I'm sure all of you have been having fun with Linux on your PS3. A few of you might be happy with Fedora Core 5/6, the others have probably moved on to Yellow Dog Linux. Now while they're not bad in any sense, they do have problems which are associated with any RPM based distro- dependency hell. I'm sure that any of you who've tried to install any applications would have faced the problem of missing dependencies sometime. And it's all too common to have a few packages totally missing from the repository which means that you have to search for their respective RPMs on the net, download them and install them separately. While functional, this can get a little frustrating over time.
My friend Jake just bought a PS3, and he wanted to install Linux on it. Since he didn't know much about Linux, it was my responsibility to help him with it. His requirements - Install a distribution which is easy to maintain and run. He wanted to make the full use of his Linux install, so he needed a distro which wouldn't hold him back with frustrating problems. Among his biggest needs was an office suite, a good web browser, and above all, a no-hassle media player which would allow him to play all his videos on the big screen.
One look at the current situation of Linux on the PS3, I knew it wasn't going to be Fedora Core or Yellow Dog since they seemed to have lots of problems when it came to media players. The only solution was using a distro which had a better package management system, and did its work without bothering you, the end user. And what luck! The folks over at Gentoo.org had just released a Live CD plus a few more things for the PS3. Having used Gentoo extensively, I knew that this would be the solution to my problems. Here's a few personal thoughts about Gentoo:
Why Gentoo?
1. Theoretically, faster than any other distro.
2. Modular distro, so you have full control over the installation.
3. It teaches you more about Linux.
4. You can update it whenever you want, don't have to wait for the latest version of the distro like Fedora Core 5/6, Yellow Dog Linux 5
5. Huge community of people, and the best documentation among all Linux distros, so you'll never have unsolved problems.
Criticisms of Gentoo:
1. Long installation process
2. Takes long to install applications since they have to be compiled from source
3. Difficult for anyone new to Linux since they get overwhelmed with all the stuff given to them.
Why Gentoo for PS3?
1. Best distro when compared with Fedora Core 5/6 or Yellow Dog Linux because of no RPM/dependency/repository hell
2. Easy to install ANY application - emerge . It will download source of all dependencies, install and setup everything.
3. Will get the latest updates first, and you will be able to download and install it without any problems.
4. It won't take time to install applications since hundreds of binaries already available through Portage Overlays. Thus, you will get applications compiled specially for the PS3, not just a regular PPC computer. The advantages of this will be big once GCC is optimised for the Cell processor.
5. You can ask for help while installation through irc, or ask someone to install it for you remotely!
As you can see, the above reasons cover up 2/3 criticisms of Gentoo. Therefore, it's not difficult to see that Gentoo is the best distro for the PS3. Don't get me wrong, Gentoo is an overwhelmer for any newbie to Linux, but since I'm very comfortable with it, I decided to set it up on his PS3. What followed was a nice command-line installation procedure and lots of fun configuring and setting up the system. Jake, who had already got a great head-start to his Linux journey, was having fun checking around the system, installing applications manually, and in general, doing whatever he had intended to do.
Now while the Gentoo guys had already published instructions for the installation, we went ahead and changed a few steps since we thought that they could be made easier. After all, not everyone loves vim :). Anyways, here's the link to the Gentoo install instructions. Have fun installing and checking out Gentoo on your PS3. At this point though, let me warn you- The installation isn't for those who've never spent time at the Linux command line. While the instructions can be understood and followed by everyone, we'd prefer it if total newbies stayed away from it for a little while, until we sort out the wiki and add lots more Gentoo-specific content. You can also ask for help in our forums where me and other Gentoo users will be eager to help you out.
Like it? Share with your friends!
If you got an error while installing Themes, Software or Games, please, read FAQ.
Similar Software:
AldosTools 2.60: Changes to PKG ContentID and XMB+ Manager AldosTools 2.60: Changes to PKG ContentID and XMB+ Manager - Aldo Vargas is a PS3 developer that never sleeps. As part of this forty scene tool collection, you'll see new revisions for his Cobra XMB mod as well as Improved ability to see the ContentID of your pkg files!
This update may not contain quite as much as previous versions, but it's still worthy of posting
Anti Update for the PSP Slim Anti Update for the PSP Slim
Homebrew mainstay Coolj dropped by our forums to release Anti Update for the PSP Slim & Lite. This prx plugin allows you to hide the UMD update icon. Which is cool for those guys with fidgety fingers that might accidentally push buttons away without intending to update their PSP firmware. Oh, the hassle
Half Byte Loader r96 Half Byte Loader r96
Developer's note:
If you haven't noticed, the latest cool updates to HBL are thanks to our genius fellow coder JJS. JJS recently found a way to perfectly estimate most syscalls on most models of the PSP
VSH Rebooter PRX VSH Rebooter PRX
MaTiAz either has a lot of time in his hands or he sure is one fast coder. After releasing VSH Rebooter PRX v0.1 just two days ago, he's back with a bumped up version of his homebrew app, a plug-in for PRX devs.
The updates for this version may not be a lot but they're stiill definitely helpful, especially now that v0
Wii Homebrew Loader Wii Homebrew Loader
Tired of duplicate channels appearing from your Nintendo Wii main menu when you run homebrew? Coder hell_hibou has a remedy with Wii Homebrew Loader. Having the same interface as the Wii main menu, this application loads ELF files (the stuff which homebrews are made of) from the front SD card slot into the Wii
LCFW 6.39ME-2 installer for OFW6.39 LCFW 6.39ME-2 installer for OFW6.39
LCFW 6.39ME-2 installer for OFW6.39 by neur0n
-- What is this? --
This is LCFW installer for OFW6.39.
Only work on 01g ,02g , 03g, 04g, 07g and 09g model.
05g (GO)is not supported.
The degree of stability is still unknown.
Please test it on your own and refer to different people's test reports
CreatDir 0.2 FW 3.52 M33 CreatDir 0.2 FW 3.52 M33
Developer Mirzab just dropped by to inform us that he's come up with a small update for his nifty little homebrew application CreatDir 0.2. This latest build includes some small cosmetic updates, as well as a French readme file
Multi Password Boot Protector 1.0 Multi Password Boot Protector 1.0
PSP homebrew developer, Cheater360, passed by our forums recently to tell us about the release of his homebrew application called Multi Password Boot Protector 1.0. So what is this? Well, according to the dev, this app will enable you to turn on your PSP by using a "special memory stick"
PkgView PkgView
PkgView version 1.2 is a tool used for exploring the specific contents of pkg files and has been updated by PS3 homebrew developer ifcaro which brings it to version 1.2. Based on an update from ifcaro this handy program DOES NOT use anything that would be subject to copyright and the software is legal.
Updates to v1
The Wiimotulator The Wiimotulator
e-Hernick is working on a "driver" for linux to use the Wiimote . Of course it's "driver" in quotes, because it's not really a driver, as it doesn't have any kernel-mode code. In fact, it is simply a python script
Comments on otheros.bld for Gentoo Linux:
Comments not found
If you noted an error or download link is broken, please, report it via this page or use comments.
Please, select device to check if otheros.bld for Gentoo Linux supports it
