Slashdot Mirror
Gamecube Linux Port Announced, In Progress
NiteStar writes "A group of people from the homebrew scene and Xbox Linux have now started a new project to port Linux to the Nintendo Gamecube. A small preview version has already been released, it's a small application that draws Tux the penguin on the GameCube screen. The roadmap explains a small client will run on the Gamecube, so the 'GameCube could be used as a desktop computer, which stores its data on a server on the network. The GameCube has a CPU that is powerful enough to decode common multimedia data like MPEG-4/DivX and MP3. It can serve as a display unit for content stored on a server'."
As cool as these things are to play around with, they aren't worth sullying the GNU/Linux name... especially with the SCO situation looming. Does anybody know if this sort of concern is present with this code?
Try not. Do or do not, there is no try.
-- Dr. Spock, stardate 2822-3.
Why on earth would someone that buys a console want Linux on it ?
It's just a geek thingy no? It's like a virus: install linux on everything. Don't get me wrong, I do like linux, but don't see the beneficts of running it inside a console being that a GC or a PS2 or whatever...
Similarly, there is a BZFlag GameCube port in the works. http://www.webtrotter.com/bzflag
not as good as the xbox
No hard drive for easy locale storage. And may not be as simple as flipping a switch to boot from linux or from the default enviorment (i'm not sure how they're overriding the default start up)
but for gc owners a nice addition to it's funconality. The ability to stream music, and / or video via a silent (and micro) computer. No real fan noise in the background when listening to music, and a much better video out quality than S-Video on the typical video card.
.. I don't see it as anything but YaLC (yet another linux conversion) or in short, just a hobby.
I just can't see it working as a cheap thin client, due to all the (extra) needed accessories, like keyboard, mouse, etc. XBOX would probably be much better for this, due to DVD + HDD.
And as for the multimedia terminal, I'd personally rather have one machine that does it all; acts as tv recorder, multimedia player, storage server and even all that in silence, so it can stand next to the TV. Again the XBOX would most likely be better for this.
Having said that, I think it's a neat project. If I was a kernel monkey, I'd probably spend some time on it too. I also love messing around with new projects myself. I'm not trying to troll (honestly!:), just expressing my concerns/views on the project.
Good vga output would make it a nifty little diskless terminal (the proper name for a "small client desktop computer which stores its data on a server on the network").
Some operating systems were designed from the ground up to have diskless graphical terminals, even on serial lines.
There are places where the networks are not touching,and there are places where they are-Boeing's Lori Gunter
It all has to do with business practices and control. You're absolutely right about only Ford-authorized car parts working with Fords in the future... And the practice of "licensing for use" (usually with Draconian terms) rather than "selling" a product is used virtualy everywhere with companies from Lexmark to Intuit to the RIAA paving the way.
So the *real* question, in my mind, is: How we can steer things as society fragments between those who can "own" property, and those who are only able to "use" property?
Open source is one crucial part of helping prevent this fragmentation, along with creative-commons licensing of media (creativecommons.org), and perhaps organized educational campaigns to consumers letting them know what they are giving up in exchange for opening that shrink-wrapped EULA-laden widget.
But when corporate interests are intent on herding consumers into "Terms-of-Use" based agreements which prevent a consumer from actually owning something, what is the best way to combat this?
Why not just buy an Xbox and screw Microsoft over?
:)
You mean why not just buy an Xbox and give Microsoft money?
They allegedly "lose" money on every Xbox sold, but all that really means is that the boxes sell for less than they cost to make. But the thing is, the box has already been made, so Microsoft has already felt the cost. If I buy one, all I do is help reduce that cost.
So I decided to screw Microsoft over and buy a 'Cube.
This hack does sound like too much of a hassle for too little reward, though.
The enemies of Democracy are
When you buy a product, it should be YOURS, period, end of story. If you want to mod your Xbox into a PC, and you have the skills to do it, then you damn well ought to be able to do so. Once you pay your $175 (or whatever they're going for) for an Xbox, Microsoft should cease to have any control over what you do with it -- save voiding the warranty if you decide to take it apart and start modding it.
I agree wholeheartedly. I have thought for a long time that once I buy something, it is mine to do with as I please. This also relates to MS' EULA. They say they are selling a license, which I never signed and I believe shrink wrap and click through are highly unenforcible, but in that license they state that they take no responsibility for damage caused by their product nor for its useability for the purpose intended. Therefore, what the hell are they selling?!?
If I install it on one or 12 computers in my home, for MY use, how does it affect them? I would not buy 12 copies of Windows and I can only really use one PC at a time. But that's not really the point, I don't use their software since it is not fit for the purpose that they sell it for.
As far as music goes, if I but the CD or cassette, I feel I have the right to listen to that music in perpetuity in any format I convert it into. When I was a kid, my dad had a reel-to-reel tape player. The player had excellent sound. He had recorded several LP albums to tape and had enough music to run several hours without changing records or flipping sides. I could listen to the Beatles, Tom Jones and Elvis for hours on end until I memorized those songs. Now you can do the same thing with your computer, but you can have all of your media stored and available at an instant and it takes up less space. I have 40GB of MY music ripped from CD. I own over 200 CDs, but its a pain to find the one I want. The kids kept getting into them and getting them out of alphabetic order.
I'm not sure where I'm going on this, but I just had to get it off my chest. I bought it, now stay out of my house.
--Somewhere there is a village missing an idiot.
Actually, it's not that cumbersome. All you need to do is start an online game in PSO (press A a couple times...), then instead of connecting to the official server, it connects to your PC and downloads the code (you only need to set your pc as gateway in the cube, but that's only done the first time).. I use the method to play Nintendo64 and NES games on my cube already (through nintendo's own emulators) and it's basically a double click on my pc and a few A-button-klickies on the cube...
Ah, but child, you forget that the network port is actually faster than your precious disc drive. There's already a couple of builds out there that hijack an online game and place in a small boot loader that operates over said network. FWIW, most of the piratey bootloaders are too slow and buggy, the "Streaming" of the image across the network isn't fast enough or low latency enough. A demo coder group has released an incredibly faster bootloader, however it doesn't support bootloading a lot of data, intentionally. They don't wish to condone or support piracy.
Sadly, none of these bootloaders are open source or GPL'd.
I Browse at +4 Flamebait
Open Source Sysadmin
"They did it because it was there. Proprietary hardware and software are the Mt. Everests of the geek"
I hate to disappoint you, but there's a lot of geeks that prefer working on orginal and useful stuff.
Those who can, create, those who can't, port.