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Wii Will Have an Updatable Linux OS

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the penguin-with-a-wand dept.

eldavojohn writes "There's bits and pieces of information floating around that revolve around Iwata Asks interviews on Nintendo's website. What I found interesting was the tidbit about the updatable operating system: 'Wii is the first system from Nintendo that we can continue to be involved in (via operating system updates) after the customer buys it. This means that Wii will greatly expand and diversify the ways in which people will enjoy games in the future.' The Wii is reported to operate on top of a proprietary form of the Linux kernel, although there are already efforts to make a GNU/Linux for the console. So, the answer to the age old question is that it already runs Linux."

3 of 330 comments (clear)

  1. A Linux Kernel, eh? by macaulay805 · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Does that mean they're required to distribute the source code?

  2. "proprietary form of the Linux kernel"? by khasim · · Score: 0, Redundant

    How is that possible?

  3. Re:Yeah, I Phrased That Badly by Burdell · · Score: 1, Redundant

    Nope, you are wrong. Re-read section 3 of the GPLv2; for a commercial product, it either has to come with the source or include a written offer to give ANY third party a copy of the source (for at most the cost reimbursment of the cost of distribution).

    My TiVo manual includes a written offer for example (also with their download site URL); anyone (not just TiVo customers) can request a copy of the source from TiVo.