Linux on PS2

[thejay]

I dunno, _pretty sure_ it could at least run Doom, and that's all I need...

[HiTeckGrenwick]

There was a period in college, for a semester and a half, where my laptop had died so my only computer was Yellow Dog on a PS3.

[ANeMzero]

The PS3 also had linux support, at least initially. They removed it later in a firmware patch which should have gotten them in trouble for false advertising but a tech-illiterate judge decided since you could choose not to upgrade it wasn't a problem. The judge just didn't consider that by not upgrading you couldn't access other features like online, new games or even new bluray movies.

It is up there with the time Sony intentionally put a virus on their music CDs that broke PC CD drives, and when required by courts to distribute software to remove the virus then used the uninstaller to also install a different piece of malware. They do love to push these loopholes where they're technically complying but you get screwed either way.

[juvenoiachild]

BACK IN MY DAY WE HAD 4 MB OF VRAM AND WE WERE GRATEFUL

[BringerYT]

“back in the year BEFORE finding Nemo was a thing”

*The Dark Times*

[probablyoxy]

fun fact: in 2010 the us air force made a supercomputer cluster out of 1760 ps3s

[legokingcandy]

“don’t expect to do any gaming on it” it’s the PLAYstation 2!

[beefgoat]

Ahh, before the gigahertz barrier. Now we're up to 5 gigahertz. Which is 5000 megahertz.

[DeepVoiceGamer]

I remember a friend of mine being very excited about this. Don't know if he ever got his hands on the kit or not.

[nohacksjustparker]

FUNFACT: The airforce made a super computer out of Playstations using linux to save money

[whocares]

Ogs remember well before the ps2 came out

[callibor]

Open Source is the way. Nintendo has FreeBSD, like Playstation and Apple and SEGA, Steam Deck OS is a Linux-based distro and Microsoft clearly running out of options like all other tech companies, but are pushing late into handheld console manufacturing.

[minecraftchest]

I mean, linux still has support for one of the first consumer cpus so why not.

[batterypwrlow]

I think they did this or sold a Linux disc with a PlayStation 2 in the U.K. or somewhere in Europe because there was a ban on video game consoles. By selling the console with Linux, it technically was a personal computer and was exempt from the law. Gotta love those loopholes.

[IxusNaugus]

PS2 is still one of the best gaming consoles ever despite only using megabytes. And consider this: we went to the moon on less. You can accomplish great things with very little when you know your tools.

[yusufmualim]

I've read somewhere. The linux on ps2 is for circumventing some restriction that define ps2 as a personal computer not as a gaming console.

[ElShotte]

Yo, that Linux install ran SO SLOW. When the PS2 came out, hardware was still improving significantly. I actually installed it, installed Linux on PS3 as well, but PC's were considerably more powerful even when they were released.

[ionbintf]

thanks Michel MJD for showing GenZ this awesome OG thing

[lougddrick]

I remember when the PS3 fat could do that... Sony was afraid of the power they could unleash with that beast 😂

[chzelouiz]

Is this what I think it was nasa or something in science used as a super computer???

Wait nvm… taht was the ps3. Still cool tho