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PS2 Linux Kit Shipping in May
subharmonic writes: "Sony announced through an e-mail that the Linux PS2 kits were available for pre-order. The kits should be shipped May 22nd. There's a FAQ and a order site."
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Could I write this off on my taxes for my home office
What's the point? Would you use it to do stuff other then games? Or is it strictly a BOO microsoft kinda thing.
It's good to finally hear that a big mega-company like Sony is embracing an open-source OS like Linux.
for anyone who cares...
Many thanks for expressing your interest in Linux(for PlayStation 2) on
our website (http://www.technology.scee.net/).
We're happy to announce that Linux will be released in May in both the
USA (SCEA) and PAL territories (including Europe and Australia), with
full information and screenshots now to be found on our site.
In addition, a joint website for interested users has been set up at
http://playstation2-linux.com, which includes discussion and bulletin
boards.
Finally, although sales haven't yet started, if you send an e-mail with
the message "subscribe" to ps2linux-request@technology.scee.net we'll
let you know when pre-ordering starts.
Many thanks again,
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe
What exactly is the point of this? I know we've gone over this before in previous Linux PS2 articles, but it never really seems to add up. If you want to play games, you buy a console. If you are the type of person who wants to run Linux (and has a broadband connection to use the PS2's ethernet adapter), then you already have a computer (and you probably consider it and its brothers/sisters members of your family). If you don't, then you're probably experiencing phantom pains.
The problem I see is that the PS2 + Linux kit isn't really cheap enough to justify itself, except for the nerd-factor. It's a lot of money, and for what? So your lazy ass doesn't have to walk to the other room to check Slashdot during a break in your gaming?
It certainly isn't for the wealth of Linux gaming software. So what gives? Is this another "just because I can" deal? Doesn't building your own box appeal more to people who think that way?
visit the hwky website for a lyrical genius infusion.
-VGA Monitor cable from Sony - $30
-Decent USB Keyboard - $25
-Linux Distro with 2 DVD's - $60
-PS2 Network Adapter - $50 (I bet it will sell for more, actually).
-40 Gig Harddisk - $100
$30+$25+$60+$50+$100=$265. Now, you don't really expect Sony to sell *new* products for the same price as *used* stuff on eBay do you? Also, when you figure that if I want SuSE Linux Pro or MDK Linux ProPack (the two distros that come on DVD's) I'm looking at between $50-$140 depending on what type of deal I get.
Also you talk about a used 20 gig hard disk, this is a new 40 gig hard disk, that comes in a nice little case to make it easier to slip in and install. Finally, Sony has been working on this thing for over a year now, and they probably won't sell more than ten or twenty thousand of them, so going by the profit margins a company the size of Sony is use to, this thing isn't worth it at all.
I'm just glad they are interested in Linux...
This really fits the Japanese model of the home computer (the console, versus our IBM decendents). Linux is ideal for its power and versitility, easily modified by sony and free to distrubute. And the PS/2 is a sweet machine. I wonder if there is a license requirement from Sony to distribute Linux user app binaries?
I would cry that the price of the kit is prohibitive, but for me the price of teh unit is prohibitive.
SWEET!!!
Sony's NOW supporting PS/2 for Linux!! YES, now I can use all those mice and keyboard's that didn't work in Linux!!!!
What? It's the Console Playstation 2? Shit! What have I been saving all these fscking keyboards and mice? NOW YOU TELL ME.
In response to slashdot making their service pay only I have established my own news site. We will truely bring you STUFF THAT MATTERS. We have our finger on the PULSE of the INTERNET COMMUNITY and we will BRING IT TO YOU FOR REAL DAWG. And best of all it is 100% free! No hidden charges! go now slashdot 2.0!
Didn't we see a demo of an AOL client for PS2 Linux last time this topic came up? If so, are we looking at a future where Microsoft faces a consortium of Linux-supporting companies?
While on one hand we might enjoy seeing Linux get an opportunity to properly take on Microsoft, this will only lead to grief for the greather Linux community. This is the beginning of the end, methinks, or perhaps the end of pupation.
visit the hwky website for a lyrical genius infusion.
I bought a Nintendo as soon as I had earned enough money (paper routes, drug dealing, and all those other fun childhood fundraising activities). But, the system only lasted for a couple years before the cartridges got dirty. The playstation would allow me to play those old games that I legitatemately bought on a real console system, not on those lame PC emulation programs.
Then, around 1992, the same thing happened, I eventually saved up enough money to buy a Super Nintendo. I remember the price, it was exactly $216.25, because of the 8.25% sales tax in California those days. I bought it at Target and I had about $50 in nickels and the rest in ones and fives. I've never seen a cashier so unhappy about their job! It took about 20 minutes for her to count it all, but soon after I was on my way toward bliss..until the cartridges died that is.
That's one thing that makes me skeptical of this whole CD based console system trend. I know CD's have become the standard, there's no denying that, but I believe they are a lot more fragile than carts. Yeah, I know carts don't like magnets (what electronics do?), but CD's are scratched so damn easily, not to mention the fact that they fly so far when I throw them in anger because of my latest loss. I'd rather see the console systems move toward a more proprietary standard like magneto-optical disks with protective caddies.
The first thing I sold on ebay was a magneto-optical drive, if my memory serves me correctly it had 250 MB disks and sold for a little over $150. Look at the progress we've made! Of course, m.o. has become quite out of fashion what with the increasing speed of CD-R drives and cheapness of media. Soon, at least if Sony has their way, we'll have DVD+RW drives in every machine, enabling us to store up to 4.7 GB of pure pleasure per disk at a cost of only $3.99. Oh joy, imagine running RedHat 7.2 with all packages installed from CD (assuming you have enough memory)!
Total retail cost of a minimal system is:
PS/2 -- $299.99
8MB card -- $29.99
Linux Kit-- $199.99
== $529.97
Monitor not included, however you must have a monitor on hand to install, after install you can use TV.
Not so cheap, but cool as an *upgrade* to an existing system.
Kill proccesses with the X button on the PS2 controller.
Combine X with L2 and you will have a kill -9
I'll admit Linux on my PS2 sounded cool, but I'm definately not paying $200 bucks US (or $1million canadian... stupid economy) for a Linux OS that Sony won't allow to do anything but surf the net and compile a few programs. I'll do that on my desktop. Sony won't even allow you to rip music from a CDROM since they won't be recognized. Perhaps this would be a good deal if the harddrive could be used for future PS2 games (FFXI anyone?) but the webpage explicitly says it cannot be used for PS2 games. And I have to buy another $30 memory card? Sony's just trying to sucker in Linux enthusiasts to hand over some cash. Bad deal!
If all else fails I can probably sell the box it comes in for $400.
Download the DivX codec and compile and install it for PS2 LInux...hmmm...would be cool to play my DivX files on the TV...that'd be phat :-)
ugly bags of mostly water
"Can I read my own CD-R discs using Linux (for PlayStation 2) ?
No. The PlayStation 2 is designed not to read CD-R "gold" discs. Only PlayStation CD-ROM and PlayStation 2 CD-ROM and DVD-ROM discs are compatible."
Does anyone else see this as a MAJOR setback?
For people who might not have a home network, adding software to this system will be a major pain! There is the option of broadband or something...but still... not everyone has that.
Why on earth would they make it not read cd-r's?
I can understand that they don't want people to pirate games, but if they're going to release a "full-featured" system, crippling it like that is not a wise thing to do!
-kwishot
I'm not a big gamer (~2hrs/week) outside of keeping up with breakthroughs, but as an animation student and big Maya user, the opportunity to run Linux on a console offers me a great added utility - a render box.
Only problem is, it's a bit on the expensive side... and I don't think an Xbox Linux kit will be seen anytime soon, though that would certainly be preferable (aside from the hardware advantage, it would be much cheaper - already has HD and network card).
that.
Ah, such is a sign of the times, where the kids don't have enough attention span to realize that all of their items are for the PS2.
I mean, seriously, do the USB keyboard and mice NOT work on other devices or something?
A new 1.2Ghz PC from Gateway is only $489 without monitor.
Lucky refresh... ~300 US for a PS/2
199 for the kit... If the source for the PS/2 Linix is open, would it be posible to use the API's to create an emulator for the PS/2 on Linux?
That almost makes me regret not buying a ps2. That is cool, maybe this could get linux out to a larger mass of people than it would otherwise, because I am sure that there will be games that will require the hard drive that is included in the kit, and that could possibly get more people interested in making linux better. And it definately, as what was said about the XBox here when it was talked about, create some very cheap web servers. Possibly, a sdk or something to go with the linux kit, so that people who want to, can create applications that could run on it, or be able to have bragging rights, "I created a game for my ps2!" that would be cool. And definately worth the $200
On the subject of game development for PSX
I'm suprised no one has mentioned the Yaroze
system on the original console. It was a special
psx in a sexy blue colour along with a web
community for the independent development of
games. As I remember it was right expensive too,
but none the less had a large enough group of
supporters to keep it running.
With the linux infrastructure already out there,
it would seem to me like this will have the same
level of success despite what the doomsayers may
have to say. Sure it's expensive, but there are
enough people with the money to blow on a toy
like this that it probably won't be a big
hype bomb.
Then again, i think they said things not unlike
this about the Coleco Adam.
What is on the DVD discs ?
DISC 1
The PlayStation 2 Runtime Environment
PlayStation 2 System Manuals
DISC 2
The Linux operating system
Kernel version 2.2.1 (my emphasis)
Xfree86 X-Windows version 3.3.6 with support for PlayStation 2 Graphics Synthesizer
GCC 2.95.2 and GLIBC 2.2.2
An alpha version of Mesa 3D supporting limited graphics acceleration
PlayStation 2 Development Libraries, device drivers, tools and sample code
Particularly old kernel, with plenty of known bugs and issues that likely aren't fixed. The other utils are reasonably old as well (gcc 2.95.2, not 2.95.3). Why not at least 2.2.18? Inquiring minds etc.
RW
Wonder if they'll port the Doom process manager to it.
Congratulations! You killed init!
The reason that I am really excited for this kit is because it puts some decent developer tools in peoples hands for a reasonable price. At the software retailer I work for, there are a lot of customers that are interested in game development and don't know how to get started. I imagine a lot of people are going to say that you can get a grey box that will do close to the same thing for less money, but the PS2 has a HUGE installed base as it is, and are a very trusted name.
I just hope we get this in so I can get an employee discount
I think this is going to be a great opportunity for people wanting to "get into" Linux but who don't want to commit the resources neccessary for converting a normal system to Linux. I myself have been wanting to run a dedicated Linux box for a while, but dual booting my main system is out of the question, and I don't have any spare boxes laying around. Now my PS2 can be a valuable part of my home network between sessions of GTA3 and FFX.
I hope a lot of other gamer/geeks will take this opportunity as well - it's a good chance to learn more about the PS2 as well as Linux. Now if only I could get it to be my dedicated RtCW server...
Unless, of course, scissors can't cut rock...
But if I am going to need the hard drive/keyboard/broadband adaptor to play Final Fantasy XI.. I might as well get it now :)
I just hope these will work with FFXI or I will be pissed.
I know there's a Direct X shim layer for OpenGL on sourceforge...now consider this:
;-)
DX/OGL + PS2 = X-box...with native DVD support!
I like it
Can I read my own CD-R discs using Linux (for PlayStation 2) ?
No. The PlayStation 2 is designed not to read CD-R "gold" discs. Only PlayStation CD-ROM and PlayStation 2 CD-ROM and DVD-ROM discs are compatible.
This kinda takes a lot away from the PS2. One of the joys of linux is being able to download a distribution, burn it to cd and try it out. If the PS2 doesn't real burnt cd's this is going to make trying out the latest dists a bit of a pain. Just my $0.02.
Oooh, it shows up as "Test ad" browsing with images off in Opera.
Test post to see if my updated WebWasher filters knock it out.
RTFA, it says "Linux (for PlayStation 2) is aimed mainly at the hobbyist home computer enthusiast."
Sony is screwing itself with this risky legal move!
Although the legality of archiving copy-protected computer programs under the backup clause of copyright law was established in the 1988 Vault v. Quaid legal dispute, "general purpose" computing devices are permitted lots of special treatment vs. game consoles.
Regular issue, game console software (N64, Dreamcast, PSX, PS2, Gameboy) is freely rentable at Blockbuster and other rental stores.
And Sony dislikes this.
Although ENTERTAINMENT software is rentable under fair use doctrine of cpyright law, and Wintel game titles are freely rentable at some brave stores, pc software straddles the legal line. Utilities are rarely rented.
Sony hates the chips that allow PS2 to run archived backup copies from CDR and DVD-RAM. Some of these chips are NEO, NEO4, and Messiah. Some solutions require no soldering at all, some require as many as 25 wires. But Sony wants US Customs to strongarm all importer-resellers and private citizens.
NEO4 plays any region DVD and BOOTs copies including PAL ackups. But most people go for as few a wire solution as possible access backups their valuable game media. Many PS@ backup solutions use a cheap Boot OS such as a GameShark CD or a competitor of GameShark. So a person usually needs to buy a chip, a boot cd, and a PS2.
And they use DMCA to do it. But the moment they try to restrict Blockbuster by claiming that the PS2 is now functionally a "GENERAL PURPOSE COMPUTING DEVICE" complete with keyboard and Linux-OS they will legally screw themselves.
Why?
Because once it runs a general purpose OS, it is no longer treated as a game conole by law and the free sale of archiving software and archiving hardware is 100% legal. US Citizens have legal rights to make backups of their own general purpose software (within reason)
So to bottle up Blockbuster, Sony's stupid little gambit will open floodgates to allow people to widely have access to software and hardware backup tools.
I thinks Sony made a huge mistake in their greedy miscalculated rush.
Sony does pay consultants to log into Remarq (supernews) directly to delete PS2 binaries direclty (or parts, or insert spoffed parts). Other pay-fee usenet servers are mostly immune but post-deletion wars are rampant the last 60 days. But PS2 backups can be found usually all over the place.
I do not own a PS2 by the way. I only believe in emulations and emulating hardware to run my legally purchased software, including PSX (PS-1).
sigh....
People never mod anonymous tipsters regularly anymore so few may read this opinion, but slashdot used to work well and moderators used to read level 0, but so many angry and upset people seem to lash out with trolling to make being anon a sad task.
-anon
Ignore this troll.
He knows darn well PS2, after being chipped or carded, (neo4, messiah, etc) can run all CDR media and DVD-RAM games.
*plonk*
Now with linux available Sadam Hussien can finally find a use for all thise PS's he supposedly got diverted to himself for weapons modeling :) hehe...
hey I find it amusing!
What exactly would you like to see?
Sorry, I missed the point of your babble.
And Christ, just clean the carts with a cotton swab and some alcohol. People still rent/buy/trade SNES carts these days, you know. Maybe you just lived in a tar pond.
Oh, and I'm not exactly sure what kind of super bias wagon you're driving, but there is such a thing as the Xbox, which is more than competitive for the PS2, which you so happily call "vastly superior to the competition." PS2 is good because it has GTA3, FF games, GT3 some Capcom stuff... Xbox has DOA3, SC2 on the way, GTA3 on the way, and a ton of great looking games. Regardless of which system you troll for, calling the PS2 "vastly superior" shows how ignorant you actually are to the "competition."
I do believe they have hard coded something into the linux system to deny reading of CD-R releated discs, I offer this assumption because of these following lines of text I have read at the faq (Need to kill time for post thingy limiter in alotted minutes, you know?):
Now I don't own a PS2, but since it says in the FAQ that Audio cds, can infact be read and played (And I must say, the PS1 games can still be played) It is physicaly possible for you to read normal cds (re: not dvds). With this understood I do sustain that you will be able to read CD's and CD-R's under linux with modifyed/hacked (illegaly or legal) versions of said software provided by Sony.
However, I may be completly wrong and have no clue what I am talking about so I offer anyone to clear this up for me.
I'm a big retard who forgot to log out of Slashdot on Mike's computer! LOOK AT ME.
...are going to be very disappointed with this when you see how the PS2 actually acts when used as a general-purpose CPU.
(read: really crappy)
Please take your fantasies of a multi-emulating, DIVX playin', MP3 jukebox and send far far away from Realityland, where the rest of us are living.
END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT
(EULA)
This product contains Sony Computer Entertainment Inc proprietary software ("Software") and third party proprietary software ("Third Party Software") on separate DVD-Roms.
Use of the Software is subject to the terms and conditions of this EULA as set out below. By opening this sealed product you agree to be bound by these terms. Use of the Third Party Software is subject to the terms set out in the applicable DVD -Rom and any accompanying documentation. In the event that you cannot comply with the terms and conditions of the Third Party Software user agreements you should immediately return, unused, the hardware and software to the Sony Computer Entertainment Company or affiliate you purchased it from for a refund.
NON COMMERCIAL USE ONLY. You may install and use the Software only with a PlayStation 2 Computer Entertainment System. You may not copy, modify or transfer the Software and its accompanying manual. Nor may you sell, rent, lease, or otherwise transfer the Software, its supporting documentation, or works derived from the Software, and except as otherwise provided by law, you may not reverse engineer, decompile, distribute, or disassemble the Software.
THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND, TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC, DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN THE EVENT THAT THE SOFTWARE IS DEFECTIVE OR OTHERWISE INOPERABLE, SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC AND ANY OF ITS AFFILIATED COMPANIES' ONLY LIABILITY IS TO ACCEPT THE RETURN OF THE SOFTWARE AND ISSUE A REPLACEMENT.
At least, from a Finnish point of view: in Finland, a 40 GB disk, USB mouse and keyboard and a 10/100 network adapter would cost more than 200 US$. The USB mouse and keyboard alone, if they are any good, would be around 100 bucks.
:o(
However, I am -sure- that the price will be more than 200 US$ here
Sigged!
It's a bit of a running joke (for PlayStation 2). I've even seen a Sony tech who was informally answering a question consistently refer to it as a memory card (8 MB) (for PlayStation 2), so their spellchecker may well be adding it by now.
Won't sell more than 10 or 20 thousand of them? Are you nutz? Sony Japan has consistently sold out of stock on several occasions the kits are damned near impossible to get. Fortunately, I got in on a preorder back in February and am expecting my kit to arrive on April 24th!
:-D Plus with the SDL port, I might be able to play games like flightgear or watch movies on my 25" TV instead of my 17" LCD monitor.
It will make a great secondary storage server and churn away on SETI while its archiving my files for me.
Releasing Linux on the PS2 is the pinnacle of bad idea in the whole history of bad idea.
I knew I shouldnt have sold my PS2 to help with the deposit for my car..
Admittedly I only every played Gran Turismo 3 on it, but I was really holding out for the Linux kit - but I thought it was just a small Sony gimic, that they were only going to release in Japan. And then they go and bring it out in the US (and possibly Europe?) - doh.
"Hey! Unless this is a nude love-in, get the hell off my property!!"
I wonder how fast the Sony Broadband network will be.
Do you project that I could use a Linux FTP Prog to serve files via ann. ftp?
Perhaps they will cap the upload at 256kbps?
Anyone know this detail?
Erm. You forget one minor detail...
..
LINUX IS OPEN SOURCE!!!
There will be people out there who will find ways to get the PS2 to read CD's and play the games in X-Windows.
Just wait
Yuioup
May 22nd is my birthday! Who wants to buy me one?
`fortune -o`
I'm looking forward to this. I realize you can't make your own games for greedy reasons, but I'd love to know how that system works. Something like 5 processors: emotion engine, graphics, sound, io and the vectors (this is not meant to be detailed but very general). This seems like a great system to get a feel for parallel processing programming, due to the fact that the entire system I've heard is a bitch to program because its all in parallel. On another note, I find it very pleasing to see how informative their faq was. It basically answered any question I didn't know I had and even covered "If linux is free, why are you selling it". Haha... oh well, back to bed.
can't sleep slashdot will eat me
Hey! FlightGear is more than a game! Our next release is really gonna kick ass. There have been
a lot of cool additions since the last one (just after LWCE), like articulated models and a virtual cockpit. Oh, and FWIW FGFS doesn't use SDL it uses plib so it's not out of the realm of possiblity that you may see some of the other games that use that.
Then the poor ps2 might come close to the picture quality of the cheapy dreamcast.
Really glare out the lack of good anti-aliasing.
I have to say that the PS2 would be very sweet in a fileserver role! Its quieter than any PC than I have ever heard, so I could just stick it in the cupboard and leave it on all the time.
:)
:)
In fact, I could see this kit having plenty of uses
Darn, I want my PS2 back!
"Hey! Unless this is a nude love-in, get the hell off my property!!"
Actually, Cartridges have no problem with magnets. They are read-only and cannot be written to. They can also be frozen, thrown off of the roof, and dipped into a rather dirty pool. They like cats. The only thing they don't like is having their contacts worn down, which is apparently what caused all of the old NES problems.
I can understand your worries about CD's... I lost a copy of Silpheed to a mechanical pencil and a glob of mayo. However, the Playstation shipped with what Sony branded as 10 X oversampling... which is a fancy way of saying that the pits were really deep. While, say, a burned copy of Silent Hill has to be constantly coddled to work with the slightest surface blemish, we've taken pocketknives to copies of Parappa and they still ran just fine (ymmv). While an MO disk with a protective caddy is hardly any safer than a DVD in a caddy, it would be a heck of a lot more expensive, and bulkier.
If you are worried about your games, keep a modded playstation around and upload your collection to one of the 100 gig drives out there, or back them up to tape. That way, you can re-burn them any time you want to play again. And by the way, Nintendo had a fleeting affair with a MO drive in Japan (the DD or "Bulky Drive"). Yamauchi said they learned a lot from that encounter, and that they would never do that again.
The ______ Agenda
now he can write the clone of the missle command game that he has always wanted!
hopefully he'll be using the SDL and GPLing the source.
bah. start over
Ok, I don't own a PS/2. I have a PS/1, most of the games for which I haven't beaten (Linux is my toy instead ;-) so this may be my reason to get a PS/2. I can finally play GTA3 and still mess around with Linux. It'd also be a nice way to play with OpenGL stuff too. Wow... I'll have to seriously ponder this one! Sure, my opinion doesn't reflect market forces, but what the hell do I care? It's a PS/2! Plus, I can play stuff like frozen bubble and chromium on it and never leave Linux. Fuck the market and the big picture and Sony's potential revenue. I want one!
"I may not have morals, but I have standards."
Who said a GNU/Linux box couldn't run modern games! I'll show them!
What comes first, finding a teacher or becoming a student?
Rather than building a new box that won't match my existing stereo components, using the PS/2 for this will be absolutely perfect... no new hardware required.
Yeah, right, the artcle is funny like a car crash. Who assigns this high-quality "moderations"?
/. guys, nowadays I quit posting many, many times (even when almost finished writing my reply). What is the point in having my message rejected or, likewise, getting a 0 score so that no one will read it?
Look,
Be careful with these moderations stunts -- this could render even the reading non-interesting...
Oh, btw, to post this I have to paste it into an editor, because if the message could vanish if I just press submit. A royal pain in the ass.
Note this paragraph out of the email that went out.
>While it's exciting to see tremendous interest in this new PlayStation
>venture, there are a few things for you to note before purchasing. LINUX
>(FOR PLAYSTATION 2) is a tool for Linux enthusiasts and programming
>hobbyists. Basic understanding of the Linux operating system is strongly
>suggested for installation and use. Also, be advised that this accessory
>will NOT enhance your PlayStation 2 games. The hard disc drive formatted
>for Linux cannot be used with HDD-compatible PlayStation 2 games, and the
>included Network Adaptor (Ethernet) does not include a modem, which the
>upcoming standard Network Adaptor will. Be sure to consider all of these
>factors before making your decision to purchase.
Too bad some of the accessories can't be re-used for PS2 games.
"Just tell him ya did it! That's what he wants to hear anyway..."
With special skins, one could indicate the good and bad processes... A daemon could be that BSD thing, a zombie process would be, erm, a zombie? Word processing could be like an oldman with a feather... Spreadsheets could be little accountants...
Now that I come to think about it, that would be a nice taskbar, where you just don't click on the task but also have to look for it in a maze of twisting little passages (C).
Very lame.
I bribed a guy to "arrange" a kit faster to me.
He promised it will arrive at April 1st. I'm so lucky!
Their drive and system does not support CDRs without a modchip, it has nothing to do with software. Therefore it is a hardware issue, not software, and no Linux modification had to be done. I hope that clears it up for you.
Please subscribe to see the more insightful version of th
...you're apparently the only person on Slashdot with reasonable expectations for what can be done with this.
Not a single mention of turning the PS2 into a media player, emulator, or other tomfoolery.
Again, congratulations!
What's the diference between running Linux on your PS2 or the "default OS"?
A PS2 costs $300. This kit costs $200. Elementary math..this kit costs $500. Wasn't the reason for getting Linux on a PS2 for the cost of a cheap home computer? I can take that $500 and upgrade my PC. I was looking very forward to Linux coming out but I didn't know it would cost so much.
It also seems this price is way too high. The PS2 will use standard USB keyboard and mice, so that is unneeded for the average geek. Is any of this stuff going to be sold separately?
Abiit, excessit, evasit, erupit.
I'm thinking it'll make a great thin client for my TV set. plus, I'll keep my music on that HD and NFS it to my other systems. there is a digital audio output for connecting to the stereo, I'm hoping it'll be supported under Linux.
It would've been nice if the keyboard/mouse was a one piece combo unit with wireless and a universal remote built in to control the stereo. Running an Xsession over 100BaseT ethernet should be No problem.
it's going to be a nice way to get online and interact with TV shows that have live chat with the Picture-in-Picture on the TV set. Lookout Leo, I'm going to be on TechTV Live with a webcam on my PS2 under Linux, then I'll be REALLY COOL.
"The Most Fun Possible on 4 wheels" is at SunBuggy in Las Vegas
Everyone keeps saying "Whats the point?" The point is, is that Sony is in a plot to help Saddam Hussein take over the work. By bundling the PS2 with Linux, Hussein can now have a cheap Beowulf Cluster super computer or better yet, an ROV. Were through the looking glass here people.
13 year old white supremacists are shitty web designers.
Am I reading the FAQ wrong, or is the CDROM drive useless under Linux on the PS2?? As I read it Sony is stating that even under Linux the drive will ONLY read PS and PS2 CD's... They specifically state that it won't read CDR's at all under Linux. Geez, just about all I ever use these days is CDR's. If so, does this only hold up for the built-in CD drive, or do they mean even network or USB attached drives can't use CDR's under Linux on the PS2???
(Stolen sig) Remember: it's a "Microsoft virus", not an "email virus", a "Microsoft worm", not a "computer worm
You need a memory card, and once its formatted for linux, it can't be used for Ps2 games. Also, you can use the hard drive for PS2 games, but i think the network adapter is ok (no dial up on the BBA that comes with the linux kit).
All in all, i think you'd be better off with a dreamcast. Everything is a lot cheaper, so when you're sick of it in a month, you haven't invested a lot of money into it...
Thanks for changing.
Seems like it violates the terms of the GPL, doesn't it?
- AlanH
Do you guys think that all source code will be included, including for the kernel and device drivers? Hope so. Then, wouldn't you expect that any crippling deficiencies like the lack of CD-R reading will be overcome as development is done and P/2 Linux evolves?
On the sony site it says that you can only use the hard drive and the NIC for linux. So if your thinking about getting this so you can play tony hawk 3 online fat chance.
Would anybody venture to make an educated guess on the boot time?
there is a new message board for the ps2linux kit at http://www.ps2linuxkit.com .
Dear sir,
Thank you for a most excellent troll, you show high promise.
This troll has been added to the Troll Library.
Once again our most sincere congratulations.
...can now have a cheap Beowulf Cluster super computer...
I know this post was a joke, but clustering of PS2s using Linux is something that actally *has* been attempted with some moderate success. Rumor has it that NCSA had a working two-node cluster as a proof of concept. I can't find any links to pictures or anything, but maybe someone else here has more info on it, or was even there for this.
IIRC, the biggest issues with using PS2s in this sort of an application was the extremely limited bandwidth between them. Having powerful, dedicated graphics processors running in parallel could lead to some interesting things, though!
It's only software!
I bought a Japanese PS/2 the moment they started selling
The Japanese PS2 Linux kit has been out for a very long time now, if you don't have a US PS2, the US Linux kit won't do you much good.
Got Apathy?
0xC3
sony's probably (hopefully) looking at linux on the ps2 to be a useful way to introduce further iterations of psx technology as "home stations" (sic) rather exclusively gaming consoles. sure, not many people are going to buy a ps2 just to put linux on it, but the consumer electronics movement is moving towards a One Box solution ... it will provide TV, movies on demand, broadband access, etc.
... sony doesn't. they're likely looking to linux to provide competition for microsoft on that front. by porting linux, they allow for a large amount of already-existing software to run on the PS/2 with little or no modification necessary to the existing sources.
microsoft knows this and is trying to further their monopoly with the x-box and the future homestation. they have the advantage of already having an operating system and development platform to put on it
go sony!
but not for linux...
Its damn sweet though, seeing a user switch from MacOS to Win95 with just a keyboard shortcut. Of course the system basically ran 2 processors, but shared 1 hard drive. Nice setup though.
Peace, Love, Games
You will upgrade when Sony decides you can. HAHAHAHAHA!! Boy that really takes the air out of the sails don't it??
Since i'm one this machine is not for me.
And then there's the issue of only 32 MB RAM. Come on, a lot of the geeks here would want to have more than that i'm sure.
Its pretty much a novelty if I get one maybe to impress the ladies but not much work can be done here.
Return the bells of Balangiga.
(for PlayStation 2)?
It seems like every other line has either that quote or something else in parentheses. It's highly annoying to read, and definitely takes away from my wanting to purchase this product.
Maybe X-Box starts to support windows ;)
Who wants to run *linux on the PS/2 anyway??
First the playstation 2 starts being called ps2. That name is already taken by IBM's line of 386 boxes from way back when. But at least it's spelled differently. (Sony PS2 vs. IBM PS/2) So I can deal. But when you guys start calling the Sony machine the PS/2, then we have a problem.
"I don't care about the Constitution!" --Bill O'Reilly, November 17, 2009
I use Linux on my computer and I have a usb device that allows me to use either a N64 or PSX controller in Linux. I can play emulators using it or just play normal Linux games.
If I bought the PS2 Linux kit, I'm not sure if I would use it very much. Although it would be cool to write a program for the PS2 and acutally run it on a PS2, especially games.
I was going to buy it untill, I saw that the HDD can't be used with future PS2 releases and that you need a seperate PS2 Memory Card for it.
Does anybody know if the Ethernet Network adapter that comes with it can be used to play THPS3 online? If it can, then I have another reason for wanting one.
I have a PS2 already so I would only have to pay the $200 to get it.
To bad they didn't have a real unix such as FreeBSD, or openBSD,
> DX/OGL + PS2 = X-box...with native DVD support!
Not quite. There are some OpenGL features that will *never* be supported on the PS2 (because the hardware doesn't support them *at all*,) and others that are dog-slow. (Check out "ps2gl" if you need more info)
i.e. lack of blending modes, reading back the frame buffer, faking a stencil buffer via alpha tricks, etc
I wish the PS2 had better OpenGL support, but the hardware unfortunately wasn't designed for it.
To hell with games, 3D animation, and multimedia, I want these as the ultimate thin client for 2D business applications.
.. but it is a lot of work. It is hard to sell things with no brand name, and all those cheap machines with big fans make a fair racket. I assume that the PS2 runs quiet at least, and will be fast enough. The 1GHz Duron chip is total overkill for my application - my Gnome application, complete with antialiased canvases, postgresql client and dozens of glade screens averages 0.5% CPU load when busy.
.. SUN servers and Sony workstations .. I will be in brand name heaven.
I sell linux systems into small businesses / restraunts and pizza bars.
The systems include a big ugly headless server (based on a codegen 6044 box with an Athlon + DDR), 10/100 ethernet swtich and modem.
The terminals are LTSP boxes, using AOpen H300 cases, M810LMR Durons, KD5 LCD monitors, LCD POS display and receipt printer. The POS application runs locally on the terminal, and talks postgresql to the server. I spray paint the H300's dark metallic blue so that they look cool
I had a play with dedicated thin clients, but they just dont make sense price wise for this application.
Now, if I can use PS2 Linux boxes with LCD monitors as the terminal devices for this application (requires that libpq, libglade, gnome can be built on that end), at around the same price point, then what a huge hit that will be for my application. A cool, quiet, fast and cheap linux machine with an excellent brand name !!
It might take some work to get a receipt printer and POS display working though (requires parallel and serial ports), not to mention caller ID hardware (another serial port required). Maybe you can get USB receipt printers and POS displays soon ?
If it all works reliably, I will be pushing this pretty hard as a huge selling feature. Just imagine your local pizza bar on PS2's ? A lot of small business owners would love the idea I think - having a cheapish, good looking terminal that they can play PS1/PS2 games on at close of business.
I will get me one of these when they are available in Australia. I am happy to GPL the port of the application when it all works and passes testing. (GPL'ing too early is a big mistake in my experience)
Also - I will be ditching the homemade servers in favour of brand name SUN intel boxes when they come around later this year (and get the pricing right).
Ah
If not, Sony is really missing out on a good opportunity here. The DreamCast had such a capability.
There's 10 types of people in this world, those who understand binary and those who don't.
I saw the news at PlanetPS2 that Sony will be releasing Linux for Playstation2, that sounds like a great idea. Here's a link if you wanto know What is Linux for PS2? I can use Playstation2 Linux to replace my old PC now instead of upgrading to a new one. If I can get AbiWord to work on it and find a printer that works with it I can write all my papers on it! Imagine the look on my roomate's face when I bring my Playstation2 up with amonitor and start working on a paper. :-o
Isn't it possible to create the ultimate desktop environment using all of the graphics capabilities of this machine? Couldn't one create a turbo-charged version of enlightenment with animated borders and backgrounds? Taking it a step further, one could create a game where a character (representing you) pulls applications out of a leather satchel and executes them. Poof, a galeon browser window opens in front of the game character. You could then close the window by pulling out your trusty 44 mag and blowing the window to pieces (with all the graphics of glass disintegrating and CD quality audio). Next you pull Emacs out of your bag and compose a letter using speech recognition software. Getting this going on the PS2 is just the first step. With the coming of the PS3 in a few years, imagine all of this done with HDTV resolution on big screen. A truly virtual environment in which one could do "work". I have a modest suggestion for the name of this thing: The PS2 (or PS3) NAVI. Is this that far fetched?