The 80GB PS3 can now be bought pre-installed with Yellow Dog Linux. Terra Soft, the Northern Colorado corporation, had previously sold the Linux OS on Apple PowerPC computers between 2002 and 2006. In 2006, Terra Soft changed its focus to IBM, Mercury, and Sony systems. “Terra Soft's integrated hardware and software solutions are used in mission critical environments to process the images generated by interplanetary, exploratory missions...for gene sequence analysis, weather modeling,” and now for gaming, as with the PS3.

The PS3's hardware has been used in the building of super computers for the purpose of high-performance computing. Terra Soft is selling the PS3 with Linux pre-installed in single units, and 6 and 32 node clusters. The cost of the Sony PS3 with Yellow Dog Linux will run you $550, not including the HDMI and Component cables, keyboard, or mouse required for Linux (these are sold separately). Yellow Dog Linux can be downloaded for free, and you can install it on your PS3 yourself, but for gamers enthusiastic about Linux or scientists looking to cluster PS3s in order to better advance medical research, Terra Soft is aiming to take the guess work out of getting Linux on your favorite gaming platform.

If you ever imagine how the advancement of medical research is going, do you ever wonder if the researchers are playing Call of Duty on their breaks? Catching a quick game of Madden NFL before getting back to work? The PS3 has already been used to help in medical research. In March of 2007, Stanford University expanded their protein folding and molecular dynamics project to the PS3. Coupled with thousands of networked PCs, PS3 owners are able to contribute the power of their gaming system to the study of improper protein folding and associated diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's, and various forms of cancer.

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