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PS2 Linux Kit Shipping in May

Posted by michael on from the dmesg-now-more-exciting-than-ever dept.

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."

3 of 280 comments (clear)

  1. I'd like to see by CmdrTaco+(editor) · · Score: 0, Offtopic
    I really admire the fact that Sony decided to include support for PS1 games in the PS2, I think it's a major reason why it has been so successful (not to mention that fact that it is vastly superior to the competition). Once the Linux kit starts shipping, people will be able to port their own emulation kits for various console systems to the PS2. Then it would surely be worth the $299 plus whatevever the kit costs. I know the dreamcast took off with the Linux kit, with people writing emulators for MAME, SNES, etc. With this option the PS2 would become a virtual home entertainment center.

    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)!

  2. Sadam Hussien finds a use for 2000 PS2's he hot! by phunhippy · · Score: 2, Offtopic

    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!

  3. Re:Slashdot 2.0 by SupremeSpod · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Yeah, and you couldn't even get the link correct!!

    L4mer