PowerMac G4 PPC needs X11 to run OpenOffice!?

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PowerMac G4 PPC needs X11 to run OpenOffice!?

I finally got my used PowerMac G4 PPC working and decided to download OpenOffice as my office application of choice. The trouble is that when I try to run it, I am told it cannot run because something called X11 is not installed. How/where can I find this missing application?

Power Mac G4 with AGP, Mac OS X (10.4)

Posted on Oct 24, 2008 5:21 PM

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Answer 1

Niel

Level 10

741,881 points

Oct 24, 2008 5:38 PM in response to SpockST

Install X11 from your Mac OS X 10.4 installation disk, or use OpenOffice 3.0 or NeoOffice, which eliminate the dependency.

(36931)

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Answer 2

motsteve

Level 2

225 points

Oct 24, 2008 6:29 PM in response to SpockST

Go to versiontracker and download the latest OpenOffice. It is totally compliant with Darwin and requires no X.org. It works perfectly in Leopard. I haven't tried it in Tiger.

There may be a fly in the ointment. On a PPC there may not be Darwin compliance.

Message was edited by: motsteve

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Answer 3

motsteve

Level 2

225 points

Oct 25, 2008 5:42 AM in response to motsteve

I just looked around and found out that OpenOffice 3.0 is written for Intel only. On my G4 I run Ubuntu 8.04 and OpenOffice runs fantastically. Firefox is also faster and better. I have run OpenOffice on my G4, but the X.org windows requirements are a pain, making OpenOffice less desirable on the PPC.

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Answer 4

SpockST Author

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Oct 25, 2008 2:44 PM in response to motsteve

Niel wrote:
Install X11 from your Mac OS X 10.4 installation disk ...

Don't have the 10.4 install disks, I have the 10.3 install disks. OS 10.4 was installed at the Apple store. I must make an appointment to see if I can get a copy of the tools disk and any extra optional packages not normally installed.

motsteve wrote:
Go to versiontracker and download the latest OpenOffice. ...

I found that [OpenOffice Aqua|http://porting.openoffice.org/mac/download/aqua.html] works with the Mac PPC and in fact have downloaded it and it is now up and running. 🙂

motsteve wrote:
I just looked around and found out that OpenOffice 3.0 is written for Intel only. ...

That is not quite true, see above.

Message was edited by: SpockST

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Answer 5

motsteve

Level 2

225 points

Oct 25, 2008 6:19 PM in response to SpockST

If true, X.org is not required and no need to concern yourself getting it. If it is an improvement on PPC OpenOffice then it is still not Darwin happy on a PPC. It is flawless on a Intel box (my iMac). No X windows running except Darwin's.

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Answer 6

motsteve

Level 2

225 points

Oct 25, 2008 6:42 PM in response to SpockST

It's great you have that working anyway. You shouldn't have to have X11.app running. I guess that the PPC is at the back of the bus again. 🙂

Beaten to death by X11.org,
Steve

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Answer 7

SpockST Author

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Oct 26, 2008 8:37 AM in response to motsteve

motsteve wrote:
... I guess that the PPC is at the back of the bus again. ...

It may be "at the back of the bus" but it is what I am using to evaluate Apples as a viable replacement for Windows. The biggest difference I've seen so far is that Most of the newer systems are not backwards compatible with older software. I don't know yet if that is simply a blip in the road type problem or if it is a constant. Only continued reexposure to the Apple world will help me learn more.

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Answer 8

motsteve

Level 2

225 points

Oct 26, 2008 12:59 PM in response to SpockST

Well, I've been a Mac'er since day one. I was number 4 to take delivery in Broward county back in Feb 1984, so I am very biased as to whether or not to use Mac over Windoz. I do have 11 distro's of Linux running on vm's on my iMac as well as Windoz XP Pro and my G4 Digital Audio Mac has MacOS10.4.11, Ubuntu, Debian, openSuse,and Fedora on 5 drives. One thing is for certain, I'm definitely devoted to Linux/Unix of which MacOS is a member (Darwin BSD).

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Answer 9

Oct 28, 2008 4:42 AM in response to SpockST

I have a different scenario-I run office 2008 on my Powerbook G4, but don't have a data base. Since Open office includes one, I want to install it on my external drive, and run it from there, organizing my backed up documents. There seems to be some incompatibility when trying to use MS Office and Open Office together, from what I've read-do you think this will work for me? I have downloaded one version of Open Office to my hard drive, but had the X-11 issues mentioned in this thread, so haven't been able to open it yet. Open Office Aqua may solve that issue, but what about trying to run the database with MS Office installed on my main drive?

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Answer 10

motsteve

Level 2

225 points

Oct 28, 2008 5:25 AM in response to Nancy Hilton

In the early days, when I was a manufacturing engineer and using Excel, which was only available for the Mac as Windows wasn't invented yet (yes it is true), I tried to use the database. It is a flat database and very inflexible. It works for simple things, but you may find that you really need a relational database application. My meager advise is to look into your needs and consider the OpenSource solution. You may find out that you need to go to Linux if the app is not available for Darwin on the Mac. Personally, I'm more comfortable with my Mac, but I'm not married to it. 🙂

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Answer 11

SpockST Author

Level 1

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Oct 28, 2008 7:54 AM in response to Nancy Hilton

Nancy Hilton wrote:
... There seems to be some incompatibility when trying to use MS Office and Open Office together ...

I have run OO and MSO on the same drive under Windows, so see no reason you should have trouble under Mac.

Nancy Hilton wrote:
... Open Office Aqua may solve that issue, but what about trying to run the database with MS Office installed on my main drive?

Unfortunately for me, I found that Aqua installed seemingly with no problem but I have yet to be able to get it to actually run. 😟

I used to use MS Office all the time and even taught my Computer students a little about it but have now switched 100% over to OpenOffice as, so far, the documents are directly compatible with either program. I will typically create an OO document and then save it in MSO format for those who do not yet have OO.

Unfortunately, I'm doing all this on a WinTel machine, not a Mac, as I cannot get OO to run ... yet. If you can get it to run on a PPC at all, please let me know how you did it.

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Answer 12

SpockST Author

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Oct 28, 2008 8:00 AM in response to SpockST

I found that OpenOffice Aqua installs but does not actually run.

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