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Playstation on Linux UPDATED
Namaste writes, "As reported on MacNN. Connectix who after a recent legal victory over Sony has signed an OEM agreement with Red Hat in which Connectix Virtual Game Station (VGS) will ship bundled with Red Hat Linux. The press release can be found here. The Macintosh version has been out for a while and seems to be quite a hit.
Both the Linux and Win2k versions with be shipping in March. " Update: 02/16 03:21 by H :OK, this issue got confused: Red Hat won't be bundling VGS with Red Hat. Instead, Connectix will be bundling Red Hat with their Virtual PC emulator. VPC is not released for Linux at this time. I'll make sure Rob gets some more coffee before posting again. *grin*
Now I can waste time at work playing Grand Turisimo 2 instead of just at home.
First of all, this explains the odd news I read yesterday that Connectix is going to ship a copy of RH with VirtualPC for Mac. That just seemed weird, now I see that it was a bastard child of this slightly more rational deal.
Secondly, what's the deal with RedHat including more and more non-OS software on their CDs?
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Isn't there a difference between the Virtual PC and the Virtual Game Station? As far as I can tell, this won't let you play Playstation games under Linux... it'll just let you run x86 Linux on a Macintosh... for which you can use Mac PPC and get better performance...
:)
Of course, I could be wrong.
What is the license? What is the cost? What are the required system specs (speed)? Will I be able to get this is Debian/other distribution, or do I have to buy the offical redHad? Will it work in FreeBSD linux emullation? Will it take advantage of SMP to allow two slower (not half speed) CPUs to do the same work?
I can make some guesses: Not open source, $40, PII-250 with 32 meg of ram, Yes, Yes, NO. Those are guesses, but they seem reasonable. I'd say that at least one is wrong though.
Too bad I couldn't find any of that information in the press release.
According to the press release, this is Virtual PC (PC Emulator for the Mac) that then comes bundled with either RedHat or W2k as the base OS
Chris
So Linus, what are we going to do tonight?
The same thing we do every night Tux. Try to take over the world!
Secondly, what's the deal with RedHat including more and more non-OS software on their CDs?
Quite simply the fact that there is some none open source software available.
What does "VGS ship bundled with RedHat" mean? That RedHat Linux is included in the VGS package, or vice versa?
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Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't PSX 5 years old? I've tried playing some games on the Playstation, but the graphics are horrible. Even on a 32-inch TV, you can barely see what you're doing. Some games don't even come close to PC quality: Quake 2, NFS and MotoRacer come to mind.
Can these "emulators" render the graphics any better?
Yes I can finally stop booting into windows to use Bleem!
Except Sony are now suing for patent infringement!
Why couldn't someone port this, or Bleem to the x-box...or hell to the dreamcast ( which uses a WindowsCE developement environment ) and actually make a Playstation emulator for another console...how would that change things? is it even possible, could a regular CD hold the emulator and the game? Just a crazy off the cuff thought...
The Press release that was linked to said that Virtual PC for the Macintosh will now be available with Win2k or Linux... I did not see anything mentioned about Virtual Game station... did they pull the press release, or was there just some confusion on what it meant?
Does the subject give a clue ... What the fork did I hear you say?
threadeds blog
The press release says that Virtual PC 3.0 will be available with Red Hat Linux as an installable option, not that their porting Virtual Game Station to Linux.
--Kidd
The press release refers to virtual PCV, which apparently allows you to run your Mac stuff on Linux and PCs. Is there a correct link out there ?
Donte Alistair Anderson Roberts - hi son!
Karma: Chameleon
Um, I think CmdrTaco is confusing two products.
Connectix has Virtual PC and Virtual GameStation.
This press release is about Virtual PC (and makes mention of VPC for Linux). It allows you to run Windows on Linux.
This is entirely different than VGS.
Now, they may well be shipping VGS with VPC, but this press release says nothing about tha
The press release doesn't mention VGS at all. Could we possibly check for editorial accuracy before posting these, please?
--
Don't imitate. Enervate.
Nowhere in these links is there ANY mention of VGS running on Linux. All it is VirtualPC, FOR THE MAC, will now ship with RedHat bundled. In other words, Rob didn't do any fact checking... again.
Virtual PC (which is what's getting shipped here) and Virtual Game Station are two completely different pieces of software. The latter just lets you run playstation games on your computer (mac). The former will let you run x86 operating systems, usually MS Windows, under emulation on the mac. The part where you're wrong is that although you're running it on a ppc chip which is comparatively faster than the equivalent-mhz intel chip, it's not nearly enough to make up for the speed hit you're taking with all the emulation. You can turn a first generation mac into a second generation.
None of this has to do with RedHat, except that Redhat linux is getting bundled with the linux version of Virtual PC.
"If one is really a superior person, the fact is likely to leak out without too much assistance" -- John Andrew Holmes
How is the program going to read the games? I would guess that you could just stick the playstation games into your cdrom drive and it would read it that way but that sounds way to easy. I couldn't find anything about it on the webpage. I was also wondering if you would be able to somehow copy the cd's onto your hard disk even though that would probably take up alot of space.
Nothing about software for Linux, nothing about VGS.
(To be fair, it took a couple of read-throughs to figure out what the hell they were trying to say...)
Unless I really missed something here, this Slashdot story is totally wrong. Connectix is NOT shipping Virtual Game Station for Linux.
However, Connectix is bundling Red Hat Linux 6.x with their Virtual PC software. Virtual PC lets you run PC operating systems within an environment on your Mac.
Virtual Game Station lets you play Sony Playstation games on your Mac. Not Linux.
That's it. No big news here. Move along.
Ben
Connectix makes Virtual PC and Virtual Game Station for Mac. The announcement yesterday is about Virtual PC Linux version. Instead of your simulated PC booting into Windoze, now they sell a package that let your Mac run a simulated PC running Red Hat. But it would be real sweet if they port VGS to linux. Then again, doesn't the PS2 TOOL SDK run linux? Makes me wonder if the PS2's PSX backward compatibility is just an emulator running on linux...
Software made for the PSX/N64/Dreamcast has to be licensed by their respective manufacturers.. well approved in some fashion (or else the manufacturer gets pissed off and, well, no publisher wants that, so they always submit games for approval.)
so,.. if one were to make a playstation emulator for the Dreamcast,.. Sega would have to approve it first, and they're not going to do that. so they would have to distribute it without Sega's approval.. now they have Sony AND Sega on their ass...
then you think about the fact that if someone owns a Dreamcast/N64/whatever they very well might own a PSX anyway,.. so really it's better to just target the PC market.
but what i want to know is, does anybody have a hack to get a Dual Shock working on a PC and will this emulator make use of it?
...dave
Think different? I'd be happy if most people would just think...
Did anyone notice that the quote from Goethe: "Euch ist becannt, was wir beduerfen; Wir wollen stark Getraenke schluerfen" is translated by Bablefish into "You is becannt, which we require; We want strongly beverages schluerfen" My german is not good enough to complete the translation - any takers?
connectix needs to make a new product, virtual gritstation, for my pants. thank you.
Microsoft creates and has *full control* over all the software they package and ship with their OS. Not true with RedHat. RedHats entire business is built around packaging and marketing linux based products. If they can make this model work, more power to them! They can *NOT* violate the GPL so any fear of embrace and extend from RedHat is fairly benign.
God Fucking Damnit
The actual post on MacNN -
Connectix has signed an OEM agreement with Red Hat in which Connectix will ship a new version of Virtual PC with Red Hat Linux preinstalled. Both new versions of Virtual PC -- Red Hat Linux and Windows 2000 -- will begin shipping in March. [site not updated]
There's nothing about the Virtual Game Station on their site that I can see, at least, relating to this story..
Has someone gotten confused? :)
Why would Connectix sell a version of Virtual PC that runs an x86 Linux (besides that they can at little cost)? You can already run LinuxPPC or YellowDog on ppc, and while there are some occasional hardware issues and there's no binary compatibility with x86, it's much MUCH faster not to do the bloody emulation. Is it so we can all run the latest Corel WordPerfect binaries? Does anyone really want this?
And why the heck would you spend $100 on the linux version when you can just spend $50 get the DOS version, wipe the virtual hard disk and install your own version of linux? Once you do that and burn your own cd with it, there's even no hit for doing reinstalls. I suppose there's always a market for people who want to waste money, but this is silly.
"If one is really a superior person, the fact is likely to leak out without too much assistance" -- John Andrew Holmes
Did you notice the price difference between the ones shopping with Win2k, and ones shipping with linux? With Win2k it's $329, and with Linux it's $99
Most mac users will jump on the linux version for no other purpose then to not pay the $229 Microsoft tax. Maybe they will actually try linux and like it, and maybe install a native Linux like LinuxPPC 2000.
But when the sales figures go though the roof on the linux versions compared to the Win2k version, I'd like to see if it's becasue they want to avoid the Mircosoft tax and they are just using Windows licenses they already own, or if they actually want to run a x86 linux on their machine.
What is the license?
;-)
The liscense is the typical "Give us $100 and we'll let you have one copy".
What is the cost?
$100. See above.
If it's like the Windows98 version, it'll be a G3, MacOS8, half a gig of hard disk space, 64 megs of ram, and a cd rom.
Will I be able to get this is Debian/other distribution, or do I have to buy the offical redHad?
It only comes with RedHat. If you want Debian, then you have to erase RedHat and install Debian instead.
Will it work in FreeBSD linux emullation?
No, it only works in MacOS.
Will it take advantage of SMP to allow two slower (not half speed) CPUs to do the same work?
Not until Apple fully supports SMP at the system level.
I can make some guesses: Not open source, $40, PII-250 with 32 meg of ram, Yes, Yes, NO. Those are guesses, but they seem reasonable. I'd say that at least one is wrong though.
Nope, wrong on all counts.
Too bad I couldn't find any of that information in the press release.
It's too bad CmdrTaco mislead you by saying this is the Virtual Game Station, instead of Virtual PC. At least we know the stellar fact-checking journalism we've come to expect from Slashdot hasn't changed with the recent mergers/acquisitions, right?
"If one is really a superior person, the fact is likely to leak out without too much assistance" -- John Andrew Holmes
I still pay the Microsoft Tax so I can play the games I like that are not now nor are they every likely to be available under Linux by any other means. I don't like it, but it's faster than finishing off WINE to the point where it works for me.
Is this the wrong reason to use Windows? BillyG still gets my $$. I'm still counted as a 'Windows Customer'. With that in mind, is getting to play the games you want CHEAPLY AND LEGALLY the 'wrong reason' to install Linux?
Don't think so.
Yes I can finally stop booting into windows to use Bleem!
Does Bleem run under WINE?
Slashdot social engineering at it's finest
Let's see. $329 for a piece of software or $99 for a playstation. Hell, for that price, I can afford to buy a TV to go with the playstation and still have it cost less than the Windows version of the software.
kwsNI
Hemos
The firewall between the world, Rob's posts, and total chaos.
I know what an Operating System is. My quesiton was "Has RedHat dropped their committment (?) to include only Open Source software on their CDs"?
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The reasoning would go that if Redhat is allowed to do it, Apple is allowed to do it, then basically anyone can do it, which means why can't Microsoft do it?
It's appearing to be the norm of the industry...
To further clarify: (What the hell does:
VPC is not be released for Linux at this time
mean anyway?)
There is no program FOR Linux being released
here. They are releasing a Mac program that
emulates a PC and including Linux WITH it.
...in other news, you now get a free Ford Explorer SUV with every Ford cupholder you purchase.
What a deal!
Virtual PC is not the same as Virtual GameStation. Think before ya post.
Hemos wrote:
OK, this issue got confused: Red Hat won't be bundling VGS with Red Hat. Instead, Connectix will be bundling Red Hat with their Virtual PC emulator. VPC is not released for Linux at this time. I'll make sure Rob gets some more coffee before posting again. *grin*
The second to last sentence should say:
VGS (Virtual Game Station) is not released for Linux at this time.
Having Virtual PC for Linux wouldn't make much sense . A PC emulating a PC? Riiiight.
Ben
Do people think that a company that JUST sells Linux Games should also sell games known to work under emulation, such as WINE, or this virtual playstation?
Sure, we would make more money, but does this hurt the cause of Linux as a gaming platform in itsown right?
We are leaning on the side of 'yes, it hurts the cause and so we will not stock these games', but what do others think?
Tux Games. Your complete source for native Linux games.
both are owned by nintendo,... hell-o.
...dave
Think different? I'd be happy if most people would just think...
It's good to see them come right out and say
./ tries to keep their apologies for
"oops we goofed!"
Maybe I'm not following closely enough, but it seems like
major inaccuracies like that to a minimum.
What did you eat today? http://www.atetoday.com/
I *think* he meant non-operating system - ie, the tendency to bundle everything in sight.
dont' you guys ever check your sources before posting articles? I mean it's not because it's about computers, geeks' stuff,... that it doesn't have to be also acurate. I'm not only ranting about this article, but all the articles that have been posted without having been checked. ...whatever.
A lot if it is both non-OS and non-OS
Damn these acronyms!
It seems like Sony just won't be an IBM-ish pansy when it comes to others reverse engineering their gear... So instead, they are going to Johnny Cochran Connectix out of existence (sue them till they run out of money) even if they have to use the Chewbacca offense...
South Park Johnny Cochran: Chewbacca is a Wookie.. who lives on Kashyykk... with Ewoks.. now does that make any sense?!?!?!
Then you must aquit.
Sony - get a life - make PlayStation 2 and don't worry! Your stuff is going to get legally REd eventually.. sorry to break it to you. Call IBM and cry on their fuckin shoulder.
guns kill people like spoons make Rosie O'Donnell fat.
Dear Jerry Normandin Thank you for contacting Connectix Corporation. No, that is a rumor. Thanks for letting us know. We may look into it in the future though. Tracking Number: 26848 Agent: Dennis Dubinsky I read on slashdot that you have the Virtual Gamestyation for Linux. Where can I buy it? I've got my own Linux development stations so I won't want to load a new OS. I am running a current OS right now (Mandrake 6.2). Also can you recompile the code so it will run on the linuxPPC machines. I have a G3 with 256MB of ram that I also use to develop code for Linux. What's the reality on this, is this dude right or is he in the dark?
(I submitted this as an article a while ago, but it was rejected)
--
The shareholder is always right.
this is completly of topic but I wander if they use the native PPC version of NT 4 in their VPC NT version? since it's the only one that would run on a PPC natively. It would probably be the only one that would run halfway decent since all the others not only have to run in a virtual machine but also have to emulate a completely different processor architecture
I've never noticed it before but my thinking cap does sort of resemble a hockey helmet
Instead of worrying about whether someone will buy products for "the wrong reasons," it seems more sensible to help them see that there are *multiple* reasons to buy products that are flexible and have good licenses, and that price is just one of them.
...
:)
For instance, if you have three computers at home (and there surely are quite a few of both the Free and non-free types who do), you can morally / legally install GPLed software on all of them. I'll put that in the "better" category.
If you can purchase it for less in the first place, so much the better -- that's what I'll put in the "good" category.
And in the "best" category in my view is that Free licenses (pick yor favorite) allow code to improve and evolve. Elements can be combined, value added, new uses found
None are bad, all are good.
Tim
jrnl: http://tinyurl.com/c2l8yr / foes: http://tinyurl.com/ckjno5
If you take the virtual tour of Virtual PC on their main web site they pronounce Linux the BAAAADDD!!!! WAY!!! NoooooOOOOOooooOOOOOO!!!
Eddy.WriteLinux.Com
Just give it up Sony.
Story at:
http://www.macnn.com/features/sony-patent-suit.sht ml
Or perhaps One Of No Name, many of our readers don't have a clue. Slashdot isn't the place that it used to be just. It's more like the out of the way club that's been discovered by the mainstream. The population is larger, it's different and the rules change.
Slashdot still is a place for and about geeks. But to paraphrase Pope. I think we can get out of the "Proper Study of Geeks is...." debate.
When there's PPC Linux avaliable