Just to let everyone know one downside to buying a PS3 from Terrasoft. The PS3's sold by Terrasoft are 40GB models with bigger HD's installed. So they don't have any PS2 backwards compatibility. If you're just doing dev it's no big deal, of course.
That's what comes from letting a PC gamer near Linux, all he knows is games so that's what he'll try to run. If he wanted Quake, GameOS is what he should have been using to play the PS2/PS3 Quake games, unless he wants to run source ports of Quake 1 or Quake II. I think there's people who ran Starcraft under win95/win98 via QEMU.
Although Youtube doesn't work directly in Firefox on the PS3, that's a limitation of gnash, you can view youtube video. All you need is a Firefox plugin or command line tools like youtube-dl
Networking is easy, just plug the cable in. The built in wireless takes a bit of work if you want to use that.
As for screen resolution, he should blame his monitor. He's probably using HDMI to DVI. For me, it installed and booted in 720p, which is not quite full 720p, it's 1100somethingx600something, on the ps3 because it allows for overscan (because of CRT based HDTV's) But it was easy enough to knock it into VESA WXGA mode (1280x768) which works quite well on my TV.
[CronoCloud@mideel ~]$ xwininfo -root
xwininfo: Window id: 0x3b (the root window) (has no name)
mplayer works, at least for the mp4 web video. I don't know of any video encoding that uses the spe's. Dosbox is fast enough to play SSI's Dungeon Hack full speed. QEMU+Win95 is fast enough to play Diablo.
It's not a loss factor for Sony, a Linux equipped PS3 still plays PS3 games, it's a dual boot thing. As for the HD, you could install Linux on larger ATA drives too in the PS2 too, though those could only be used under Linux. Sony's long been a supporter of hobbyist development...to a certain extent, Yaroze for PS1 ($800), the Linux kit for PS2 ($199), and now Linux on the PS3 (free). It also helps create new PSfoo programmers.
Yeah, trying out all the video modes to see which one works best for ones screen is a must. I've got a 1440x900 LCD TV, for me using VESA WXGA over HDMI, which is 1280x768 on the PS3 which my TV scales slightly works best.
The problem is defining "comfortably". Some dev used to running Eclipse, compiling code, running Firefox, and Thunderbird under a full KDE/Gnome desktop all the time might have a different definition. I've ran X on the PS2. X on the PS3 runs better, it runs fine.
That's funny because the standard memory configuration for many early WinXP boxes was 256MB. Bought a laptop in 2003 whose standard config had 256MB with WinXP, Gateway 400SP plus.
The point is it adds functionality to a device that already has plenty. Even if it doesn't have 3D hardware access it's still capable of doing non-3D development. There's nothing stopping someone from using Linux on the PS3 and becoming a part of the Nethack Devteam, or writing patches to Claws-Mail or something.
I've watched video under Linux on the PS3, it may not be good enough for 1080p but for the average non-HD video it should work fine. I've watched plenty of youtube on it. Besides, there's always GameOS for that functionality.
And Linux on the PS3 gives it the ability to read e-mail, open a powerpoint, browse the web with better web browsers than GameOS's sucky Netfront. For people with a 1 PC household that could be a godsend.
Because that cheap ebay laptop can't play Oblivion. Neither can it play PS2 games at full speed. In fact, it might have problems with PS1 games.
The Linux functionality of the PS3 is in addition to all the other things it does, more features, more bang for the buck.
For instance, suppose a family has a PC, a lot of families have only one. Suppose they get a PS3, then they can install Linux on it and have two machines that can read e-mail. That means if the PC is occupied and someone needs to read/write a document, they can still do it.
I used a PS2 as my primary e-mail/web browsing platform for years, doing so freed up the PC. I got a PS3 last month and within 24 hours I had Linux installed on it so it could replace the PS2 functionality wise.
Again, the tax myth. The tax doesn't exist, hasn't existed since before Linux on the PS2 was released. It was Yabasic that was an attempt to dodge the tax, not Linux.
By the way, you CAN install a bigger HD in the PS3, Sony tells you how in the manual.
This whole business of running Linux is basically just a tax dodge anyhow - because, if it didn't run Linux, the EU would have classified it as a game, rather than a computer, and slapped a higher import duty on it.
Wrong. Because that tax that you are referring to hasn't existed for years. It got revoked before even Linux on the PS2 was released. It was Yabasic on the PS2 that was an attempt to doge it, not Linux on the PS2 or PS3.
Agreed! Still, that will take a few years to develop a car that will travel more than 200 miles without a several hour recharge. Can you transport a truck load of potatoes from Idaho to Texas in an electric truck?
So, build a lot of them, and do it relay style. Base the trucks in "hubs". Or better yet, there's these things called "trains" I believe, which are very very efficient at transporting large amounts of goods, long distances. That "just in time" stuff is going to have to go, it's energy inefficient. Retailers are just going to have to warehouse stuff, like they did in the old days.
Oh come on now, I have ran Firefox and XFCE on a PS2 with Linux installed which only has 32MB. Firefox wasn't snappy, but it ran and it would run better on this thing.
What is it with even Linux users these days, thinking one needs massive CPU and RAM to run the basics.
Slashdot Mirror
On the PSone, yes. I should try that new Civ for the PS3.
Hmmm. YDL 6 is CentOS based. I wonder if this would run on a PS3.
How does that sig go:
Ladies and Gentlement, my killbot features Lotus Notes and a machine-gun. It is the finest available.
Do you need 3D to run Abiword? No. Do you need 3D for a mail client? No. Do emacs or vim need 3D? No.
Most applications are still 2D.
Just to let everyone know one downside to buying a PS3 from Terrasoft. The PS3's sold by Terrasoft are 40GB models with bigger HD's installed. So they don't have any PS2 backwards compatibility. If you're just doing dev it's no big deal, of course.
Not even Nethack?
novice end users are going to play games in GameOS, except maybe games through SDLmame or emulators like Stella, or VICE.
That's what comes from letting a PC gamer near Linux, all he knows is games so that's what he'll try to run. If he wanted Quake, GameOS is what he should have been using to play the PS2/PS3 Quake games, unless he wants to run source ports of Quake 1 or Quake II. I think there's people who ran Starcraft under win95/win98 via QEMU.
Although Youtube doesn't work directly in Firefox on the PS3, that's a limitation of gnash, you can view youtube video. All you need is a Firefox plugin or command line tools like youtube-dl
Networking is easy, just plug the cable in. The built in wireless takes a bit of work if you want to use that.
As for screen resolution, he should blame his monitor. He's probably using HDMI to DVI. For me, it installed and booted in 720p, which is not quite full 720p, it's 1100somethingx600something, on the ps3 because it allows for overscan (because of CRT based HDTV's) But it was easy enough to knock it into VESA WXGA mode (1280x768) which works quite well on my TV.
mplayer works, at least for the mp4 web video. I don't know of any video encoding that uses the spe's. Dosbox is fast enough to play SSI's Dungeon Hack full speed. QEMU+Win95 is fast enough to play Diablo.
I have my PS3 on a computer desk with a 19inch HD LCD, so it's more like a regular PC desktop setup, keyboard tray, printer and everything.
It's not a loss factor for Sony, a Linux equipped PS3 still plays PS3 games, it's a dual boot thing. As for the HD, you could install Linux on larger ATA drives too in the PS2 too, though those could only be used under Linux. Sony's long been a supporter of hobbyist development...to a certain extent, Yaroze for PS1 ($800), the Linux kit for PS2 ($199), and now Linux on the PS3 (free). It also helps create new PSfoo programmers.
Yeah, trying out all the video modes to see which one works best for ones screen is a must. I've got a 1440x900 LCD TV, for me using VESA WXGA over HDMI, which is 1280x768 on the PS3 which my TV scales slightly works best.
The problem is defining "comfortably". Some dev used to running Eclipse, compiling code, running Firefox, and Thunderbird under a full KDE/Gnome desktop all the time might have a different definition. I've ran X on the PS2. X on the PS3 runs better, it runs fine.
That's funny because the standard memory configuration for many early WinXP boxes was 256MB. Bought a laptop in 2003 whose standard config had 256MB with WinXP, Gateway 400SP plus.
The point is it adds functionality to a device that already has plenty. Even if it doesn't have 3D hardware access it's still capable of doing non-3D development. There's nothing stopping someone from using Linux on the PS3 and becoming a part of the Nethack Devteam, or writing patches to Claws-Mail or something.
I've watched video under Linux on the PS3, it may not be good enough for 1080p but for the average non-HD video it should work fine. I've watched plenty of youtube on it. Besides, there's always GameOS for that functionality.
And Linux on the PS3 gives it the ability to read e-mail, open a powerpoint, browse the web with better web browsers than GameOS's sucky Netfront. For people with a 1 PC household that could be a godsend.
And a non-coder slightly nerdy person could use it (in my case Linux on the PS2) to learn about this Linux thing they've seen mention of on Slashdot.
Because that cheap ebay laptop can't play Oblivion. Neither can it play PS2 games at full speed. In fact, it might have problems with PS1 games.
The Linux functionality of the PS3 is in addition to all the other things it does, more features, more bang for the buck.
For instance, suppose a family has a PC, a lot of families have only one. Suppose they get a PS3, then they can install Linux on it and have two machines that can read e-mail. That means if the PC is occupied and someone needs to read/write a document, they can still do it.
I used a PS2 as my primary e-mail/web browsing platform for years, doing so freed up the PC. I got a PS3 last month and within 24 hours I had Linux installed on it so it could replace the PS2 functionality wise.
Sorry, you are late, it came when Linux was running on the PS2.
Again, the tax myth. The tax doesn't exist, hasn't existed since before Linux on the PS2 was released. It was Yabasic that was an attempt to dodge the tax, not Linux.
By the way, you CAN install a bigger HD in the PS3, Sony tells you how in the manual.
Wrong. Because that tax that you are referring to hasn't existed for years. It got revoked before even Linux on the PS2 was released. It was Yabasic on the PS2 that was an attempt to doge it, not Linux on the PS2 or PS3.
Firefox 3 under Linux on the PS3 is a better web browser than Netfront under GameOS.
So, build a lot of them, and do it relay style. Base the trucks in "hubs". Or better yet, there's these things called "trains" I believe, which are very very efficient at transporting large amounts of goods, long distances. That "just in time" stuff is going to have to go, it's energy inefficient. Retailers are just going to have to warehouse stuff, like they did in the old days.
Java
From IBM
On PS3
Wind Powder fun
Oh come on now, I have ran Firefox and XFCE on a PS2 with Linux installed which only has 32MB. Firefox wasn't snappy, but it ran and it would run better on this thing.
What is it with even Linux users these days, thinking one needs massive CPU and RAM to run the basics.
I hope it has the deps for Gnash, I never could get gnash to compile on my PS2. In part because of the ancient gcc but also the dependencies.