Today's hottest game video: Fedora Linux on PS3
by Kevin Kelly 
{ Nov 21st 2006 at 1:30AM }
Complete with commentary track! If YouTube starts allowing users to upload alternate commentaries for videos on their site, that would be the bomb, but we digress. Today's hottest game video shows Fedora Core 5 running on a PlayStation 3. It's pretty sexy when the Fedora GNOME GUI starts up, complete with hot gaming action from Blackjack and Mahjong. We're unsure how it would look in HD (craptastic?), but it has our vote as a pretty cool haxie.Soon, Linux will rule the world. Check out the video after the jump.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
traffic @ Nov 21st 2006 2:04AM
1st
chonzer @ Nov 21st 2006 2:07AM
2nd
Mohamed @ Nov 21st 2006 2:21AM
it's a nice thing to see a linux compilation working on PS3, maybe sometime in the future we may see Windows Vista working on the console, but the question is what could a pure PS3 gamer benefit from this capability?
Silver R. Wolfe @ Nov 21st 2006 2:16AM
Awesome.
amedjones @ Nov 21st 2006 1:45PM
so how does one install Fedore on ps3? what good can we make of it that PC cannot do?
I think it great though that we can O/S on ps3, this could be Sony big selling point to the open source community and geeks alike.
If linux every needed a boast to create an entertainment O/S much like Microsoft did , this is their chance. Now they can bring the power of open source to the living room and people will 4sure go for it because hey " its free"
shivr @ Nov 21st 2006 2:28AM
after a certain point.... why don't you just use your computer?
Silver R. Wolfe @ Nov 21st 2006 2:29AM
@ Mohamed
Using Fedora, you can also access emulators to play other console games. It would make the VC on the Wii almost useless.
FSK405K @ Nov 21st 2006 2:34AM
Fedora? So I guess that's like Red Hat?
Silver R. Wolfe @ Nov 21st 2006 2:35AM
Yes, if memory serves me correctly, Fedora was built off of Red Hat.
Hence why it's still a hat. :D
tom @ Nov 21st 2006 2:40AM
I cant wait for a full out PS3 gaming distro. Needs to have full driver support for sound, network, and gamepads plus all the major emulators (no ROMs). Hell, charge money for it, if it makes things easy to set up I'd buy it for 50 bucks in a heartbeat.
aggro crag @ Nov 21st 2006 2:43AM
I think it would be nice for more future features like more driver support and an option to log back into the original PS3 operating system rather than holding down the power button.
Silver R. Wolfe @ Nov 21st 2006 2:49AM
Fedora Core 5 was not designed with the PS3 in mind. If you want a Linux OS optimized for the PS3, try Yellow Dog Linux.
http://www.terrasoftsolutions.com/products/ydl/
AJay17 @ Nov 21st 2006 2:55AM
Nice. PS3 was hacked pretty fast.
Darren Tilley @ Nov 21st 2006 3:01AM
Ajay17, the PS3 wasn't hacked. Sony have said that PS3 would be able to run Linux since E3 '05. The OtherOS component that makes it possible is available for download on Sony's website.
Johannes Axner @ Nov 21st 2006 3:08AM
Emulators is one thing, I want MPlayer and/or VLC!
Silver R. Wolfe @ Nov 21st 2006 3:08AM
Yeah AJay17, the PS3 should allow you to boot any form of PPC OS. It just needs to be able to support the hardware.
Mac OSX could even work on it someday if someone wants to mod OSX.
Marty @ Nov 21st 2006 6:28AM
I would trust Red Hat's product over "Terra Soft"'s any day in response 2 poster #11
Darren Tilley @ Nov 21st 2006 3:48AM
All the videos I've seen of Linux running on a PS3 have been from this one guy. Does anyone with an HDTV have Linux running at a decent resolution.
Also, does anyone know if the Kernel is optimized any for Cell, or is it just running off the PowerPC, ignoring the SPEs.
Jimmy Reds @ Nov 21st 2006 4:23AM
Sony should start supporting Linux "properly" even if it's just to piss off Microsoft with their latest "Let's try and destroy Linux" attempt.
Caleb @ Nov 21st 2006 10:33PM
personaly being able to boot into linux and use the ps3 as a rendering box when not using it for games would be a realy cool thing to me also geek points ++ :D
Ryan @ Nov 21st 2006 6:33AM
I thought this thing was supposed to play videogames? Oh well, at least PS3 owners can play freecell and solataire while their waiting for decent games, other than ports. ;)
Norlick @ Nov 21st 2006 7:46AM
To the guy that said linux renders VC useless:
That would be so if linux actually had a fully compatable emulator for N64, Genesis and the TG16.
Not only that, but linux only runs on one SPE, and restricts use to graphics acceleration, so theres really no way you could get a PS3 running Nintendo 64 games at decent speed even if there was a good linux emulator.
I'm afraid that the PC is where you need to go for Emulation and PC-like functions.
Besides, if your looking into paying $600 for a linux system, your being ripped off, PS3 was designed for games and movie playback, and thats what would be the smartest thing to do with it, yknow, play games, like Metal Gear Solid 4 and such.
Sorry if this post offended anyone(how could it?), but I'm just a little tired of hearing morons go on about something they dont understand.
shirizaki @ Nov 21st 2006 7:48AM
Old Sauce.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ps2_linux
Even though this is leaps and bounds better than what was offered on the PS2. I'm happy, and it means those PPC distros will get some use.
Norlick @ Nov 21st 2006 7:55AM
Let me add BTW that my above post was rushed and probably has an inconsistency or two.
ngs @ Nov 21st 2006 8:46AM
@Darren Tilley: If I'm not mistaken, the number of penguins on the boot screen has something to do with the cores in the Cell. I can't verify that at this time though. It would make sense though if Sony has one of the SPEs reserved and doesnt release it to the OS, you can see the 6 other SPEs represented by the 6 penguins on boot.
> @ Nov 21st 2006 9:28AM
This is awsome.. basically the library of playable games on PS3 has shot up by a few thousand games; out of the box to boot (no hacking).
lol.. this one friend was excited about being about to download NES games on wii.. then i showed him my NES/SNES rom collection (soon to be on PS3) and he was floored.
Deezul @ Nov 21st 2006 9:34AM
Wow, folks wait days in line for a $600 computer - CAUSE I CAN LOAD LINUX ON IT! Tell you what. Give me $600, wait outside MY house for 2 days and I'll get you a computer that runs linux. That's about how long it should take to mod my old Xbox.
Johannes Axner @ Nov 21st 2006 9:42AM
It's not about getting a computer for $600, it's about getting some added value for that $600 you pay for a gaming console. Another great factor for me is not having tons of annoying cables and boxes under my and/or running through my appartment. It'd be great if the PS3 could replace my set top box instead of just adding to my living room clutter.
Jake @ Nov 21st 2006 9:54AM
Yay, illegal roms for all. Hopefully some of them contain viruses.
Matt @ Nov 21st 2006 9:56AM
Sony customer's don't deserve linux... Linux isn't about stealing property, its about using free software and being honest.
On another note....LOL @ FEDORA BORE
John @ Nov 21st 2006 11:11AM
Microsoft just got pwned!
lol!
i wanna Paystation 3 now lol!
http://www.petitiononline.com/ps3/petition.html
Shagi @ Nov 21st 2006 11:12AM
To reboot the Ps3 into its native OS type in:
boot-game-os
You dont need to hold the power button to switch back and your video settings will still be intact.
Welcome...
liket @ Nov 21st 2006 11:19AM
#26 Will it have a blu-ray drive and be sold with loss? All computers are sold at a loss, aren't they? :P
Isos @ Nov 21st 2006 11:48AM
What we need is Linux for the Nintendo Wii so that we dont hav to buy Opera and can play DVD on the console!
TopaZ @ Nov 21st 2006 12:08PM
I don't know about Fedora, but on Yellow Dog's site they say they're the first distro to be created exclusively for Cell processor (they also have another build for the Cell server that is apparently on the market already).
I can't wait!
And to those scoffing at using PS3 as a PC, try building your own PC with equivalent processing power, and see how much it costs you: Intel Core2Duo $300, Bluray Drive $500, NVidia 7800 $300, we're at $1100 already, and still haven't covered much of what's in there. Oh yeah, and it's a pretty nifty gaming console as well.
Kspraydad @ Nov 21st 2006 12:11PM
Isos...
No...we don't.
Deezul @ Nov 21st 2006 1:25PM
#31, Since the HD DVD drive can be had for $160 right now, slap that onto any computer with a USB 2.0 connection. Ta Dah, for less than $600, I have HD! Next?
AnnieTaintUrWagon @ Nov 21st 2006 1:48PM
If I do this on my PS3 will I void my warranty in any way? Or by playing illegal roms would I?
ninja @ Nov 21st 2006 2:07PM
I'm not sure if you would call this a 'hack' rather than a feature. Why? Because Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. has been working with the Linux Development Community to help get a version of Linux to run on the PS3.
Check out the white papers here:
http://static.afterdawn.com/other/ps3-linux/
cool stuff..
Extinction @ Nov 21st 2006 3:56PM
"Not only that, but linux only runs on one SPE"
No, it runs on both PPC cores, and you can use the 6 available SPEs
DarkHalf @ Nov 21st 2006 5:25PM
Something no ones done that i know of is cat /proc/cpuinfo on a nix distro running on a ps3. Its all well running through a vid like that, but a nix user doesnt care if its got all that games crap. Wheres the serious information?
Norlick @ Nov 21st 2006 8:22PM
@39
Thanks for clearing that up, however linux is yet to, and likely wont, have an application built around Cell.
This means that all those emulators will most likely only run on one core, and as such, wont work too well.
Also, consider this;
If professional game developers are finding the Cell hard to work with, how do you think the casual community will cope trying to use its power?
I doubt there'll be much software taking advantage of Cell, unless its done by and experienced team, I doubt much software will use Cell productively.
As I said, do whatever you can to get it if youre a programmer, but if youre a casual, dont bother.