News PS3 update removes Linux support

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/gaming/2010/03/29/ps3-update-removes-linux-support/1

Sony's new firmware update for the PlayStation 3 will remove support for a Linux OS, with the company citing security concerns.

 

Would that be for the PS3 as a whole (i.e. every model)? I ask since Linux support was already scrapped with the new PS3 Slim model. Not that I really care one way or the other, but it's always a bit sad when companies limit choice.

 

What was the suppoort for Linux OS in the first place?

 

edit* support

 

You could run Yellow Dog Linux (a special distro) on the PS3. Had very limited access, though. Not direct access to graphics for instance.

 

"The feature has apparently been missing in the PlayStation 3 Slim before now - news to us!"
- The PS3 Slim never had linux support. Sony made this quite clear at launch, don't you listen?

Always planned on getting linux instead on my PS3 Fat but never got round to it, guess I never will. Oh well no big loss.

 

edit* installed not instead.

 

On the original PS3s you could install another OS - the option was there in the settings menu to allocate disk space for it.

None of the new PS3 Slims have this capability.

It may only be a small percentage of people who actually use this capability, but removing it is just going to annoy them all.

 

Its going to pissed anyone off who has invested in a farm (ps3 farm not a moo cow farm)

 

I sure I remember Sony saying that they will be support Linux to run on the PS3 during its life cycle. I never used either, nevermind!

 

only if you want to use the console online, if not your happy as larry! that is until you pop in the latest game and it updates the firmware without asking you and then your screwed.

 

Erm... any notice the April 1st date ????????????????????????????????????????

 

I doubt the day has any importance here.

 

If that was the case they'd surely announce it on the day, not a week in advance.

 

Didn't the US military or some such outfit buy a load of PS3 to set up a Linux farm?

 

I installed it on my phat because I could, found that I couldnt really do any thing usefull so removed it. I have a laptop for my PC needs. Dont need a console to do the same job.

 

Some scientists are finding that a rack of PS3's is more cost efficient than a rack of servers. It seems that there are a lot of things science is scavenging from gaming.

Example, the hardware inside the Wii mote would cost many hundreds of dollars if scientists were to buy it the normal way. Instead for like £40 they get an IR camera that can monitor 3 points at once, a 6 axis motion controller and various other widgets, rather than £500 or smth.

Pretty cool....Except maybe this Linux off PS3 thing will cause problems with the Ps3 server farm thing...

 

Seems like a bit of a bean-counter decision to me. Sony lose quite a chunk of money on all PS3's they sell, expecting to recoup the loss and make a subsequent profit on games licensing per copy that they sell you later. If you buy 20 PS3's and build a cluster out of them, you aren't going to buy enough games to cover that in your lifetime, and Sony get hit pretty hard. Very few people/organisations would ever do that, so I doubt Sony would really feel any real effect to their bottom line, but I hear their bottom line is looking pretty atrocious already and I wouldn't put it past an accountant to put their foot down no matter how tiny the proportional saving.

 

But the fat PS3's have already been bought and paid for - they've got their money. There is no other reason for scrapping linux support other than security, as stated in the article.