Wii Will Use Linux as Operating System with Proprietary GUI? |
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Another Wii rumor has surfaced, this time it was divulged by a guy named Kiyoshi Saruwatari, who claims to have connections with Nintendo as a designer. He said that Wii would be the first console to sport an extensive built in software. According to this character, the next-gen Ninty console will come fully equipped with emulators and a download manager. He continued by saying that "it will also have the option to download and view videos from Nintendo with new video player, and file manager because the memory card now can take many things, including videos, VC games, saved data, game contant and much else."
So, let's say that everything he said is all true and that the Wii is going to be capable of all that and more, then why in the world is it sporting a very low price tag? Kiyoshi has an answer for that: Nintendo perform some cost-cutting measures as the Wii will have software based on an industry standard platform that's open source, and that's where Linux entered the picture. He elaborated his statements by telling that "Wii will have Linux as operating system with proprietary GUI and applications based on commonly open source for Linux programs."
Reading all that made you think of homebrews for the Wii, right? According to this guy, that's not gonna be a possibility. "The final system in closed and will allow only signed code etc and will be very secure, even though it's technically compatible with a world of already existing software." But then again, this is an unconfirmed speculation, anything is still possible.
Where would you find this rumored Linux OS? He says that the system itself will be placed on a 512MB memory stick integrated in the system and it's hidden, you can't remove it so there is no risk for removing the system software. "The memory card make the system start up very quick, and if you hold A on the Wiimote while starting Wii, it will automaticaly start the game in the DVD without booting Linux, and you can also set up this in Settings so it always starts automatically. But by default, it brings you to a menu, similar to the Nintendo DS menu."
Whether this is a leak or someone is pulling our legs, we don't know. But then again, it is up to you to decide if all these has a tinge of truth in it or if it's just pure baloney. Whatever your reactions are, don't hesitate to tell it to us through your comments.
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Comments [refresh]
LINUX OWNS !!!!!
PLEASE NINTENDO, CHOOSE LINUX!!!
MICROSOFT SHUCKS A$$,
SO, YEEES!!!!!
LINUX FOR EVER !!!!
(1st post)
YAY!!! im 2nd!!!
I wish that too,
cuz windows is so lame...
I personally doubt that the wii will have a special linux built-in. As for the cost, open-source doesn't mean that it has no price tag. I guess it is not too hard to compile it for Wii's hardware realizing the CPU comes from IBM and thus may be very well be powerpc friendly (gamecube backwards compatibility) but is enought work non the less. A proprietary gui - the word itself contradicts a low price.
With a confirmed built-in browser it comes as no surprise though that it may feature a download manager or even capabilities to access the memory card with a file manager; Remember Nintendo is wanting to keep the Wii a simple device for everyone. You can very easily destroy that vision trying to make the Wii a small hometheater PC. And for the few tasks that the Wii will indeed be able to do despite playing games I don't think it is necessary to take some linux distro and cut it to 5% the size or functionality. You may very well do something on your own for that which in my opinion is much more like Nintendo than adopting linux.
I think it is very unlikely that this rumour is true.
Omg!!! im 3rd....
Yeah, it would be very VERY smart to add linux in wii...
Nintendo, ur smart if u do that... =P
Linux would be nice on Wii,
but it's probably not gonna happen...
I noticed this "claims to have connections" -part
and yes, this IS a rumor...
But it would be smart to add linux or sumting else alotlike-linux into Wii...
Anyway!!!!! I just want my fking Wii, as quickly as possible!!!!
So, if this is gonna take some time and wii will be realased later, then %#¤$£#€@{#€*!!!!
(But this is just a rumour...)
it would be better running windows cus i could connect it to the 360
Unlikely.
Lest we forget, the purpose of a GUI is to serve as a main interface before interacting with other software. A GUI makes sense with a computer, which has the sole purpose of expandability through acquired programs, but this makes no sense for the Wii.
The Wii will be a simple system. I don't think a GUI that's comparable to a computer GUI is even necessary. Look at the PSP or DS. A simple options screen before booting up a game is all that's needed, not a GUI.
poorly written article.
The DS options screen IS a GUI. It's Graphical and it's a User Interface.
I see no need for Linux. It's a full OS and I see no need for a full OS on a game system. Maybe they may use open source programs like a media player for the web browser but I still have my doubts. Might happen. You never know.
Ninty probably needed an pretty robust and versatile foundation for their virtual machine software, which is why they would choose something like Linux.
Sure they could have the virtual machines coded to run directly on the hardware with little to no OS beneath them, but I get the feeling it's a lot easier to build on something that is already very stable like linux.
I meant to say "OS" since OS's are computer GUI's. That's what I meant to say when I referred to "a GUI comparable to a computer GUI".
In any case, ssj3fox echoes my own sentiments, so if my comment was confusing, just read his.
Oh Noes. Can't Nintendo come up with anything original. They are going to copy Sony and put Linux in thier next console. Those unoriginal bastards.
'I meant to say "OS" since OS's are computer GUI's. That's what I meant to say when I referred to "a GUI comparable to a computer GUI".'
Wrong. Just... Wrong.
PSP and DS have both an OS and a GUI. They are minimal, but they are there. If they didn't, you'd not be able to play your games. Without the GUI, you'd have to type (yeah, right) commands to start the game.
As for "OS's are computer GUI's" ... Uh, no. OS's are not necessarily GUI. DOS, Linux, Unix, and many, many others are not strictly GUI.
As for the article... Converting linux into a system that locked everything down like they want would be a major task. It would also be open to any unpatched vulnerabilities at the time they flashed the firmware. It would be possible to trim Linux down to nearly nothing and do what they want, but it wouldn't be as fast to boot or as 'secure' as a custom system. I seriously doubt they've used Linux.
anyway OS sounds cool but this dude is totaly fake I have been to his blog. He is the guy still claiming there going to be a mic in the wii-mote. His name is fake japanese name as well but its a decent try. Akodo would have been better (Akodo means lion in japanese). This rumor should be disregarded as nothing but i do believe there might be a DS like OS
Speaking of GUI, "DOS is not strictly GUI" sounds a bit wrong, it never had a graphical user interface, as it was text based. You could write a GUI based on DOS (Windows until 3.11).
Enough nitpicking, this rumour is false as WC already said, trimming down linux to do basicly nothing is plain stupid.
"Can't Nintendo come up with anything original"
Are you idiot?
Yes You are !
"anything original"
No, 99% Nintys things are ORGINAL!
But how about Sony... only 1 % of their things are orginal...
So, there was a mistake in your comment...
When you sed that "Those unoriginal bastards"
You ment "sony", not nintendo...
So, you actually was suppoused to say: "Dang, sony, those unoriginal bastards"
Your welcome for fixing your mistake... =)
This guy also says there is a microphone that you can use like a phone for voIP built into into the Wii remote. He's an idiot.
nocomment
Linux is not an operating system! I've tried stating this numerous times on the PS3 articles as well. It is a base for operating systems such as Debian and Ubuntu in the same way that MacOSX is based on unix.
Having Linux on the Wii or PS3 does not mean that you will be able to run programs off the operating system, it will still be as locked down as any previous console.
Can everybody please get this misconception out of their heads!
I would love to see Linux on the Wii however there is alot of details in the article that gives me high doubts about it.
firstly the codecs required to playback most formatted videos are propietry. avi, divx, wma etc etc. all costing dosh.
a propietry GUI. unless it has been written from the ground up by a soul propietry developer costing $$$$$ is senseless doing so when there are many other already developed GUI's avalable released under the GNU public lisense. It would make more business sense to use GNU lisensed software and further develop it cutting alot of time and out of the development. Of course using GNU lisensed code by law requires the devloper to release their own work under the same lisense. Same thing goes for the video player, download manager etc etc.
However I havaen't got the full story behind the linux powered PS3 in regards to whats open and whats propietry. It can be a possibility. But of course we all know Sony are not concerned with keeping things cheap.
= Schrambo
Wait i could have sworn that linux on the Xbox wasn't legal and i never heard of it on the ps2 and btw sony are the unoriganl bastards who coppied microsofts online service not ninty as #17 so rightly said sony are the unoriganal bastards not nintendo.
#17 and #22 are both correct, and #13 is totally wrong.
And there is only one explanation for that, and it is cuz #13 is a jerk. Idiot. Brainless. And #13 is also gay.