Hacking So... Why is Linux on Switch exciting?

[GerbilSoft]

... to play Tux Racer.

A full Linux system would have full control of the entire Switch hardware. This is different from e.g. homebrew, where the Switch OS is still running in the background.

Full hardware control == more potential for figuring out various aspects of the system specific to the Switch and not part of the public Tegra X1 documentation. This information could then be applied to the regular Switch OS.

 

[Deathscreton]

A full Linux system would have full control of the entire Switch hardware. This is different from e.g. homebrew, where the Switch OS is still running in the background.

Full hardware control == more potential for figuring out various aspects of the system specific to the Switch and not part of the public Tegra X1 documentation. This information could then be applied to the regular Switch OS.

Isn't safe to say that at the point where you have the ability to run other OSs on the Switch, that they more than likely have a majority, if not all of the Switch figured out (not to say documented because it may not be).

 

[GerbilSoft]

Isn't safe to say that at the point where you have the ability to run other OSs on the Switch, that they more than likely have a majority, if not all of the Switch figured out (not to say documented because it may not be).

Not necessarily. Things like the cartridge slot wouldn't be usable with an initial Linux bring-up, since that's custom hardware. eMMC would likely be accessible, but not directly usable unless a driver is written to handle the decryption.

 

[PocketQ3]

Unlike older versions of Linux like PS2's/PS3's, ARM Linux already has a ton of support, so you can do quite a lot with it especially if you're a developer (No Steam for Switch Linux, that's x86 only). Although Linux on PS4 with the right support could be turned into a gaming PC. It just wouldn't be as convenient to lug around.

Linux on Switch becomes more impressive when you don't have to overwrite the main OS to run it. It turns your awesome toy into an awesome tool. I do most of my web development work on my Android phone with Linux and a DeX-like UI. I don't think I'd want to do it on a Switch with Linux, but the option to is always nice. And the less devices I gotta buy, the better, imo.

 

[Kerbangman]

Make them work yourself. That's the point. There's mountains of documentation on how to do so. Also, emulators? Really? There's no problems with those on Linux.

This is a fault of whatever flash media you're using, not Linux.

Oh, and before some assuming asshole comes along, I don't even use Linux. UNIX is UNIX is UNIX. It's all the same if you know what you're doing.

Used several different usb 3 hard drives and all behave the same. Windows does not clam up using these.

 

[Deleted User]

you never cease to amaze me with your dumb posts

ditto

 

[Bubsy Bobcat]

It's exciting because it means I'll have another machine that can do the exact same thing that at least 6 or 7 or so of my devices can also do since they also run GNU/Linux lmao

 

[Fadi5555]

after having linux on switch can we run emulators such as dolphin and pcsx2 on it?
If yes it would be cool

 

[guily6669]

This is not how it works, you don't "port" something that you don't have the source code of, and well Windows could work on the switch, afterall there's an ARM version of it...

Yeah, but the Windows ARM is pointless since it can only run games like android, it doesn't run X64\X86 games, so it's way better to have android it self than the crap windows ARM.

I even remember a friend that bought a surface then I was trying to install things and nothing worked until I saw that crap was arm lool, I didn't even knew that version of the surface wasn't even a X64 PC architecture. He returned it to the store right away.

In fact it's way better to buy a cheap dell windows tablet X64 than any other crap arm device with Windows ARM, I find it pointless since android has years ahead on arm devices and therefore has a huge amount of crap to install...

If it has a DOS version you could possibly run it in DOSBox.
Or I suppose you could try this: https://github.com/OpenRA/ra2

Yeah, dosbox run a few games. I already used it in Windows to play one game from when I was a kid and wouldn't run on windows...

And even windows 10 sometimes pisses me off to play old games, like Age of empires 3, it gives a error, we have to activate an additional feature on wind10 to run it while it has thousands of crap not needed services activated by default.

 

[Idaho]

Yeah, but the Windows ARM is pointless since it can only run games like android, it doesn't run X64\X86 games, so it's way better to have android it self than the crap windows ARM.

I even remember a friend that bought a surface then I was trying to install things and nothing worked until I saw that crap was arm lool, I didn't even knew that version of the surface wasn't even a X64 PC architecture. He returned it to the store right away.

In fact it's way better to buy a cheap dell windows tablet X64 than any other crap arm device with Windows ARM, I find it pointless since android has years ahead on arm devices and therefore has a huge amount of crap to install...

You clearly didn't read the rest of my posts...

 

[DJ-Yoshiman]

Could we all just agree that it's part of a five-step program for hacking? As I said before, getting Linux to run on a system seems par for the course of a standard for hacking progress, regardless of compatibility or practicality.

Like getting DOOM to run on everything - the arguably definitive version will be on PC, but it's just an accomplishment to bypass a product's security and have it run on the hacked system, even though you'll potentially never play it on there.


For example: DOOM running on a printer's tiny lcd screen - no one is going to say they're going to play it casually on there, but it is impressive that it's running it anyways.

 

[guily6669]

Hell yeah, doom is always the first after the hello world there can only be doom

Though yeah I hated that game in the PC back then, I liked Doom3... I liked a lot is years later quake and Unreal tournament, the first doom and those labyrinth style games made my head dizzy

 

[nmkd]

after having linux on switch can we run emulators such as dolphin and pcsx2 on it?
If yes it would be cool

No, they don't run on ARM.

Could we all just agree that it's part of a five-step program for hacking? As I said before, getting Linux to run on a system seems par for the course of a standard for hacking progress, regardless of compatibility or practicality.

Like getting DOOM to run on everything - the arguably definitive version will be on PC, but it's just an accomplishment to bypass a product's security and have it run on the hacked system, even though you'll potentially never play it on there.


For example: DOOM running on a printer's tiny lcd screen - no one is going to say they're going to play it casually on there, but it is impressive that it's running it anyways.

Same. The user experience for Linux on Switch would be utter crap (which is why I'd love to see Android) but it's simply an important step, it might not be useful for end users but it's a great dev toolbox.

We already got a Doom 1993 port running, so full Linux is the next step.

 

[CuriousTommy]

No, they don't run on ARM.

I am not sure about pcsx2, but I remember someone a long time ago was testing dolphin on a chrooted arm based Chromebook. Plus dolphin runs on Android.

 

[bakedbeans]

it was

 

[blinkzane]

I'd use Linux if people actually ported games over, more emulators, drivers, I'd switch over to Linux in a heartbeat if nVidia drivers would actually work.

not hard to build a driver

 

[the_randomizer]

not hard to build a driver

That's easy for you to say for someone with programming experience.

 

[bakedbeans]

NVIDIA themselves made the tegra devices work with nouveau. So the foundation is done.

 

[Futurdreamz]

NVIDIA themselves made the tegra devices work with nouveau. So the foundation is done.

Doesn't Nvidia use binary blobs?

 

[Magnus87]

Because I can play supertux!