Ways in which we can use PS3 linux? (For fun!)

[capcom_suicide]

Ways in which we can use PS3 linux? (For fun!) A 5 minute brainstorm on a quiet lunch.

WWW & Email.

Firefox and a mail client. Most likely a web interface to your provider. (Works Exchange Server, GMail, yahoo whatever. Could use a local SMTP/POP/IMAP client too.

Media Extender/ Media Server

Depending on your home network, and preference, you could either stream your movies, music and films, or you could attach a USB external hard disk. Obviously you will be able to use a whole host of playback file types, DIVx etc etc

Emulation

MAME, SFC etc will no doubt be along shortly. If my PSP can do CPS2 games, we can be fairly sure the PS3 will do so too!

Home Theatre Shell

Lets face it, giving the wife a terminal window and telling her to launch the media player is likely not going to go down well! install a simple short cut to launch a home theatre package, with access to the weather, radio, music library, films and pictures on you intranet and the www.

Linux Games

Some fun classics to be had no doubt.
Remote Control you local server/PC
More and more people have a server at home these days. It may only be an XP box with a shed load of disks, but it will be "Serving" data. More often than not it will be hidden away in a ventilated spot. Use VNC (With the encryption plugin) to control and manage the server, and have full control of a Windows machine should you need it. I'm not sure my head is ready for a windows screen, running on a Linux session through a PS3 hypervisor, but it's sure as hell possible. Geektastic.

Office

Using the ms office compatible and very nice "Open office" you can write your letter of complaint to MS support, explaining that you are documenting yet another Red Lights screw up, from a free open office word processor, from a free operating system, from a PS3. This one is a gem for the fanboys I'm sure.
Now the not so fun side of things....

Firewall

Linux isn't as simple as windoze, so you'd better find out how to enable a firewall before you hook up to the web. Might be a good time to check your router firewall is on, just to be safe. Maybe you can oick a linux distro that has a frewall by default? Maybe all do? Who knows..

Anti-Virus

Best look for a good product, that is certified for your linux distro. Can freeware cut it here, or is it worth 30 notes for a commercial package? Hopefully the linux shell can't screw the PS3 hypervisor, so you can only b0rf the linux bit, but I guess time will tell on this!!

Backup

Started to store email and documents on your PS3? Then it's another place you should script backups to your server. Remember you can run Mambo for "Windows networking" or even FTP if you like. No excuses for not being careful with your data!

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Just a 5 minute brainstorm, i've probably missed loads, but I reckon it will be a bit of fun this PS3 Linux lark! Thank god I have a mate who is a guru, as my experience of linux is limited!

[J0e Musashi]

What is that in old money?

[dvdmike]

I thought Quake III and a snes emu were working

[Swallow]

linux is (one of) the main reason(s) I'm getting a PS3!

Anyone recommend a good distro, maybe secure as C_S touched upon?

Was going to go down the Yellow Dog route myself, their website is mucho helpful

http://www.terrasoftsolutions.com/support/solutions/ydl_5.0/video-connect.shtml

[CMcK]

Seems a bit pointless using the PS3 for Linux until the developers get better access to the PS3 hardware. At present it's just like running a distro on an old PPC Mac. There's no access to the Cell SPU's and no access to the RSX for graphics stuff. The limited RAM isn't much help either.

[capcom_suicide]

Seems a bit pointless using the PS3 for Linux until the developers get better access to the PS3 hardware. At present it's just like running a distro on an old PPC Mac. There's no access to the Cell SPU's and no access to the RSX for graphics stuff. The limited RAM isn't much help either.

Ooh didn't know that, I thought it was only the emus that were effected.

If the office/web/mail/vnc/media streaming won't work, then I agree best to wait.

If the lack of access to GPU/CPU, and small amount of memory hamper all these things, then that is a shame.

I honestly thought it was only 3d stuff, and that the machine could do 2d emulators in the frame buffer.

My PSP could do great emus, even before the GPU was unlocked.

I'm not an expert, so fair do's. Just though it would have been worth a go.

[kernow]

being linux, theres no need to add a shortcut to the media player for your wife

why not get it to 'boot' into the media player

[Yoshimax]

There was an article online talking about PS3's RAM segregation and it's pretty severe - for example 256mb is always assigned for graphics (RSX?) and the buddy list feature alone occupies roughly 60mb (wtf?)

[babs]

Firewall and AV shouldn't be too far up that list. Presumably you're running behind a router in the first place. Unless you're thinking of turning the PS3 into a firewall with something like the IPCOP firewall distro - but that's one pricey firewall

Panda and AVG both do linux AV software, but unless someone finds some holes in the distros the PS3 runs, you shouldn't have much to worry about there either.

If you're after a well-supported distro with a huge active userbase, it may be worth giving Ubuntu a shot. It's avery newbie-friendly distro, and there's already a guide showing how to install it, get Java running in Firefox and get NES and SNES emus up and running.

[MrSpiggott]

Seems a bit pointless using the PS3 for Linux until the developers get better access to the PS3 hardware. At present it's just like running a distro on an old PPC Mac. There's no access to the Cell SPU's and no access to the RSX for graphics stuff. The limited RAM isn't much help either.

The RSX isn't accessable, but the SPUs are. There's already been several 'hello world' and simple fractal programs written to use them.