GNU/Linux bootable CD on XBOX: dyne:bolic

jaromil writes "The dyne:bolic bootable CD distribution is almost getting to its final 1.0 release, includes a whole bunch of multimedia applications making it easy to edit and stream audio and video, encrypt mails, share p2p and of course play games, all with a fancy GNUStep desktop. download the 1.0 alpha 5 ISO (~350Mb) and try it on your PC or XBOX!" One more reason to mod an xbox.

Direction wrong, please try again.

[tomstdenis]

It isn't that we have to introduce *gamers* to Linux. It's that we have to introduce *game developers* to linux. Gamers don't write games [well some may but most don't].

If you build it, they will come, etc, etc.

Same can be said for hardware manufacturers. Some working CMPCI drivers would kick ass too.

Tom

Re:Another Live-CD

[beef3k]

I see it first and foremost as a very efficient way of introducing people to linux without first having to convinve them that they need to repartition their box and install a new boot loader ("huh? boot loader?"), let alone install linux. With Knoppix etc. you can demo linux to someone in 2 minutes instead of 2 hours.

It could also be useful if you do contracting of any sort and would like to work on linux instead of you-know-what (you'd need a USB pen drive or the like for your data).

wtf? Mpeg encoder and video-in recorder?

[iainl]

OK, so turning my XBox into a Tivo with the aid of a modchip, a larger hard-drive and this bootcd would be great, but for one obvious thing. Where on earth is the video-in they plan to use this with?

Similiarly, there is no audio-in for the sound recorders.

And Blender is a nightmare of a gui in the first place, even when you've got a keyboard and mouse...

At the end of the day, an Xbox version of KnoppixMAME would probably be more useful, I feel. Still, its an interesting experiment.

Re:Let's get this out of the way.

[orange_6]

Me: Why not get a Lindows computer?
Because I can't play Halo on Lindows.

Re:To all Linux supporters, This is our chance.

[HanzoSan]

The goal is to build mindshare, you cannot get people to try Linux on their mission critical desktop PCs unless they trust you, truely trust you.

You can however get a stranger to run a CD on their gaming console, people dont have to trust you for that. The goal is to get the average person to know Linux exists, once they know it exists then you can market Linux to these peoples PCs.

Actually I'd do it in this order, consoles, college campuses(laptops), computer labs, and finally desktop PCs.

People after they see others running it on their laptops in class will get jealous and be more likely to try it, people dont mind experimenting on a laptop, most laptop users are the only ones using the laptop, a desktop PC however is mission critical, their whole family might use it, they may not trust you enough to even investigate Linux.

Like I said start small and build up to critical mass before you market it to Desktops.

I'm waiting for the Redhat/Lindows live CD.

[HanzoSan]

Knoppix is good, but we need some live CDs based on Redhat. We need Redhat Linux because its the most stable and easiest to use. If I am going to introduce someone to Linux, the options would be Mandrake, Redhat, Lindows, but never Debian or Slackware.

But until the Redhat/Mandrake live CD promotion kit is released, I will use Knoppix.

Re:To all Linux supporters, This is our chance.

[NanoGator]

"These new live CDs finally give us the chance to introduce Linux to the masses."

*Cough*karmawhore*cough*

Sorry, this is not going to get Linux out to the masses.

1.) Playing around with the XBOX on a fuzzy TV is not going to impress people to the point of installing a new OS.

2.) If they've got an XBOX, they're likely a gamer. They're not going to dump Windows for Linux. Bad audience to target.

3.) More people have PCs than XBOXs, so why target a niche product anyway?

" Recently I emailed dozens of my friends, and I will attempt to introduce them to Linux in a way thats safe, with these new CDs you dont have to actually install Linux."

I have a better idea, use Knoppix [knoppix.org]. (Slashdot also recently had an article about Knoppix MAME which comes with MAME...) You burn an ISO, leave the Knoppix CD you just burned in your drive, reboot computer, wait for a minute and Linux comes up. No fuss. No installation. Completely useful.

Here's the best part: Knoppix can access NTFS. So, the big bonus here is that if anybody ever fries their Windows system, they can just pop this disc in and get back to their files. Heck, if they really feel like tinkering with it, it's like having their workstation on a CD. Bitchin.

"People are going to read this and think i'm some kinda Linux zealot...."

Actually, I was thinking karma whore. ;)

"... or even get Linux to run on the PS2."

It's there, but it's not free.

Re:To all Linux supporters, This is our chance.

[Anonymous Coward]

Well it's my understanding that the vector units are actually complete MIPS cores

Your understanding is completely wrong. The VUs are a special DSP chip with a unique two-instruction-at-once set of opcodes. They do not resemble MIPS cores in any way.