Linux hackers seeking to run the OS on Sony Playstation 2 consoles will soon have a new option. A Czeck company has created a clean-room implementation of the hardware platform, which it promises to release under the GNU GPL.

"The target of RU.nix project is to making Linux based kit to transform SONY PlayStation and SONY PlayStation2 game console to low-price desktop computer," writes Blockman Trading's CEO Vadim Veschezerov in the accompanying release.

Blokman made an alpha version of its PS1 Linux available late last month. Unlike Sony's official PS2 kit, it uses a much more recent 2.4 vintage Linux kernel.

Sony's official PS2 Linux developer kit - which includes a PC Card-attachable hard drive - sold out its initial allocation of four thousand within several hours of its release.

You can download the 25MB tar file here (http://www.runix.ru/kernel-psx-2.4.0.tar.gz).®

Related Story

Microsoft Xbox has lost the console war already - Sony exec (http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/50/19179.html)
Sony releases Linux for Playstation2 (http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/archive/18570.html)
Sony, AOL to bring Net to PlayStation 2 (http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/archive/18969.html)