Linux gets built-in Cell processor support

[mckmas8808]

Linus Torvalds released a new Linux kernel Monday that supports features in IBM's Cell processor, includes Oracle software for clustered databases and improves how the open-source operating system runs on multiprocessor systems.

Programming Cell is tough, but support in Linux could ease the challenges. The new kernel includes the SPU (synergistic programming unit) file system, which lets software control and communicate with the different processor cores.

Did you guys already know this?

http://news.com.com/Linux+gets+built-in+Cell+processor+support/2100-7344_3-6052314.html

 

[Diamond.G]

Seems like a logical piece of news considering Linux is supposed to be an included OS on the HDD for the PS3.

 

[Guden Oden]

That's a great find, I really had no idea this was coming up... Cool!

 

[BlueTsunami]

Also in the article...

Torvalds accepted a number of patches Tuesday so Linux will run on Sun Microsystems' UltraSparc T1 "Niagara"-based servers, according to David Miller, the lead Linux-on-Sparc programmer, who posted the news on his blog.

Real cool

I Linux

On Topic: The Kernel Mr.Torvalds has just released, is it separate work from IBM? So IBM has its own Linux Cell Variant OS and Linus Torvalds released his own Kernel (optimized for SPUs)?

 

[Ken2012]

Seems like a logical piece of news considering Linux is supposed to be an included OS on the HDD for the PS3.

Taking that a step further, I thought PS3's embedded 'OS' was the Linux kernel?

 

[Carl B]

Last year IBM (in one of their internal interview pieces) said they were going to try and get native Cell support into the next kernel releas, so we knew it was coming. Still cool though.

 

[StefanS]

Linus Torvalds gotta love that man. Scratch that. worship him

 

[Tars Tarkus]

This has much more to do with IBM wanting Cell in the server space than anything PS3 related. That being said it certainly won't hurt those sick individuals who will try to run Oblivion on PS3 under WINE

 

[mckmas8808]

This has much more to do with IBM wanting Cell in the server space than anything PS3 related. That being said it certainly won't hurt those sick individuals who will try to run Oblivion on PS3 under WINE

What is this WINE you speak of?

 

[StefanS]

What is this WINE you speak of?

It is opensource windows emulation on Linux/Unix.
http://www.winehq.com/

EDIT: LINK

 

[one]

This has much more to do with IBM wanting Cell in the server space than anything PS3 related. That being said it certainly won't hurt those sick individuals who will try to run Oblivion on PS3 under WINE

Wine doesn't work on Cell as Wine is not a CPU emulator.

 

[Tars Tarkus]

The PPU in Cell isn't so far removed from PC 970 that Bochs or somesuch won't ever work on it. Someone will run WINE eventually on PS3 for the same reason that the zealots get linux to boot on wrist watches and calculators. Proof of concept or echoes of Hillary's "Because it's there" type sentiment.