[Sussex] PS3 Linux ?

[Paul Tansom]

On Sat, 2005-06-25 at 14:49 +0100, Andrew Guard wrote:
> Well it starting to look like PS3 is going to be a Linux box but Sony
> isn't closing any doors for Mac or Windows.
> 
> It is interesting to hear they think PS3 will be us not just for games but
> all things like HDTV editing system.
> 
> http://ps3.ign.com/articles/624/624046p1.html
> 
> 
> I would love to order one these, I am just not that rich so will have wait
> another year.
> 
> http://ps3.ign.com/articles/628/628048p1.html

Personally I'd be surprised to see Windows or Mac OS on the PS3.
Microsoft is unlikely to port Windows across and give the competition's
console a feature not on their own, and Apple are hardly likely to port
Mac OS onto another processor and hardware that is cheaper than their
own.

Looking at the PS2 as some rough form of reference, the hardware is
heavily geared towards gaming, and is unlikely to be too hot as a
desktop machine, particularly if you are trying to emulate another
processor to support an unsupported (native to the processor) OS. The
PS2 runs Linux, although you'd have to get the first generation version
in the large case to allow you to install the kit. When you install it,
though, you suddenly find that 32M of memory is very small, and you're
not going to run Gnome or KDE on it. The hardware is very well suited to
gaming though, which doesn't require masses of memory, but does require
the ability to process data and move it around very, very fast.

That said, I've not actually read up on the specs for the new PS3. It
will, no doubt, be able to handle a Linux install much better than the
PS2. Sony are actually very Linux friendly and use it extensively
internally on both the server and desktop for developing the Playstation
(1, 2, and 3). I wish I had the transcript from the first BCS OSSG
meeting, there were some good stats on Linux use from Sony in the
presentation - I can't quote them off the top of my head though :(

-- 
Paul Tansom | Aptanet Ltd. | http://www.aptanet.com/