If you don’t understand why you should bother to install Linux then please see this post. If not, then you’re all set to go.

First I’m going to explain some technical terms:
A distribution, as Wikipedia explains, is a member of the Linux family of Unix-like operating systems comprising the Linux kernel, the non-kernel parts of the GNU operating system, and assorted other software.

In other words, all Linux distributions (essentially editions) are made up of the same Linux core. Distributions are different from each other when it comes to the programs and packages that they come with.

A package is a file (that usually ends in .deb) that can be used to install programs. As will be explained later, installing programs on Linux is quite a bit different than installing programs on OS X or Windows.

Anyway, we’re going to install a distribution called Ubuntu. Ubuntu is one of the most popular Linux distributions. It has a huge community and great support. The official Ubuntu website is ubuntu.com. The support forums for Ubuntu are located at ubuntuforums.org. There is also an IRC chatroom for Ubuntu. If you’re new to irc, then you can find instructions on how to use it here.

There are several different versions of Ubuntu (i.e. Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Xubuntu). To find more out about each of them read this article. If you’re still confused then read this post of mine which also briefly explains the difference between them.

First head over to Ubuntu.com and download the version of Ubuntu of your choice. For the sake of this article, I’m going to assume that you chose Ubuntu 7.04 (code named “Feisty Fawn”). PPC Macs are officiallyunsupported, however I personally use Ubuntu on my PPC Mac without a hitch. Ubuntu downloads for PPC are located here.

Head over to Ubuntu.com and read the instructions for a “Standard Install.” If you’re using a Mac, then you should also read these instructions on how to partition your hard drive without erasing it.

Proceed by burning the cd, backing up your hard drive (just in case), partitioning your hard drive, installing, and rebooting as detailed in the howtos mentioned above. You should now have a fully functioning dual boot system. When you turn on your computer, you will be presented with a dialog that will allow you to choose between Linux and Mac OS X (or Windows.) If you’re a powerpc user then it will choose Linux by default (if you do nothing) but you can easily change that later.

The following instructions only apply to Mac users: Reboot into Linux and open up a terminal. Type “sudo apt-get remove bluez-utils”. Enter your password (even though it seems like you’re not typing, you are) and your wireless Apple mouse and keyboard should now work. To get your wifi working follow these instructions.

Congragulations! You now have a working install of Ubuntu Linux. From here, I recommend that you go over to ubuntu.com and read up on the information in the wiki. I also recommend that you read this article- How to install anything in Ubuntu. Good luck!