The Nintendo Switch kernal has been accessed already...

[The Big Bang]

 

[jefferz]

Doesn't the Switch OS use the BSD kernal?

 

[The Big Bang]

Doesn't the Switch OS use the BSD kernal?

Yes indeed.

https://www.reddit.com/r/NintendoSw...g_it_nintendos_first/?st=j4xf6tqt&sh=065f5a2a

While this won't matter much at all to end users really, it's still kinda neat. BSD is super-stable, a small kernel (beneficial for mobile and limited-resource embedded systems), and has excellent networking features baked in.


Feature-wise it's pretty comparable to Linux, but unlike with the Linux licence if Nintendo changes BSD code they're under no requirement to share or publish it, so they can keep their secret formula secret.

The PS4 also runs BSD, and Mac OS X and iOS are based on Darwin, which is a BSD fork. That probably won't make ports easier (or harder) but if anyone's going "I've never heard of this" well you've probably already used it!

 

[jefferz]

Yes indeed.

https://www.reddit.com/r/NintendoSw...g_it_nintendos_first/?st=j4xf6tqt&sh=065f5a2a

While this won't matter much at all to end users really, it's still kinda neat. BSD is super-stable, a small kernel (beneficial for mobile and limited-resource embedded systems), and has excellent networking features baked in.


Feature-wise it's pretty comparable to Linux, but unlike with the Linux licence if Nintendo changes BSD code they're under no requirement to share or publish it, so they can keep their secret formula secret.

The PS4 also runs BSD, and Mac OS X and iOS are based on Darwin, which is a BSD fork. That probably won't make ports easier (or harder) but if anyone's going "I've never heard of this" well you've probably already used it!

I'm surprised the PS4 uses BSD. I figured they'd be running a proprietary kernel

 

[andnowweknow]

WTF is a kernal?

 

[jefferz]

WTF is a kernal?

It's the yellow thing you find in your poop after you eat corn.
Or in really simple terms, it's the bridge between hardware and software.

 

[andnowweknow]

It's the yellow thing you find in your poop after you eat corn.
Or in really simple terms, it's the bridge between hardware and software.

I was way off, thought it was that porn producer from Boogie Nights...

 

[The Big Bang]

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