Much as the promise of all that HD gaming is an enticing prospect, the geeks have already bent the PS3 to their will – by installing the Linux operating system on it.
You’d be forgiven for assuming that, given its attitude to the PSP, Sony would be against this sort of thing. That it would take a load of hacking, breaking of warranties and installation of legally dubious chips. But actually, Sony completely supports people that want to do a bit more than simply play games, browse the web, watch high def movies, listen to music, view photo galleries and all that on their PS3s, with a set of comprehensive instructions that explain how to do it.
Sony’s support of Linux on PS3 is, after all, just a continuation of a policy it began on PS2 when it released the Linux kit in 2002, which allowed budding programmers to create their own games and applications for the console.
Apart from providing instructions for how to install Linux on the PS3, Sony has also sponsored the development of a version of Yellow Dog Linux designed specifically for the system. It’s already available for download for existing Yellow Dog Linux users, but a DVD installation disk will be out on December 11 for $99, and it’ll be released for general download on December 25.
So, aside from a bit of light word processing and going through the budgets in OpenOffice, what does the chance to fiddle about in Linux actually do for PS3? Well, think homebrew games development. Sony executive Izumi Kawanishi has said “Because we have plans for having Linux on board [the PS3], we also recognize Linux programming activities… Other than game studios tied to official developer licenses, we’d like to see various individuals participate in content creation for the PS3.”
Hooray! Quite how this will eventually work out is currently unclear, however. Sony won’t be releasing the high-end development tools it gives professional developers to the hoi polloi, so it’s up to the community to figure out how to access the PS3’s complexities. And how games can be distributed is a mystery, too – PS2 Linux developers are unable to release their games to anyone that doesn’t also have PS2 Linux. Will Sony feature PS3 homebrew games on the PlayStation Network? Perhaps we can get Phil Harrison to provide some answers next week…
If you’re not a coder, there’s still plenty that Linux on the PS3 can bring you. After all, there are many, many applications already available for the operating system. Using VLC you can play pretty much any video file you like on your telly. And though we couldn’t possibly condone it, you could play old games using MAME and other emulators, and there are many native Linux games, too.
As more and more people get hold of PS3s and get fiddling around with Linux, it’ll only get better and better. At the very least, Linux transforms the PS3 into a very capable living room PC.
Alex Wiltshire
way to go Sony! And supporting non proprietary memory formats too…
BTW your RSS Feed has stopped working.
Comment by Pete — Dec 7, 2006 @ 4:33 pm
I don’t think it’s something I would use straight away but having the option is a brilliant thing. And once someone hacks it so I can use MACOS I’ll be jumping all about the place
Comment by Ben Furneaux — Dec 7, 2006 @ 6:20 pm
There is one thing that you SCEI need to open up if they really want to get the Linux going and that is access to the GPU and to forget about the current method for rendering. Also those 256 Megs of vram should be fully accessible even though access to it from the Cell comes at a great cost.
The fact that a huge chunk of main memory is used for a framebuffer where software blitting is performed is a bit disappointing to say the least.
Until the GPU support is there it cannot compete with a PC.
Comment by disc — Dec 8, 2006 @ 1:21 am
Right, great, but does anyone know how practical it’ll be to actually use Linux on the PS3, even if you are a coder???
Comment by Belfast Steps — Dec 8, 2006 @ 8:19 am
Why do you want Linux on PS3? I guess to win the SETI top spot. With all that floating point co-processor power under the hood that should be awesome. You could let all PS3’s of the world get at it while they are not played!
Also, if your are looking to use your OpenOffice.org on the PS3, please let me know if Plan-B for OpenOffice.org ( http://openoffice.screencast-tutorials.com/index )works under Linux on the PS3. Send me a screenshot if you can kaj kandler AT conficio DOT com.
Comment by Kaj Kandler — Dec 8, 2006 @ 2:46 pm
Not having access to the GPU is holding the Linux back greatly. Hopefully, whatever is in RSX that they are keeping low key will be blown wide open sooner than later so the real fun can begin.
Then again, it may have to do with NVidia not supporting PPC Linux drivers on any of their GPUs.. Hopefully the PS3 isn’t caught up in some red tape. We need 3d acceleration!
Comment by Lefein — Dec 13, 2006 @ 7:14 pm
AGAIN… We need 3D ACCELERATION!!
I just want to point out that the Cell CPU system such as PS3 is something that we all want to get our hands on as a desktop pc solution. Mercury’s Cell BE computer systems are something no normal person can afford. I’ts very tragic that the ps3’s 2d/3d has been blocked. The open source software community has a great gamma of graphics software (blender3D, Jahshaka, SynFig… and so on) that in combination with a Cell based system such as PS3 could become teh best tool a graphics designer would ever have. Common PC hardware developers, even with QUAD core architectures and 1GB graphic cards dont seem to do the trick. Also the MACs going towards intel’s Pentium CPU, things are getting more and more messed up. The PS3 platform could become a really great desktop system alternative not only for graphics but for any type of desktop pc usage… BUT!!!… 2d/3d acceleration is blocked!! there’s always has to be something blocking the way for someting beter…
Comment by michael — Jan 28, 2007 @ 10:17 pm
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