Sony announces PS2 Linux release 1.0 (1 Viewer)

[BrianShort]

Link Removed

This does me zero good, seeing as how I've got the programming skillz of your average groundhog (actually, the groundhog would probably top me...). However, for those of you out there with a coding fetish, it may please you to find out that SCEI/SCEA has announced the official release of its PS2 Linux Developers Kit. The beta version of the Linux Kit has been available in Japan since May 2001, and initial orders grew to 7,900 units from the original 2,000 due to the number of requests Sony received. The package consists of two discs (one containing the PS2 Linux Runtime Environment and the System Manual, and a second disc with open source Linux software), the 40GB hard drive, a PS2 ethernet adapter, a monitor cable adapter, and a USB keyboard and mouse. The kit functions on PS2 models SCPH-10000, SCPH-15000, SCPH-18000 and SCPH-30000.
The Linux Developers Kit 1.0 can be purchased from the Japanese PS2 site, and retails for 25,000 yen ($188 USD). US PS2 owners can buy the Linux kit for $199 from SCEA's website, though it won't be available until May 2002. Which brings up another point, actually...since the Hard Drive hasn't been announced yet for North America, does this mean the Hard Drive will be shipping this May?

the links given in the article are
http://www.jp.playstation.com/
http://www.us.playstation.com/
I couldnt find any info about the kit on the US PS site, but I did manage to locate something about the HD on the JP site... but since it's in Japanese, it's kind of hard to read, y'know?
This sounds pretty interesting. Not so much because I want to code (I havent a clue about that) but the idea that you could run linux on your PS2 is. Plus, it looks like you'll get a HD an ethernet adapter in the deal.
I'm wondering if this gives you a full X-windows type environment or if it's not that complicated. But I do get the impression that this would basically turn your PS2 into a Linux PC? Like I said I coudlnt find any info about it on the US site.
Brian

 

[BrianShort]

Ok, more info from Gamespot
http://gamespot.com/gamespot/stories...843954,00.html

The Linux development software for the PS2 will be coming to domestic shores.
At the Linuxworld conference, Sony announced plans to bring its PlayStation 2 Linux kit to North America. The kit allows development enthusiasts to run a number of programs created specifically for the Linux platform, but Sony hopes that the Linux development community will create original content as well. For $199, the kit includes:
Internal hard disk drive with 40GB capacity
Ethernet network adaptor with 100 base T interface
Linux kernel version 2.2.1 (with USB device support)
Linux (for the PlayStation 2) version 1.0 software distribution on two DVDs
Gcc 2.95.2 and glibc 2.2.2 with VU assemblers
XFree86 3.3.6 with PlayStation 2 GS support
Computer monitor adaptor (with audio connectors)
USB keyboard and mouse
Those interested in purchasing and running the kit will have to supply their own PlayStation 2, memory card, and VESA monitor. Sony claims that more than 28,000 people have expressed interest in the kit, which will be released in May. More information on the Linux kit for the PlayStation 2 can be found here http://playstation2-linux.com/

 

[Andre F]

This sounds kind of interesting to me. I'm not a huge Linux person but I have played around with it a little. Seems like a pretty good deal.

-Andre F

 

[Oscar_R]

woopeeee, like anyone saw anything that came out of the last home development kit Sony put out. Yarooze for the PS1.

I remember playing some crappy level to one crappy shooter put on a PS1 demo disk many moons ago, and that's all that came out of that venture.

 

[Kelley_B]

Oscar,

Have you played Devil Dice??? That game supposedly started out as a Yarooze title, and it is one of the best games for the PSOne IMHO.

 

[BrianB]

woopeeee, like anyone saw anything that came out of the last home development kit Sony put out. Yarooze for the PS1.

Devil Dice started as a Yaroze game, as did the incredibly fun Total Soccer.

Many of the core Yaroze owners have gone on to get real development jobs that they otherwise wouldn't have been able too. Sony for starters have cherrypicked a number of Yaroze guys for their internal SCEE studios.

There's a number of PSX budget games currently in development by Yaroze guys too. It was definitely much more successful in Europe than the US, the SCEE guys gave much better support & there was definitely a better community going in the UK. It was never intended to launch a bunch of new games on the market - it gave amateurs a chance to work on consoles as well as access to support/community they would have missed out on otherwise.

 

[Sean Eldridge]

As usual, well-put Brian.

Sean

 

[BrianB]

Thanks, Sean.

I own a Yaroze (from the SCEE program), and I see comments slating the program unfairly far too often. It was definitely much higher profile in the UK, with articles in Edge & the Official Playstation Magazine regularly featuring games on their coverdisk - which they're doing again BTW.

A number of universities use the Yaroze systems to aspects of hands-on game programming. This was so successful that Sony actually stopped accepting new members to dedicate the remaining stock of machines/kits to this direction.

There were some really sharp guys involved who will go on to bigger, brighter things. Yaroze gave them their chance to get noticed.

It wasn't designed to spark the next Final Fantasy game.

 

[Brad Grenz]

Yeah, I don't know what these people who speak so poorly of the Yaroze venture were expecting. It was a system for hobbiests. It was for programmers who wanted to have fun messing around with the PSX environment and maybe put together a demo or start a game which they could show to perspective employers. It wasn't about the rest of us downloading high quality, free-ware games. That the people who participated enjoyed the program is really all that matters.

 

[Oscar_R]

Well, yes , i did purchase play Devil Dice back when it was first released. The reason I disagree with everyone porsting about Yarooze is that no one has mentioned the cost of this develoipment unit. If I remember correctly it initially was released for over $1,500.00. Don't know how much it currently can be found for though. Who is able to purchase somethign like that, just to mess around? What would have been great if the development community that forseterd this product distributed their games more than they did, otherwise it is simply irrelevant.

 

[BrianB]

The intial price of the Yaroze program in the West was roughly $750 compared to a base PSX price of $300. A lot of money? Yes. It rapidly came down in price though. It wasn't aimed at the 'mainstream'. Again, it was aimed at budding amateur developers looking for experience & a way to break into the industry. No other console manufacturer has opened up their console & tools in this way - you *have* to give Sony some credit for that surely? I know Sega were planning a 'homebrew' DC development kit before its untimely demise.

I paid 360ukp for my kit, and don't regret a penny of it.

As for "should have spread around" their games more - Yaroze games were featured on the coverdisk & in the pages of the OPSM mag in the UK regularly reaching an audience of over 300,000 each month. There was a great online web community behind it too - which is still going on.

 

[Oscar_R]

Unfortunetly we had nothing comparable in the United States.

I think it would have made lot more sense to replicate the Yarooze development environment in PC or MAC format. The you wouldn't have to worry about purchasing an additional unit for debugging and testing of your games. CDR's are inexpensive enough. In addition, it would allow you to circulate your project via the internet for other people to eenjoy, debug or improve on.