Sorry to burst the bubble but Sony only released this to try to get tax benefits in the European Union, by claiming the PS2 wasn't just a console, but a computer, which would mean lower taxes.
this post was submitted on 12 Aug 2026
224 points (95.9% liked)
Linux
18786 readers
99 users here now
Welcome to c/linux!
Welcome to our thriving Linux community! Whether you're a seasoned Linux enthusiast or just starting your journey, we're excited to have you here. Explore, learn, and collaborate with like-minded individuals who share a passion for open-source software and the endless possibilities it offers. Together, let's dive into the world of Linux and embrace the power of freedom, customization, and innovation. Enjoy your stay and feel free to join the vibrant discussions that await you!
Rules:
-
Stay on topic: Posts and discussions should be related to Linux, open source software, and related technologies.
-
Be respectful: Treat fellow community members with respect and courtesy.
-
Quality over quantity: Share informative and thought-provoking content.
-
No spam or self-promotion: Avoid excessive self-promotion or spamming.
-
No NSFW adult content
-
Follow general lemmy guidelines.
founded 3 years ago
MODERATORS
It still worked. The PS2 was used for super computing as well.
PS2 wasn’t but PS3 was.
https://www.ncsa.illinois.edu/2003/05/27/playing-the-supercomputer-game/
Yes, the ps3 was more widely used. But the PS2 started it.
What is this? What am I looking at?
You could get an official Linux install on your PlayStation 2. That support was later removed which prompted a class action lawsuit.
The lawsuit was about the PS3 removing the OtherOS feature. Which, while handled poorly, made some sense.
The system was initially sold at a significant loss, with the software making up for it. The cell architecture made it excellent at distributed processes, so with the OtherOS feature suddenly the cheapest way to build a supercomputer was buying a bunch of PS3s being sold at a loss and linking them together. Any systems built that way were essentially subsidized by Sony.
What they could have done is have the option to pay to unlock the bootloader for the OtherOS install.
No, what they should've done is made Sony eat the losses from its own business screw-up, and send execs to prison for hacking and fraud. Sabotaging people's property to disable functionality they paid for should've been considered a felony violation of the CFAA on a massive scale.
load more comments
(1 replies)
I remember some teacher at school saying that selling something below cost was illegal in Germany. Unfortunately I don't know if that is true and I never got to ask him about consoles.
Could have made a huge difference on the console market if enforced.
A quick Google suggests selling at a loss in order to undercut competition is illegal, but selling at a loss to be a loss leader, or as a temporary sale (e.g. to clear inventory) is allowed. And apparently this is why Walmart failed in Germany; undercutting competitors until they go out of business is their primary tactic.
So German supermarkets can’t sell us €4 rotisserie chickens at a loss just for the foot traffic? Damn.
I think the lawsuit was with PS3, not PS2.
It was the PS3 that got support removed, the PS2 Linux support kept around for the entire live, and the Japanese exclusive BB system that the PS2 got is based around it
Yeah I believe the PlayStation OS at the time got hacked by another OS that they allowed to be installed.. so they said well shit we can't have nice things. I used to have Yellowdog running on mine
I've only ever met one person who was familiar with Yellowdog, let alone what yum means.
If I remember correctly yum was the "apt" as in sudo yum install ... Should work. Think it stood for yellowdog update (manager?). Unsure.
when Sony released the HDD for the PS2 you could get Linux with it. there was a complete package that came with the Linux dvds, a keyboard, and the 40GB HDD. it was a Playstation 2 branded distro which was a fork of a japanese distro named "Kondara" which was a based on Red Hat. the DE was Window Maker.
I had it, it was pretty dang good in all honesty. The second disk had a bunch of packages on it in case you didn't have a decent internet connection. There's still an community for it today that is still making packages and what have you for it.
It's so cool, it even has goddamn OpenGL and drivers to exposed the full Emotion Engine to Linux
Emotion Engine
The marketing for the PS2 was so absurd...
I've decided when/if ps6 comes out I will probably turn my ps5 into a Linux PC. My experience with Ps5 has mostly been playing games I already own on PS4 but with a much smoother experience.
Video games have very much plateaued anyways. Unless ps6 makes VR fun and can attach a fleshlight to the controller (joking but that's actually not a bad idea) I don't think I'll be missing out.
That idea is related to my very favorite word: Teledildonics.
Teledildonics
lmao instant top 10. Nothing will ever replace #1 defenestration for me tho.
A show that really nailed it was the Cyberpunk anime. The way people got addicted to VR masturbation and just laid on the streets like we see with drugs today.
I remember seeing a prototype of basically a pair, a pneumatic dildo and a pneumatic fleshlight that would record force applied in various places on their working surfaces...somehow, and then transmit that data across the internet. The insurmountable problem was latency.
load more comments
(1 replies)
pff wake me when they port Windows 11 to the PS2
Wake me up when they make a proper desktop port for windows 11
Wake me up when they make a proper Windows 11.
I say as someone who has used windows products since 98, wake me when they make a proper windows OS.
(also I'm fiddling around with mint on a vm to make the switch for my next computer easier)
2000 and XP SP2 were pretty good. 7 too, and 8.1 kind of
No SecureBoot or TPM
now i want a boot up sound of the psx sound
view more: next ›