Linux Coming to the Nintendo DS

GamersZion writes "A recent IRC conversation with ChaosKnight, a member of the DS Linux development team, revealed information about the status of the DS Linux project. 'It was a bit tough to get the ball rolling, but with PassMe fully functional and everything starting to fall in order, I wouldn't be surprised to see an alpha release within the next month.' While little information is being revealed about the release of this anticipated software, it looks like we can be expecting it sometime in the short future."

WooHoo!!

[deggy]

If I could run an ssh client and a web browser on a DS with a wireless connection i'd go out and buy one tomorrow!!

just wondering...

[weavermatic]

Why do you people want to put linux on everything under the sun?

Re:just wondering...

[Lisandro]

Because they can? Let the nerds be happy i say.

Re:Great!

[mrseigen]

Well, Linux definitely has more games than the DS at this point. What a completely dismal line-up.

This is great

[MemoryDragon]

Add to that the opie project and you get a fully functional pda...

Re:Universal OS.

[Koiu Lpoi]

It's going to be a very short list. Almost anything we call a 'computer' (and that is going to include almost all gaming systems) is going to run - the only challenges you have are a) getting it to compile on whatever processer you run b) all types of I/O, memory addressing, etc. there's enough geeks out there that we can have linux on pretty much anything. Give it a month, I expect Linux on the PSP as well. They've already got Linux on the Playstation 2, so I don't see it taking much time.

This is unusually interesting to me

[SetupWeasel]

Most of the "Linux runs on X" news isn't all that interesting to me. Usually if it would be useful to run Linux on X, it already has a lot of the functionality Linux would give from other software. If X doesn't have software that gives it this functionality already, porting Linux is usually useless for the average chap (like with the PS2).

This, however, is a case of a piece of hardware that could greatly benefit from a Linux OS, but doesn't have anything like it already available. My DS may be the first piece of hardware I have ever run Linux on.

(I feel like I just screamed "WE CAME FROM APES!" to a bunch of Southern Baptists when I typed that last sentence.)

Re:What are people doing with their exotic Linuxes

[A.K.A_Magnet]

I agree that except for the glory, porting Linux to exotic hardware is quite limited.

But remember Linux on XBOX. At the time it went gold, the XBOX had a good hardware configuration for a decent price (and now it's still OK : $150). It doesn't take too much space, and you can have a linux home server.

Now the same thing applies with the DS (or the PSP but no tactile screen...). It's damn hard to get a Zaurus or equivalent in Europe and it's really expensive. If those nintendoDS hackers can get Linux to run on the DS, can get dual boot, and reverse engeener the tactile screen and the wifi connection, it could become one of the best available PDAs : true games (not crappy Palm games...) and a true OS.

So there's a goal. Now do I think that THIS portable console generation will be powerful enough (in term of batteries, processor, and lack of sufficient storage device) so I will get one and install Linux on it ? Nope.

But maybe in a few years it will be possible on the next Sony or Nintendo. And then I can well imagine myself in my university campus browsing the web, and chatting on IRC (that would require a separate wifi mini keyboard ? hardware hacker, anyone ? ;)) on the grass under the sun :). The NintendoDS is small enough to take it anywhere with you.

We have a freedom guaranted by free software. When I buy a NintendoDS, it's a closed package. I get what I paid for. But if I can put some free software on it then it goes beyond my first motive of buying it. That's something the current society doesn't want us to do. It wants us to buy prepared food, and they want us to buy prepackaged hardware (which may be excused by pragmatic reasons since it would be impossible to support if we got every hardware piece separated from software). But still if it's my NintendoDS, I can do whatever I want with it. Just like I can buy beef at the chinese and cook my own rice (incredibly cheaper .. not quite as good but heh..)

To sum up, I think that even if such initiatives doesn't always end up as one (= the initiative's founder especially ;)) would have wished, they're still great and everyone motivated enough not to follow the standard path (people who cook their own food) can profit from it. So all in all : Kudos to people who port free software to unsupported hardware :)

So cites IRC

[LordHatrus]

"A recent IRC conversation..." Yes, we should cite those as very reliable sources. ... Because everything you read on IRC is true. ... Did I mention I'm a 18 year old female from your general area?

Re:Great!

[notque]

In fact, I personally only really consider Lumines to be the only good game for the PSP. I can't play my copy though. I've had to return NINE PSPs for being defective (in several different ways) and am currently now without a PSP.

Without the exceedingly high cost, and the overwhelming complaints, I'd bu... Oh, and the lack of good launch titles, the company not being particularly willing to replace defective products,

I'd love to own a PSP.

Did I mention the absolutely insane cost of a 1 gig memory chip?