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Installing Linux
Ubuntu 15.xx won't work. Ubuntu 16.xx won't work. Any 64-bit Ubuntu won't work.
If you would like to install Ubuntu, see this page. You will most likely need an installation LiveCD, from which you can install the operating system. If it's going to be the only OS on your computer, the process is fairly straightforward. However, most team members are loath to part with OSX or Windows, and thus run Parallels or dual-boot.
The following link explains how dual booting (running two different operating systems on one physical computer) works. Worth a read before reading the tutorials below. http://www.howtogeek.com/187789/dual-booting-explained-how-you-can-have-multiple-operating-systems-on-your-computer/
NOTE: If you make a mistake while partitioning the disc (don't worry if you don't know what that means yet -- the tutorials explain), you could lose data. It is very good idea to backup your computer to an external hard drive before beginning the installation process.
It is possible to get out system up and running with a 64-bit distribution of Linux, but it is not recommended. You'll have to manually find 32-bit libraries and stuff, which is really just a big pain in the butt. You can run a 32-bit operating system on any hardware so trust us, as long as the robots we use are 32-bit, you should use a 32-bit system as well.
If you're going to dual-boot a Mac, see [this page](https://help.ubuntu.com/community/MactelSupportTeam/AppleIntelInstallation#Dual-Boot: Mac OSX and Ubuntu), which describes one way to dual-boot OSX and Ubuntu. This method will definitely work for a Snow Leopard/Maverick Meerkat dual boot. A few tips, mostly reiterating things that are already in the linked instructions :
- Do install rEFIt. It's nice.
- Use DiskUtility to shrink the Mac partition on your hard drive, and choose free space as the format of the new partition.
- If DiskUtility refuses to partition the hard drive, try repairing it by booting from a Snow Leopard installation CD.
- If rEFIt is not picking up the CD, hold down alt during boot. You will be able to select the CD from there.
- Partitions can conform to your personal taste, but here's one definitely functional partitioning scheme:
- /dev/sda1 = fat32, EFI
- /dev/sda2 = hfs+, Mac
- /dev/sda3 = ext4, Ubuntu (boot loader here)
- /dev/sda4 = linux-swap (see this)
- MAKE SURE to put your boot loader in the Linux partition. The picture in the linked instructions refers to an "Advanced" button, but in the 10.10 installer it is simply a drop-down menu in the partitions dialog. Don't miss it.
- You may not need to fix the partition tables like it says in the last step.
The following link is useful: http://www.howtogeek.com/187410/how-to-install-and-dual-boot-linux-on-a-mac/
If you're going to dual-boot with Windows, check this out. The instructions are good and straight forward. You can also ensure that you're PC will support Ubuntu with a little googling. If you can't find anything, you can feel free to try it anyway. It might just work out.
The following link is useful: http://www.howtogeek.com/128347/5-ways-to-try-out-and-install-ubuntu-on-your-computer/
Follow the steps to set up your Linux machine here.