Hackers Get Linux Running On a PlayStation 4 (engadget.com) 108
An anonymous reader writes: Two years after the PlayStation 4 was released, and two weeks after it was jailbroken, a group of hackers has now successfully installed Linux on it. "...it appears that the fail0verflow team utilized a WebKit bug similar to the one recently documented by GitHub user CTurt and then took things up a notch. CTurt's workaround focuses on the PlayStation 4's Webkit browser, which is tricked into freeing processes from the core of the console's operating system by an improvised webpage. The PS4 is powered by Sony's Orbis OS, which is based on a Unix-like software called FreeBSD. With a route into the console's system, fail0verflow then identified weaknesses in the PlayStation 4's GPU. It specifically called out engineers from semiconductor company Marvell, accusing them of 'smoking some real good stuff' when they designed the PlayStation 4's southbridge chip."
A UNIX like system? (Score:5, Funny)
"is based on a Unix-like software called FreeBSD"....HA!.
Please let me informate you (Score:2, Insightful)
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Every time you say, "whilst" God kills a kitten.
Whilst. Whilst. Whilst.
I don't like cats.
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One software, two softwares, right? One hardware, two hardwares. One information, two informations. One firmware, two firmwares. Right? And when you correct someone ("it is one PIECE of software, or one PIECE of firmware"), the response is "English is a changing language" NO. Pardon me whilst I go eat some toasts.
The OP was not making a grammatical objection.. He was clearly objecting to the fact that they called FreeBSD "Unix-like" when it *IS* Unix.
Re:A UNIX like system? (Score:5, Funny)
It's a UNIX system, I know this!
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BSD Unix predates the existence of Open Group UNIX certification by 18+ years. Your contention is that Unix didn't exist before 1995?
Here, have a chart from them [unix.org] showing that BSD is Unix, predating their "single specification".
Owning a trademark to say what is certified as a particular specification doesn't override the history of the code in software.
Re:A UNIX like system? (Score:4, Insightful)
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So actually, I'll give the OP a pass on this one, at least they tried...
Re: A UNIX like system? (Score:1)
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I'd say that line was sourced directly from Wikipedia.
From the FreeBSD entry.
"FreeBSD is a free Unix-like operating system "
Linux vs Unix? (Score:1)
"based on a Unix-like software called FreeBSD"
Wow, the lack of comprehension here is amazing.
So they managed to install Linux on a machine already running an OS based on an open source Unix which already comes with a full Linux kernel/software compatibility layer? That's such an amazing accomplishment...
What will they do next, get some ports running [freebsd.org] on it and make it do useful work? Figure out how to get a unix shell on an OS X machine?
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I think the point is that they were able to do it in relatively short order once it was Jailbroken. Getting an existing OS to run on proprietary hardware which you don't have drivers available for isn't a cakewalk.
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The accomplishment is the jailbreak.
Getting Linux to run on something already running FreeBSD is like saying you managed to replace Redhat with Centos on a machine... wow, what a tough task...
I'll go back to configuring Postfix on my new "Unix-like" FreeBSD server so I can ship it out to the data center on Monday...
Xbox Linux (Score:2)
Softmods to install GNU/Linux on an original Xbox [wikia.com] have been around for a long time. All you need is a copy of MechAssault (the one without Gotye) a 2 GB flash drive, and a cable.
Or did you mean XbOne?
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Yeah, once you have an exploit giving you access to the OS, let alone having it running an open source Unix (rather than some special windows derivative), the bulk of the work has been done.
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It would be unusable without GNU utilities
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Re:Linux vs Unix? (Score:4, Informative)
Linux is "Unix-like". It was made to be similar to Unix in behavior, but be based on different underlying code.
FreeBSD is literally Unix (descended from the "Berkely Software Distribution" of Unix). It's not the only version of Unix, but it's more Unix in origin than say, Ubuntu or Redhat are Linux in origin, as they also inherit significant parts of their origins from GNU utilities. No one with any comprehension of their history would call them "Linux-like", though.
As I've said elsewhere, the jailbreak is the accomplishment.
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I'm not "completely wrong in that regard." as my actual statement (which you seem to have read as the opposite meaning) was 'No one with any comprehension of their history would call them "Linux-like"' It sounds like you agree with me on that.
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Re:Linux vs Unix? (Score:5, Informative)
FreeBSD comes with compatibility for running Linux executables, but it doesn't let you run the Linux kernel unless you run it in a VM, which doesn't seem to be the case here judging from the boot logging. Getting the Linux kernel to run on the bare hardware means adding drivers to run on the PS4 hardware, which is PC-like but not exactly a PC, and I doubt Sony published their FreeBSD hardware drivers. Doing that in just 2 weeks time is pretty impressive in my opinion.
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systemd isn't complete yet - it doesn't have emacs built into it. or should emacs have systemd built into it? Just think - your editor is also your OS!
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Even if I have some of the details wrong, FreeBSD is still considered to be a UNIX-de
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Yeah, if anything is Unix, BSD is, although there are others with a similar claim.
BSD was the "Berkeley Software Distribution". Distribution of what, you might ask? Of Unix. It's the Berkeley Software Distribution of Unix.
This is like calling Centos or Debian "Linux-like" software.
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FreeBSD is not only Unix in one of it's most faithful implementations - it's also a damn fine Unix, too. I used to like Solaris as well, but am not in touch with the OS and the community since after Solaris 9, so I am not sure about it anymore. FreeBSD, on the other hand, hasn't skipped a beat and it's still king, at least among the open-source operating systems.
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A bug is not actually an insect, but a mistake in the code (which is code for the instructions written for a computer). And jailbreaking doesn't involve an actual jail. The editors need to explain these things, they can't expect us all to be nerds can they?
Re: explain it to me (Score:1)
How the fuck did you miss "news for nerds"?
edittard here - WTF is *A* software? (Score:2)
A software? Did anybody write a software recently? I wrote three softwares last week.
P.S. there appears to be a problem with logging on. I get a message "wrong image text", which is hardly surprising because there's no image.
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A software? Did anybody write a software recently? I wrote three softwares last week.
That's nothing- I had two whole marijuanas once and ended up accidentally coding an accounts receivable app with a metrics dashboard.
Re: edittard here - WTF is *A* software? (Score:1)
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Careful, man. Couple years ago I woke up naked in jail and they told me I had written a new init system. Apparently I was ranting about how it would overthrow the established order and then they shot me up with thorazine.
Damn, I hate it when that happens. (I mean the new init system, not the thorazine. Thorazine gets me all dreamy and placid and makes listening to the candidate debates much more bearable.)
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Perhaps a hint of the submitter's first language not being english.
Far worse is perpetrated in the language of slashdot submissions. Overuse of 'apt to', 'slated to be', 'stated that', as well as tiresome colloquialisms like 'called out', which is present in this submission and is far worse than the minor grammatical error.
I'm with you on the 'apt to thing', by the way. I actually got so tired of the argument that I blacklisted it in /etc/apt/apt.conf.
Okay (Score:4, Funny)
Okay, I gotta say that's pretty impressive. Not that Linux will run a PlayStation 4, but that they could do what it takes to get it installed and running.
In a similar vein, I was on the Microsoft campus the other day. One of the instant bean-to-cup coffee machines wouldn't work, it was basically frozen solid with a non-responsive touchscreen. I unplugged it and plugged it back in. (I'm not kidding, that's what MS support would have suggested, right?)
Lo and behold, when it booted up I saw it was running Slax [slax.org], a Linux variant often found in embedded systems.
I laughed- if only the MS employees knew that this subversive OS was the one making them their morning coffee (the lifeblood of every corporation) they'd probably be up in arms about it. lol
Re:Okay (Score:5, Insightful)
Microsoft don't hate Linux [slashdot.org] anymore [slashdot.org].
Actually, they do.
Oh, sure, the "official" stance is that Linux and MS are the "bestest friends evar!1!", but the company and the employees still hate Linux. They see it as a threat and they wish it would die. They are not Linux-friendly and they trash-talk it whenever the subject comes up. Ask me how I know.
Re:Okay (Score:4, Insightful)
How do you know ?
I've been looking around Azure recently, and it's absolutely full of linux.
Yes, they have Linux distros as some of the choices, but so what? They only do this because some of their clients insist on Linux. It's no different than going to a Toyota dealer and buying a Honda Accord off their trade-in lot. Sure, they'll sell it to you, but they'd rather sell you a Toyota and will do everything in their power to sell you one rather than an the Accord.
Trust me, I work with these people and they really, truly do not like Linux or anything about it. They'll make it available to you in order to make money through Azure (which isn't half bad, actually) but they'd much, much rather that you use one of their canned Windows images.
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How do they groom all the thousands of people who work for them though, especially the people who truly love computer science? And why does it benefit them to wear these types of reality-blinders? This will inevitably drive a wedge between them and reality, causing them to lose clients by not understanding them.
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How do they groom all the thousands of people who work for them though, especially the people who truly love computer science? And why does it benefit them to wear these types of reality-blinders? This will inevitably drive a wedge between them and reality, causing them to lose clients by not understanding them.
1) I don't know, I'd just guess that Linux-folks wouldn't have much interest in working for the Borg.
2) I don't think it benefits them at all; I think it hurts them in both the long- and short-term.
3) I don't know. I don't really care, I just do my thing and cash my paychecks. I have zero ego-investment with them or any other company. It's just what I do to make some of the money I need to do some of the other stuff I do. :)
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I work
Not for the past decade for sure.
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"official" stance is that Linux and MS are the "bestest friends evar!1
Yeah, you must be right. I mean, the fact that they are rapidly porting just about all of their development stuff to OSX and Linux is just to pretend they like Linux. The fact that they support Linux in a heavy way in their cloud and enterprise offerings is just another example of the Embrace Extend Extinguish mentality.
Here's a tip from me to you. Update your knowledge slightly more often than once every decade or so lest you will not only appear, but actually be, ignorant.
Re: Okay (Score:2)
and finally the mystery of that reversal is solved. Thanks, Slax guys.
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I laughed- if only the MS employees knew that this subversive OS was the one making them their morning coffee (the lifeblood of every corporation) they'd probably be up in arms about it. lol
Seriously? They are probably busy working on important things rather than worrying about whether every random doorknob and lightbulb in the world runs their OS.
Well, at least since Ballmer moved on. He'd have probably decreed no cream because the salesperson sent by the dairy used a Mac.
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Seriously?
No, not seriously. You missed the all-important "lol" at the end of my message. It was a joke, something you should try finding out about some time.
They are probably busy working on important things rather than worrying about whether every random doorknob and lightbulb in the world runs their OS.
Actually quite a bit of what goes on at MS is little more than inter-office dick-waving and writing reports about what they should be doing rather than actually doing it. Ask me how I know.
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Just yesterday I tried to buy a soda at the mall, but there was a windows dialog on the screen and it was totally non-responsive. It wasn't worth an encounter with the mall-cops to try to unplug/replug it.
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Just yesterday I tried to buy a soda at the mall, but there was a windows dialog on the screen and it was totally non-responsive. It wasn't worth an encounter with the mall-cops to try to unplug/replug it.
Never ask for permission, just ask for forgiveness. :)
Or tell them, "Oh, well, the plug looked like it was just about to fall out, so I pushed it back in..." Let them prove that's not the case. :)
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Pretty sure replugging would have involved shoving the machine a few inches to be able to get to the plug...
Replace FreeBSD with Linux? Bad deal (Score:2)
Ok, the above is pretty funny, but this is New Year, so I'm allowing for the editor (and the submitter) being wasted... Or, maybe, Siri was wasted and misunderstood them.
But, seriously, replacing FreeBSD with Linux is sort of like making a millionaire out of a billionaire...
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If you can jailbreak it enough to boot Linux, then using a similar method to open up an SSH daemon on the existing OS to the local network and setting up a local user id to login with should be pretty simple by comparison, right?
Re:Replace FreeBSD with Linux? Bad deal (Score:5, Funny)
In related news ... (Score:2)
Gimme a WorkStation 4 (Score:2)
Headline I'd like to see: "Sony gets sshd and X11 running in Orbis OS; introduces WorkStation 4"
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Other than X11, what other free window system for FreeBSD is ready for production use?
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See? BSD IS dying! (Score:2)
Now Playstations run on Linux. BSD isn't going to be around much longer...
And Sony says it got hacked... (Score:2)
So Sony has created a computer that is next to impossible to jailbreak. (Keep in mind you have to have the old firmware for their exploit to work.) And yet they claim all their systems were hacked. Right...
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You are aware that the Sony Pictures corporate IT department was not responsible for developing FreeBSD, right? Apparently not...