The Penguin won’t be visiting the PSP anytime soon.
It has already been proven that the uClinux Proof Concept was actually fake. The problem with porting Linux to the PSP is the fact that the PSP’s CPU is without a very vital unit known as the MMU – Memory Management Unit. While explaining its function would be out of the scope of this story, suffice to say that it’s the main reason why its impractical to port Linux.
I’m not using the word impossible, because stranger things have happened. But even if Linux is actually ported, you won’t be looking at a GUI most probably. That takes out most of the fun, i.e. Desktop Environments like KDE, GUI browsers like Firefox, or 3D games like Tux-Racer.
If and when it is ported, it will most probably be a command line interface which would be useless for everyone, but the hardcore linux users who get a kick out of running it on just about anything possible. Although it might help in exploiting the PSP’s firmware, it’s purely speculative. We can never know until we can get our hands on one.
All the consoles on which Linux has been ported do have a CPU with a MMU. Case in point, the Gamecube and the Xbox.
Although there have been rumours that a team (psp-linux) is porting Linux to the PSP, it’s also fake.
Here’s a quote from someone who was in the team.
Sorry to burst your bubble guys, but the penguin won’t be visiting the PSP anytime soon.
To know more about the MMU, check out the Wikipedia link below.
It has already been proven that the uClinux Proof Concept was actually fake. The problem with porting Linux to the PSP is the fact that the PSP’s CPU is without a very vital unit known as the MMU – Memory Management Unit. While explaining its function would be out of the scope of this story, suffice to say that it’s the main reason why its impractical to port Linux.
I’m not using the word impossible, because stranger things have happened. But even if Linux is actually ported, you won’t be looking at a GUI most probably. That takes out most of the fun, i.e. Desktop Environments like KDE, GUI browsers like Firefox, or 3D games like Tux-Racer.
If and when it is ported, it will most probably be a command line interface which would be useless for everyone, but the hardcore linux users who get a kick out of running it on just about anything possible. Although it might help in exploiting the PSP’s firmware, it’s purely speculative. We can never know until we can get our hands on one.
All the consoles on which Linux has been ported do have a CPU with a MMU. Case in point, the Gamecube and the Xbox.
Although there have been rumours that a team (psp-linux) is porting Linux to the PSP, it’s also fake.
Here’s a quote from someone who was in the team.
Sorry to burst your bubble guys, but the penguin won’t be visiting the PSP anytime soon.
To know more about the MMU, check out the Wikipedia link below.