Wii + Linux = WiiLi?
We never heard hide or hair of that “Linux as proprietary OS on Wii” rumor from August. This bit did crop up in our forums, though: an open source project that puts the penguin in the plumber. The Wii Linux, Live Linux CD for the Nintendo Wii project, also known as the WiiLi.
It would have been tempting to append a “Insert Obligatory Wii Pun Here” to the last sentence, but the prospects of independent – yes, homebrew – development for the Wii took precedence. WiiLi is an open-source “final College project” of its creator that boots a Linux Desktop off the Wii. To explain the project in layman’s terms, since it’s already possible to run Linux off a Gamecube, and since the Wii shares much of the heart of a Gamecube (albeit kicked up a couple of notches), 2 + 2 = 4, and there’s WiiLi.
It’s still not ready yet, says its creator over at his WiiLi Wiki site, but it aims to turn the Wii into your personal computer, complete with the following features:
- Surf the Internet (using the control as a mouse pointer)
- Wii Media Extender, Stream moves, music, etc, from a PC to a TV using WiiLi and the Nintendo Wii in the middle. Think Apple iTV for free.
- Write a document with a regular USB keyboard and print it with any USB printer.
- Email and chat with your friends.
- Use an external USB storage device to backup and play your movies, games, mp3’s, etc…
- Play old classic games using the MAME console emulator.
- Develop your own programs and games.
- Control WiiLi from your PC using the WiFi connection.
- Use Willi and the Wii as a Network Attached Storage (NAS) by connecting it to an external USB HD.
- Anything you could possibly do with a regular computer.
There’s a bit of skepticism at our forums, however, when someone popped up with this news. The common question: “How can this guy (or these kids) be so sure about this program if they don’t have the Wii themselves?” Perhaps the proof of the pudding is indeed in the eating: not until there is video and pictorial (not to mention code, since it’s open source) proof that WiiLi is (a) real and (b) working. Perhaps 2 + 2 doesn’t really = 4 until you see everything add up properly.
Well, the Via link will take you to the Wiki site for this project. We also have the QJ Forum link below for all your questions, comments, and concerns. And Wii Launch Day is rolling up pretty quick, so perhaps we’ll finally see evidence of WiiLi in running condition soon enough (Or maybe when he gets around to reading this, the guy behind WiiLi might just pop up to comment here and set all records straight. Who knows?).
Discuss: [Forum Discussion Thread]
We never heard hide or hair of that “Linux as proprietary OS on Wii” rumor from August. This bit did crop up in our forums, though: an open source project that puts the penguin in the plumber. The Wii Linux, Live Linux CD for the Nintendo Wii project, also known as the WiiLi.
It would have been tempting to append a “Insert Obligatory Wii Pun Here” to the last sentence, but the prospects of independent – yes, homebrew – development for the Wii took precedence. WiiLi is an open-source “final College project” of its creator that boots a Linux Desktop off the Wii. To explain the project in layman’s terms, since it’s already possible to run Linux off a Gamecube, and since the Wii shares much of the heart of a Gamecube (albeit kicked up a couple of notches), 2 + 2 = 4, and there’s WiiLi.
It’s still not ready yet, says its creator over at his WiiLi Wiki site, but it aims to turn the Wii into your personal computer, complete with the following features:
- Surf the Internet (using the control as a mouse pointer)
- Wii Media Extender, Stream moves, music, etc, from a PC to a TV using WiiLi and the Nintendo Wii in the middle. Think Apple iTV for free.
- Write a document with a regular USB keyboard and print it with any USB printer.
- Email and chat with your friends.
- Use an external USB storage device to backup and play your movies, games, mp3’s, etc…
- Play old classic games using the MAME console emulator.
- Develop your own programs and games.
- Control WiiLi from your PC using the WiFi connection.
- Use Willi and the Wii as a Network Attached Storage (NAS) by connecting it to an external USB HD.
- Anything you could possibly do with a regular computer.
There’s a bit of skepticism at our forums, however, when someone popped up with this news. The common question: “How can this guy (or these kids) be so sure about this program if they don’t have the Wii themselves?” Perhaps the proof of the pudding is indeed in the eating: not until there is video and pictorial (not to mention code, since it’s open source) proof that WiiLi is (a) real and (b) working. Perhaps 2 + 2 doesn’t really = 4 until you see everything add up properly.
Well, the Via link will take you to the Wiki site for this project. We also have the QJ Forum link below for all your questions, comments, and concerns. And Wii Launch Day is rolling up pretty quick, so perhaps we’ll finally see evidence of WiiLi in running condition soon enough (Or maybe when he gets around to reading this, the guy behind WiiLi might just pop up to comment here and set all records straight. Who knows?).
Discuss: [Forum Discussion Thread]
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