ARCHIVED: What versions of Unix can I run on my Mac?
This content has been archived, and is no longer maintained by Indiana University. Information here may no longer be accurate, and links may no longer be available or reliable.
Depending on the model of your computer and the kind of solution you are looking for, you have several options for running Unix on your Mac:
- Mac OS X and Mac OS X Server
- Apple's Mac OS X and Mac OS X Server are Unix-based client
and server operating systems, respectively. They can run their
own applications, as well as many Unix programs.
- Darwin
- Darwin forms the foundation of Mac OS X. It doesn't
have Mac OS X's Aqua interface and won't run Mac OS
applications, but it will run many Unix programs, and a graphical
interface in the form of the X Window System is available
for it. Darwin is open source and is available free of charge for
anyone who signs Apple's license agreement. It requires a PowerPC G3
or better.
- BSD
- For those who prefer BSD Unix but can't or don't want to run OS X
or Darwin, FreeBSD, NetBSD and
OpenBSD are available. They are freeware
projects and offer varying levels of support for 68k, PowerPC, and
Intel-based Macs.
- Linux
- Several Linux distributions are compatible with Apple
computers; see ARCHIVED: What versions of Linux can I run on my Mac?
- A/UX
- A/UX was Apple's
first Unix implementation. It is a System V Unix that will
run on certain models equipped with 68030 and 68040 processors. It is
a true Unix, but can also run most 68k Mac OS applications.
A/UX is no longer being developed and is not compatible with
PowerPC or Intel-based computers.
This is document aefc in the Knowledge Base.
Last modified on 2018-01-18 09:28:43.