PlayStation 3 HDD to Ship With Linux 548
timtwobuck writes "Gamespot.com is reporting that Ken Kutaragi, president of Sony Computer Entertainment, has disclosed in an interview that PlayStation 3 will natively run Linux. In fact, it will come bundled with it, if you purchase the HDD peripheral." From the article: "But while Linux would require a hard drive to run on, Kutaragi told Impress PC Watch, 'We're not going to equip [the PS3 with] a HDD by default, because no matter how much [capacity] we put in it, it won't be enough.' It was unclear whether he was referring to the previously known fact that the PS3 would not have an internal hard drive or whether he was indicating that the device would not come with the external 2.5-inch detachable HDD outlined in the specs revealed at E3."
Open source? (Score:2, Interesting)
Not listening to anything re HDD (Score:5, Interesting)
Personally, I think it would be a mistake that they not include an HDD with the console, but considering the rumoured cost of the PS3, it is probably doubtful that it will include one at launch.
One more battle one by the good guys! (Score:1, Interesting)
Isn't this incredible. A few years ago they wouldn't have touched Linux with a ten foot pole and now they're embracing Free Software.
This, people, is a bloodless revolution in action. Something to tell your grandchildern about. "What's that grandpa? How could software have been anything but free?"
Re:Open source? (Score:4, Interesting)
The other issue will be the tool chain. Can you get a compiler for the Cell? Most emulators do not do a lot of FP so the Cells will probably not be used much for the lower end emulators.
The compiler/tool chain is going to be critical. GCC for what I have seen is not very good at vectors. For a lot of Cell development a compiler the can generate vector code will be extermly useful if not vital. Maybe Intel and or IBM could help out GCC in that area?
Re:Not suprising. (Score:5, Interesting)
Of course, no matter what exact words are coming out of Kutaragi's mouth, I'm sure what he *really* means is closer to the second statement. But it's interesting that they are trying to position the PS3 as a real computer, not just a game console. If they really do equip it with Linux and provide dev tools, they won't be able to control the resulting flood of hacks, emulators, media center applications, indie games, and the like.
My Wish (Score:2, Interesting)
PS: I also hope they allow you to do more with the HDD this time around. The only thing my PS2 drive was good for was 'FFXI' (which I barely played) and to watch live highlights from my ESPN NFL 2K5 games. And take a hint from the XBOX, let us rip our own music to the HDD so we can make our own in game playlists.
Huh? (Score:3, Interesting)
"We're not going to equip [the PS3 with] an HDD by default."
"So in order to declare that the PS3 is a computer, I think we'll have [the PS3's HDD] preinstalled with Linux as a bonus."
Basically he wants to have PS3 seen as a computer not just a game machine. OK, fine. He says to do this it will need as OS (Linux) to be installed on the HDD. OK, fine. But PS3 won't ship with a HDD. OK,
Re:OK, but... (Score:1, Interesting)
Re:Optional Hard Drive? (Score:2, Interesting)
Linux as a gaming platform? I hope so! (Score:2, Interesting)
They might also realise that if their games use OpenGL [opengl.org] instead of DirectX they can run on any platform, whether it's windows or linux. So there is *no* extra cost in supporting linux.
If all games were published on linux as well as on windows, and linux was an equavalent gaming platform, gamers would sure go with linux, instead of windows, cause you don't have to spend something like £80 for an OS. Instead you can spend the extra money you saved on your favorite games. And that's even more sales for game publishers.
I wish they could see that. Could this be the beginning of linux as a gaming platform?
Re:PS2 Linux (Score:5, Interesting)
If that was their idea of opening up the system, then I don't hold out much hope for Linux on PS3.
Re:Not suprising. (Score:3, Interesting)
TFA alludes to this when Kutaragi says "...So even though we're making something that has the capability to be recognized as a supercomputer and requires paperwork when exporting or importing, the government sees it as a toy."
Computers do not have import tarriffs following the implementation of the WTO Ministerial Declaration on Trade in Information Technology Products (ITA).
In general, toys are subject to import tarriffs although, it is difficult to say when a toy is a toy and not sporting equipment or a computer in this case.
I have terrible problems exporting and importing mountain bike components.
Re:Spelling please?: Kutaragi (Score:5, Interesting)
I call your bluff -- ' v'½--Ç-Ø OE',' isn't a name at all! In other news, Slashdot (perhaps unsurprisingly) isn't very multilingual.
However, I did once know a Japanese lady whose family name was 'kyuuraku' as in 'long-lasting pleasure'.
I think it's one of those names awarded to artists and craftsmen way back when... they're getting pretty rare now.
There's a list of 4-character names here:
http://www.ipc.shizuoka.ac.jp/~jjksiro/4moji.html [shizuoka.ac.jp]
I want a Cell Processor on a PCI-X card... (Score:2, Interesting)
Yeah, I know... pipedream. I just think we should be able to add speed to our computer as easily as we can add capacity (memory, drivespace)
Re:Not listening to anything re HDD (Score:3, Interesting)
And wait, because loading all of the code, maps, textures, etc. takes a long time. With a HDD, a game can cache this stuff, allow downloadable content and patches, etc.
Lots of small, handheld devices use hard drives, why is it a stretch to make it a standard console component? It wouldn't need to have much capacity, and with a quick glance at pricewatch, it seems that 20GB 3.5" drives are less than $30, which is less than 10% of what the console will cost.
Re:Not suprising. (Score:3, Interesting)
The Linux on PS/2 had some serious limitations. It didn't run on the raw hardware, it ran on a bit of an abstraction layer, that enforced some limitations, like no DVD playing, as I understand it. I saw a presentation by the one of the guys who made the compute cluster out of PS2s [uiuc.edu] and he said that the access checks in that abstraction layer seriously slowed down certain operations.
Making games for PS3 Linux will probably have to deal with limitations (like the screen resolution limits on the PSP - it won't let just any program use the full native screen resolution, just ones approved by Sony) and won't be a good commercial bet since probably most people won't have a hard drive hooked up to their PS3...
Re:obligitory.... (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Not suprising. (Score:3, Interesting)
I probably missed the point in a previous post you made, but what are your thoughts on why they decided to put Linux on the HD?
While it is possible Sony has a developer that is working on an app that uses Linux based app they that want for the PS3;
a scenario I find more plausable is Sony has some custom app they are developing and want to run it on Linux (no licensing fees to MS), and HDD is an easy way to add the OS. Maybe a web app, TiVO like device, or even the front end for a game rental/purchase system. Making the PS3 a mediua device with TV recording / music playing / streaming internet feeds would make sense as well - especially since some companies already use Linux as the base.
Then again, maybe they just like Linux.
Re:Not suprising. (Score:2, Interesting)