Wii+linux how hard?

**haxer** · September 21st, 2006

Hello ive started a tread about the nintendo wii running with linux how hard would it be?

**Rhapsody** · September 21st, 2006

Originally Posted by haxer

Hello ive started a tread about the nintendo wii running with linux how hard would it be?

No one can know until we can get our hands on one. I like the look of DSLinux though, maybe I can have all of my active consoles running Linux at some point...

**MethodOne** · September 21st, 2006

Since it uses the PowerPC architecture, it might be possible to port PPC versions of distros like Ubuntu, but there could be problems:

-The Wii has only 512MB of storage.
-Nintendo might lock out homebrew applications
-Some of the hardware may be proprietary

**haxer** · September 22nd, 2006

The storedge is capeble to usb 2.0 with an extern hdd unit

**3rdalbum** · September 25th, 2006

Here's what Ubuntu might look like if they get it running on the Wii:

http://www.gnome-look.org/content/pr...name=Wii-Black

Hardware hacking work doesn't begin until units start to ship, so unfortunately you'll have to wait until the release date before people start trying to run Linux on them. That would be a pretty sweet machine though, and I doubt Nintendo will really put much protection onto them.

**Rhapsody** · September 25th, 2006

Originally Posted by 3rdalbum

I doubt Nintendo will really put much protection onto them.

Are you kidding? This is now the DRM Age, and Nintendo will be putting other people's (old) games on them. I'm expecting nothing less than nightmarish difficulty in getting anything non-Nintendo approved on them.

**3rdalbum** · September 28th, 2006

My understanding is that the Gamecube didn't have much protection, the DS doesn't either, and the Wii doesn't have a full-sized DVD drive so running homebrews will be too difficult for the average gamer.