Linux on PS3s Runs Old-School Emulators

[Logan Frederick]

Linux on PS3s Runs Old-School Emulators

PlayStation 3 gamers with an itch for classic games have seen a huge burst of emulators while promoting Linux hacking on the console.

A year ago, blogger Stevie Novoselac published his how-to tutorial [http://blog.stevienova.com/2008/04/05/howto-hack-your-ps3-installing-yellow-dog-linux-60-and-actually-getting-it-to-work/] for installing a version of Linux, the open-source operating system, onto the PlayStation 3 hardware.

"Sony makes it really easy to install Linux," explained Novoselac, due to the inclusion of a PS3 setting allowing the partitioning of 10 gigabytes of the system's hard drive for another operating system right in the main OS.

In the past couple weeks, a surge of emulator adaptations for Yellow Dog Linux on the PS3 have been released. Enthusiast Bill Blake has been tracking [http://pleasantfiction.ipower.com/ps3linux/ps3bodega61/ppc/repodata/index.html] the updates for these PS3 game emulators. The PS3 supports MAME, SNES, Amiga, DOS, Commodore, NeoGeo and Atari games via the DOSBox, BasiliskII, GnGEo, SNes9X-GTK, and other emulators.

To be honest, I was never aware of how easily the PS3 could be hacked, almost with Sony's permission. It's kind of odd that they would include a disk partitioning option when they fought [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/76692-Sony-Bans-Homebrew-Talk-From-Official-Forums] the PlayStation Portable homebrew community until it could smother all excitement over the device. Perhaps Sony never expected hackers to tamper with such an expensive device to run Super Mario Bros.?

Source: Slashdot [http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09/03/08/2329230&from=rss]

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[Jumplion]

I've heard of Linux, but I never knew what exactly it was, or what it looks like for that matter.

And if it's electronic, hackers will hack it, no exceptions no matter how expensive it is.

 

[BobisOnlyBob]

I've heard of Linux, but I never knew what exactly it was, or what it looks like for that matter.

And if it's electronic, hackers will hack it, no exceptions no matter how expensive it is.

Linux is just another Operating System, like Windows or Mac OS or the dashboards on consoles. It's infamous for its ability to be modified and installed on just about anything.

 

[jimduckie]

that seem cool why not wait for sony to update the old games for ps3 and don't hack your ps3 op system cause it might just brick up and as for hacking that is wrong and hey for you linux buffs xduck is part of the linux op system but has nothing to do with my tag , which is a funny sad story

 

[shatnershaman]

I think Sony is more open to this since the people are doing this in linux not the XMB Sony OS and you can't use it to illegally play PS3 games.

 

[cleverlymadeup]

why would you spend $400 on a ps3 just to play old games, if i really want to play old games, i will dust off my nes...

actually it's more the fact that you can legally install another os onto the system and you don't even have to mod it either

that's the cool point about it, honestly the ps3 is a hacker's dream, a new gaming system that has the tools to mod it handed to them

 

[Arrakiv]

Yellow Dog Linux was originally going to be on PS3s by default, but this was changed shortly before the release of the system. Sony is totally fine with having Linux installed on the PS3. Even though I'm a primary Linux user, I actually have yet to install Linux on my PS3, although I've considered it. It would further enhance the already great media center capabilities of the PS3 and also allow for emulators, and potentially a MythTV client.

 

[Samah]

Sony is totally fine with having Linux installed on the PS3.

Source?

 

[mr rofl]

Hurr Durr, did you guys just figure this out? I've had linux and emus on my PS3 for more than a year... I can't believe you guys JUST figured this out.... Maybe I should go find a better forum to be on... Today I have only seen OLD news.

 

[mr rofl]

I've heard of Linux, but I never knew what exactly it was, or what it looks like for that matter.

And if it's electronic, hackers will hack it, no exceptions no matter how expensive it is.

It costs free.... well depending on which kind of linux you get. Ubuntu was always free for me and thats why i like it.


Tip: If anyone does put linux on their ps3, like Ubuntu, then get a program called, Wine. It let's you run windows things on linux.

 

[Logan Frederick]

Hurr Durr, did you guys just figure this out? I've had linux and emus on my PS3 for more than a year... I can't believe you guys JUST figured this out.... Maybe I should go find a better forum to be on... Today I have only seen OLD news.

well the most recent "news" in the piece covers and links to all the new emulators and updates for the platform. Those are things that are not more than a year old.

*stops feeding troll*

 

[Eagle Est1986]

It's not being hacked, that's the precise reason that the console allows you to partition the hard drive. It even says in the instructions for it, Partion your hard drive - so you can install another OS on your PS3.

 

[ratix2]

this ISNT hackin people. hacking would be if these emulators were running from the ps3s xmb and NOT from inside linux. all that has happened is porting emulators to run on yellow dog, but this is in no way hacking.