will be as if it were never there.
>
> I suggest VirtualBox. Plus installing Guest Additions is an
> absolute necessity. There are versions for Linux, Windows & Mac hosts.
> Download all files from the VirtualBox web site to get the current
> version. Also, this will avoid the "crippled" versions that are
> sometimes in Linux repos.
>
> Reading completely and following explicitly the instructions goes
> without saying, but I had to say it, anyway 'cause most people don't.
Thanks for the input.
Yeah I (personally) need to get onto the VM bandwagon.
[I downloaded (from apt) virtualbox a while ago but have not got round to trying it...
So you are suggesting I get it from virtualbox website and not from apt? Ok
Noted.
However in the case of students I am not so sure...
We are at the interesting transition point* where
- de jure the college provides machines
- de facto students all have their own
If I go the legalistic (de jure) way, I should just use the college facilities
If I encourage (at least allow) for the increased benefits of students doing
their work on their own machines, I need to allow for the possibility that
some laptops will be so old/underpowered that VMs will bring them to their knees
[if at all they will run]
Still I wonder whether VM is the best option for the 'rich' guys/gals
eg those having a recent apple-mac.
I am particularly nervous with Macs because the last time I asked a colleague
to install git from macports he showed me that macports gave him sources but
no executable. I was under the notion that macports is like apt... evidently not :-)
========================
* My CS education began with a mainframe that was large enough to need a building
and expensive enough that the university had to pool resources with other local
research institutes to purchase it.
Today computing devices (also called 'mobiles') are as personal-n-private as
toothbrushes!
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