AfterDawn: News

Your favourite Linux distro on PS3

The launch of PlayStation 3 has filled gaming and technology news, but the Open Platform for PS3 has dropped a bomb. Ealier Sony promoted the Open Platform with Yellow Dog Linux operating system available and upgradeable for your PS3, now it seems like it is not going to stop there, you'll be able to install most of you favorite Linux distros also.

The installation of such operating system is made possible by Open Platform for PS3, claiming in its website that "PLAYSTATION®3 allows any desired third-party system software to be installed on it." This means that you'll be able to install any Linux distro with a PowerPC build available, and there a lot of them - Ubuntu, Gentoo, Fedora Core and SUSE to name a few.



Sony has released documents regarding Linux on the PS3, that includes an installation and setup how-to for Fedora Core 5. All you need is Other OS installer, available later from Sony's own Open Platform website, Addon Packages CD, and Fedora Core 5 installation
DVD.

For detailed Linux on the PS3 documentations visit here.

Source:
QJ.NET

Written by: Matti Robinson @ 13 Nov 2006 1:25

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• 37 comments

• sukhvail

  wooohooo!!! does anyone know if we can install windows or os x on the ps3.

  13.11.2006 02:24 #1

• OneMember

  Thats great :)

  13.11.2006 02:54 #2

• munx

  Well it does say on it's website "PLAYSTATION®3 allows any desired third-party system software to be installed on it besides its system software provided by Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Details will be posted on this site soon."
  
  So i presume why not right! You should be able to install Win or linux.

  13.11.2006 04:04 #3

• dos1986

  So what would that mean if we could install windows on the pc could you do stuff like word,internet explorer etc even use emulators designed for windows on it.

  13.11.2006 05:55 #4

• tmkansell

  I don't think you could install Windows as it uses x86 architecture. OSX, though supports PowerPC so you should be able to install that maybe! At least until Apple ditches PPC after the new intel mac have been out long enough. I'm sure that will be a few years though and at least one more new OS.

  13.11.2006 06:56 #5

• anubis66

  OSX Leopard will be going straight onto my ps3. the powerpc architecture should work, but what about those spe's? i think the ppe in the cell gives off work to the spe's when it wants or needs. they are also for stream processing.

  13.11.2006 07:12 #6

• Alcareru

  Oooohhh... sooo sweet.. sooo sweet things I'm hearing about the ps3! Damn! Could someone please "lend" me some... hmm.. lets say 1000€? So I can by a descent tv and ps3 when it gets puplished in Europe.
  :D

  13.11.2006 07:29 #7

• #afonic

  Why don't you guys slow down?
  
  All that Sony lets you install is Linux in command line mode if you bother read the documents. Sure thats cool, and I bet it will make PS3 a very cheap platform to run a web server for example but they say nothing about providing drivers for X interface (to be able to run KDE or Gnome) or sound drivers for instance.
  
  Will they provide them or its up to the community again to try and make PS3 run Linux propertly and thus turn it in a media center PC.
  
  And you start asking about Windows and Mac OSX...

  13.11.2006 08:29 #8

• tocool4u

  Hmmmm.... Mircorosft and Sony are competitors, I don't think sony would want a Microsoft product such as XP on their system. Yes i know they can(as like bootcamp on MAC) but i really doubt it will ever be supported

  13.11.2006 10:12 #9

• spiesfan

  Sony will drop linux for the ps3, this was done for the ps2 in the united states

  13.11.2006 14:48 #10

• Phoenix21

  thats very interesting

  13.11.2006 15:29 #11

• n00ber

  you wont be able to install windows or apple os as it uses a different partition format. You might be able to dual boot or use that windows emu program for linux. Windows uses ntfs whereas linux doesn't. And if you installed it, the playstation would not be able to access that partition

  13.11.2006 16:34 #12

• thekingo7

  this news is ancient, knew about this 3 weeks ago.

  13.11.2006 17:56 #13

• tabletpc

  well this does sound great that it allows you to run linux minus one thing it says nowhere that you can run linux applications just linux itself and worse why cant we run mac os x it is a powerpc processor after all i would think it would boot wouldn't you
  
  

  13.11.2006 23:51 #14

• themind

  I think its just sony hype. Its just another thing to get people interisted and like the psp, I see ps3 taking a noise dive after the launch.

  14.11.2006 01:27 #15

• theridges

  that's cool but seriously what are you going to do with linux on your PS3??
  probably nothing...

  16.11.2006 16:54 #16

• crea2k

  This is a bit risky for sony isnt it, with enough knowhow someone could in theory write a program in linux that manipulated the ps3 sofware to do whatever they want, e.g play copied games :-D whaaay.

  18.11.2006 13:50 #17

• dorkydork

  In one of the processor sites that I follow that talk about amd, intel, nec and other chip manufacturers a sony rep stated in an article on the cell that "...any operating system including windows can run on top of the cell chip/architecture". This includes the cell chip in the ps3. This article came out a year ago (in your face thekingo7 ...jk). Although they haven't explicitly said anything since, I think they'll mention something soon enough. One because of the first article I read and two because they said, "third-party system software" instead of "linux distro."

  18.11.2006 15:42 #18

• kearney

  OK. You won't be able to install Windows(R). Even if you manage to get Mac OS X (Tiger) installed on the machine because BootCamp only works for Intel based machines running the Mac OS.
  
  There is a GUI (X-Windowing System) for PS3, it's called Enlightenment, and it looks very similiar to Apple's OS X. So, no worries there.
  
  Finally, no Sony will not drop Linux on this Box. WHY? Because, SONY is not selling the Linux this time. Linux is being provided by 3rd parties. The only way Sony would stop supporting Linux on the PS3 would be if they stopped putting HardDrives in the PS3.

  18.11.2006 16:01 #19

• dorkydork

  "The Cell processor will simultaneously support multiple operating systems, such as conventional operating systems (including Linux), real-time operating systems for computer entertainment and consumer electronics applications, and guest operating systems for specific applications, the group said."
  http://linuxdevices.com/news/NS2972427392.html
  
  Sony PlayStation 3 'Cell' processor to support OS X
  http://www.macnn.com/articles/05/08/04/sony.cpu.tiger.compatible/
  
  They *can* support Windows and Mac OS X because they have built that in for their other markets (servers, etc) but they seem to be avoiding directly saying that. After its out, the next question is do you want to install windows on it.

  18.11.2006 20:11 #20

• qazwiz

  I agree, do you want to install windows?
  
  if it has an XWindows GUI then Wine should be able to run all your windows progs that are worth running
  
  If it runs Linux then it must run the programs available in Linux because Linux is more than just the kernel
  
  who sells a sandbox that can't hold sand?

  19.11.2006 02:35 #21

• scorpNZ

  Just outa curiosity would it be poss to run a OS or more appropriatley a media centre software externally instead of install include the 360 in that question,i don't intend buying 360 or PS3 for a while yet but when i do it'd be nice to know the dam things can do more than just play games or dvd's

  19.11.2006 12:45 #22

• qazwiz

  do you mean like a LiveCD?
  only goes into OS when disk is in drive at boot up?
  
  it would need to auto boot from CD drive to be a true LiveCD but even if it won't do that it should act like a LiveCD if you run from CD as you would any other game/app... only reason to install on HardDrive is to have faster start up and larger (and permanant) storage when running... while only reason to go live CD (or what ever) would be to save hard drive space and twiddle your thumbs while it scecks for all your hardware everytime you start linux

  19.11.2006 18:57 #23

• fibrewire

  Hey guys, relax. The opensource movement built everything off of one guy's kernel .. remember linux torvalds? Duh, everybody wants to put linux on their machine, its just a way for sony to get the development community to figure out badass ways to use the system architecture. Who wants to be used for this you say? How about EVERYONE that WANTS KICKASS GAMES! I for one have a PS3 and luckily with a few modified build scripts and modprobing X runs fine in VESA mode. Please take the time do download the cell processor SDK that has been available for damn near 2 years now and all of this makes sense. Did i mention the SDK has a cell proc emulator with it? :-)

  20.11.2006 06:56 #24

• bzboarder

  im thinking along the same lines as crea2k here. using an open source software could potentially create problems for sony by pirates. although it defiantly makes me want to buy one more knowing i might be able to backup my games hopefully sooner than not.

  20.11.2006 09:58 #25

• scorpNZ

  In the 4th post up from this one i was referring to a external hdd,whether it would work without a mod chip of some sort remains to be seen,quite frankly they should be able to be modded like PC's as far as i'm concerned (adding bigger hdd's,stuff)or cetrainly more mod friendly to allow to run OS's

  20.11.2006 12:59 #26

• dorkydork

  I think you are missing the point. Sony has never said that the PS3 is a game console. They never really explicitly said its a PC either that I recall. I would love to know their master plan but it seems like they are targeting both markets (games obviously). And I'd say PC is on the list as well, especially at $600. It costs more than a AMD 64 3800+, DL DVD±RW/CD-RW, 250GB HD, 1GB RAM ($524 at bb).
  
  scorpNZ (i used to live in warkworth):
  Kboot supports the following functions:
  
  * Boot-up by loading Linux kernel and initrd from the built-in HDD, built-in BD drive, and/or USB storage device (e.g. HDD, CD-ROM, memory card)
  
  
  Why I think they may support it as a replacement for your PC (possibly fully functional??). All the signs are there for it:
  
  How to Enable your Distro section:
  
  PS3 which System Software version 1.10 or later is installed
  
  * Controller
  * USB keyboard
  * USB Memory or MemoryStick or SD or CompactFlash
  * Monitor

  20.11.2006 14:02 #27

• scorpNZ

  @dorkydork formally of warkworth :p
  i'm right in the thick of it in Manurewa i never leave home without my scoped shotgun...lol...
  
  There's no doubt that the 360 was geared to be an extension of a comp as ms had mentioned it in it's early days,i was half expecting it to come with some sort of media edition software as well as surf the web so much for that, perhaps the next console it will happen considering all of ms's talk about the 360 being a hub and now it's more of a fizzer,as for PS3 well i was suprised it came with a web browser it'd be great too if it can connect to the net while gaming in case ya get stuck on a level and need to check out a walkthru,it's a pain having to get up and go to the comp...lol...
  
  

  21.11.2006 07:52 #28

• qazwiz

  @scorpNZ
  sounds like you want multiple desk tops
  
  Hmmm, sounds familar
  
  wonder where we could find a way to flip between desktops???
  
  maybe LINUS has an Idea
  
  (his name is NOT linux torvalds)

  22.11.2006 20:59 #29

• pyromancr

  Can anyone tell me why nobody has taken the Xbox or Xbox 360 or PS2 operating system (O.S.) and made them available for a P.C.? HUH??!? Am I the only one who see's the benefit of an O.S. made specifically to run games? And only games? Streamlined to run games? FASTER!?!?! I asked this same question 2 or 3 years ago, and I recieved no real answers. And apparently no one is trying this now either. I can upgrade my hard drive. And my proccessor. And my - you get the picture. But not and Xbox or Xbox 360 or PS or PS2 or PS3. ?Why? WHY I SAY!!!

  25.11.2006 14:24 #30

• scorpNZ

  Compatability issues and why bother the games on console are also on PC apart from a select few

  26.11.2006 07:44 #31

• kearney

  pyromancr, you have a good idea there. The only downside, is that the OS's on the console's are extremely limited. just turn them on without any games, and that's the OS :( Kinda sucks doesn't it?
  
  Now, I'll expand on what scorpNZ said. First the PS2 has a 128-bit RISC based processor named Emotion Engine, where as current PC processors have recently been upgraded to 64 bit from 32. So, to run the PS2 OS on a PC, the OS would have to be emulated. And as we all know, emulations run relatively slow. So, these games would utterly suck.
  
  Now, for the GameCube. While an OS may be created for any Apple computer, the GameCube's OS allows developers to access/write data to the cache of the CPU. So, now a new OS would have to be written that allows for the modification of an Apple's CPU cache. which, while this may not seem very hard, I don't know anyone who knows how to access the cache of any computer, let alone write data to it without just hosing the computer.
  
  And as for the xbox, since I'm not that familiar with the xbox arch vs just a regular PC, I'll let someone who does know take this one :-)

  26.11.2006 18:18 #32

• qazwiz

  sounds nicw, run games on current hardware...
  
  but they are selling you hardware as well as OS and software (the games)
  
  no one is going to slit their economical throat by allowing you to bypass their hardware
  
  now in ten years, there is likely to be an emulator but not now... currently there are hacked emulators for game boxes from twenty years ago but not the current ones

  29.11.2006 07:21 #33

• dumsirens

  Originally posted by theridges: that's cool but seriously what are you going to do with linux on your PS3??
  probably nothing...Actually my friend and his girlfriend could not afford a decent computer and are going to put linux on their ps3. My friends lady plans on doing her homework on it. I think it's definately sweet that the PS3 is made for other operating systems, well, linux.

  9.11.2007 12:10 #34

• qazwiz

  I'm glad this thread got revived
  
  can anyone out there say if the system is working just like Linux on a big box?
  
  if so programs should be able to be installed contrary to one naysayer above

  10.11.2007 06:15 #35

• kearney

  qazwiz
  Most programs for Linux will work on the PS3. There might be a few exceptions (those that require hardware specific code such as decoding video, and possibly sound) OpenOffice will work just fine, though.
  
  According to terrasoft's website, since the PS3 still uses a PPC architecture, any applications written for the PPC & Linux will work on the PS3
  
  Personally, I don't have a PS3, I have the PS2 with Linux on it. And for the most part, installing stuff is really pretty easy. But, theres also a PS2 linux community out there, so if I have trouble, I can ask for help

  14.11.2007 08:32 #36

• xboxclear

  ps3 dualbooting linux is so sweet. one giant gaming rig/ office machine that connects to HD tv? hell yeah!!

  15.10.2008 01:07 #37