Comments on: PS3 homebrew NOT important

By: Cydonos

Cydonos — Sat, 12 May 2007 00:13:34 +0000

Well I didn’t mean to take a shot at your article at all. I totally agree with everything you said. I really just wanted to take a shot at Sony and educate the public that they’re taking credit for something that doesn’t exist.

By: twistedsymphony

twistedsymphony — Fri, 11 May 2007 15:37:11 +0000

You’re absolutely right that Linux development is not homebrew… I completely agree with that sentiment, though for the article I wasn’t about to get into a debate over semantics. For all intents and purposes I used “homebrew” to mean developed by Joe programmer. Even though developing on Linux is developing on Linux is developing on Linux; no matter the platform it just regular old software development.

REAL “homebrew” wont even exist on the PS3 until people are running their own code in the PS3os.

By: Cydonos

Cydonos — Fri, 11 May 2007 14:15:43 +0000

I’d really love to see people stop referring to Sony’s support of Linux as “Homebrew” support. As for as I’m concerned it doesn’t qualify as homebrew at all. Anything I build on Linux will never be usable by anyone who doesn’t also have Linux. So am I really developing for the PS3? no, I’m developing for Linux, which I could have (and should have) done on a PC.

And even if Sony really liked the game I made and decided to give me the honor of paying $17 mil for a license to sell it, I would have to port that game, from linux to the ps3os.

It’s not PS3 development at all. It’s Linux development. Sony just wanted to get credit for supporting homebrew without actually supporting it.

By: Foe-hammer

Foe-hammer — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 10:04:22 +0000

“This means if you want dev experience on writing RSX and Cell based code, you can – you dont need a devkit, the Linux kernel runs in kernel mode 1 the same level game developers work in, so there is a great opportunity for people who want to develop on console, to do so.”

You had me rolling on the ground with that one. The RSX is not even accessible. Plus, if the ps3 linux is as ‘amazing’ as you say it is, then what the hell is the purpose of ps3 sdk’s? Oh right, you don’t have access to the RSX, and the low level programming is very limiting.

PS3 linux is not comparable to a truly modded console that runs unsigned code/homebrew from the hardware level…except it PS3 fanatics.

PS3 linux cannot even currently run a pathetic snes9x emulator at full speed, and has horrible sound glitching. Let alone support higher resolutions or graphic filters. But amazingly enough the first snes emulator for the original xbox, snes9x no less, ran at full speed without sound glitching on its very first version. Imagine that. So either the ps3 is shit for performance, or the ps3 linux is not the answer for homebrew.

By: Grover

Grover — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 04:48:52 +0000

Mate you are simply a Xbox fanboy. Heres the reasoning – you mentioned Xbox so many times in your article, to try and ratify the fact that homebrew on Xbox is important – I mentioned piracy, because that was the CORE reason for homebrew on the Xbox occurring at all. The fact you _could_ run some emuls and such was a bonus- the main reason for modding was for piracy, so get off the idea that homebrew was important on Xbox at all – it wasnt.

I mentioned XNA because this is the ONLY similar available setup on any other console. But XNA is pretty much like developing in a Java sandpit, so its is far behind being able to develop “whatever you like” on PS3.

You are quite wrong about the PS3′s limited graphical capabilities. I can GUARANTEE you that you can develop complete 3D applications on linux if you spend some time hacking the ps3fb lib. This is why your comments again are such fanboy dribble – if you knew anyone working on this homebrew gear, you’d realise your comments are just plain wrong – its obvious you dont own, nor are doing any hacking on the PS3 to make any judgement – hence your title of the article is thoroughly misleading.

I never said homebrew alone will be the most important aspect for PS3. However, there are companies and organisations that _are_ using the PS3 purely for development purposes alone. So no matter how you look at it, the PS3 has a well rounded set of credentials if you are a hacker wanting to get into homebrew. Thats the important thing – there is no other console that even vaguely offers this level of access to homebrew developers. Say what you want about your opinions on the matter – the fact remains, you can develop on the PS3 out of the box. This equates to an enticing feature for most homebrew developers full stop.

I should also point out that media and emul programs are not the limit of the Linux install – which you would know if you had a PS3 and could run say Yellow Dog. It comes with Firefox, Thunderbird, Open Office, Gaim.. etc etc etc a complete complement of office tools, which when I am developing means I can do everything I can do on XP. Not bad for a ;’games’ console.

So look at the reality rather than your own personal hype and fan extremism. This ‘games’ console can.. play games.. edit play media (movies, dvd’s, photos, audio etc).. browse the web, interact with online users… play hi-def movies(BD) and run a complete OS allowing you to do pretty much everything you can do on your desktop machine. Computer + Media device + Games console all for $600 USD.. you are telling me thats a poor set of features for the price? I say.. you are a simply a fanboy.