I have heard tutorials on how to run linux, macintosh, and windows on an xbox. I was just wondering..., is it possible to have all three of these os's on an xbox, while retaining its original gaming functionality? Could I have a boot menu that selects the OS?

I must say this has to be the most topics I have seen about runnign a different os on an xbox in a while. And yea it is possible. But instead of a screen to select which os to boot your going to need one big switch. For instance, you are going to need either 3 or 4 different hd's depending on what you want to boot. One hd for linux, one for windows, and one for the xbox. Basically your going to need a Xtender.

Actually, it's not uncommon to install an operating system as an application, meaning that only one hard drive would be required.

However, Linux is the operating system with the most useable functionality for Xbox. Although Windows CE is installed as a stand-alone application (and barring its graphical and runtime errors, operates at a decent speed), Windows 95, 98, and Mac OS need to be emulated through Linux, essentially making them unusable for most tasks.

Ah I thought he wanted to basically dual boot between the xbox os and linux and windows. I didn't think about him using them as a app. Then again I never got xdsl to boot as a app, only boot from the cd. But you can burn the xdsl distro to a cd and use it as a livecd and basically run it off the ram without making any physical changes to your xbox. But the downfall to ti is any changes you make will not be saved unless you reburn the cd and archive the iso again, that is in reverse order of what I said.

OK, I see that you need to emulate mac OS and Windows in order to get them to run on an Xbox, but all I plan to mainly do on the Xbox is gaming and programming, which I can do on Linux. I can even emulate windows programs with WINE. So I guess I am just interested in Linux.

IMO, if yo want to do anything real with Linux,use a PC. The last thing I'd want to do is edit, let alone compile sourcode on the Xbox itself.

It used to be that the Xbox hardware was a good value for the price, as Microsoft lost money on the consoles. Now, I would say that you could get a computer just as powerful or even more powerful than the Xbox for the $100 or whatever they are going for now, and it would be much easier to put an OS of your choosing on there. I really don't see why so many people are trying to do this.