General questions for PS3/4 OS port or mimic for PC's & mini-PC's

[theimmersion]

Sorry if its in a wrong forum! New here so don't yet know the in's and out's yet.
And sorry for big text. Skip to *QUESTIONS* if you dont care for the idea and background of my project. xD
I just stumbled on FreeBSD and i think it's an amazing thing from what iv'e researched.
Though, i haven't got around on trying it out yet. Still preping some hardware.
I'm rather fed up with pretty much all corporate BS lately. Among it, M$.
Although i am mostly a hobbyist learning to code in general, i'm hiring professionals from time to time.
Right now, i'm preping for a unified home system, TV, PC, Radio etc. all to be run from one base OS having the same theme design but with GUI's and user inputs optimized for different electronics.
Essentially, custom built very small PC's connected either Wi-Fi or LAN.
I found FreeBSD very interesting and seems a better solution then Linux or Windows.
So i was researching what would be most pleasing GUI for my personal project.
Still researching, but i found one of the most pleasing GUI and user input control to be how the PS3 / PS4 OS'es look and work.
The next best thing i kinda liked was how SteamOS looked but PS3/4 is my fav and wish to have a clone of such GUI on my TV and Radio.
If you scratch your head on the TV&Radio part for instance, a small PC with R/C reciever and a custom remote control. Conveniant and very cool IMO.
I did it with Windows once but it wasnt exactly the thing i was looking for. Too much M$ for a TV. Main PC should also retain the same OS because the theme should be the unification of those electonics. Id of course lock out some features not needed on a TV or Radio while leaving everything open on the PC.

*QUESTIONS*
*Now researching PS3/4 OS pointed me here so my question is, is it first and foremost legal to even do some kind of port or semi-port or use assets like icons from of a PS3/PS4 OS and its GUI to be used by FreeBSD? Even for personal use or maybe even share for free to play around with it?
*Is it even possible to semi-port it? Idea being, use FreeBSD and try extract code and/or assets and adapt from the PS3/4 OS to FreeBSD?
*Is it viable to even try (even for a small team of programmers id consider hiring)?
*Is there a sub division of FreeBSD that tries to bring it as a full fledged OS for people without programming skills (essentially, trying to make it more accessible to the common folk and make more commercial) and if not, why not?
*General question about the idea itself, would you like to be able to have free choice to use a OS on multiple electronics?
I know you can technically do it already but a more commercial one and easier to setup. Not everyone wants or has the time or possibility to be a programmer, doesnt mean they dont deserve to wanting/having such a solution.
Thanks for taking the time!

 

[rigoletto@]

See: Thread 55143

*Is there a sub division of FreeBSD that tries to bring it as a full fledged OS for people without programming skills (essentially, trying to make it more accessible to the common folk and make more commercial) and if not, why not?

Basically no, that is not the target audience [however I am not a programmer by any means (graduated in Law) and have no problem to use FreeBSD exclusively]. BUT, I do not speak for the project.

You may want to take a look on GhostBSD and TrueOS for FreeBSD desktop projects.

Generally talking, FreeBSD is a tool for people and business fulfill their needs, including creating their own solution. Examples HERE.

For media related platforms (or anything that need filesystem event notification) currently there is a very problem (IMHO) but could be fixed with the given necessary love, see Thread 38162.

 

[ShelLuser]

I found FreeBSD very interesting and seems a better solution then Linux or Windows.

I'm not too sure about that, it would heavily depend on the hardware being used. Windows / Linux support more hardware variants than FreeBSD does.

*Now researching PS3/4 OS pointed me here so my question is, is it first and foremost legal to even do some kind of port or semi-port or use assets like icons from of a PS3/PS4 OS and its GUI to be used by FreeBSD?

You should be asking Sony, not us.

Personally I don't think this would legal, at the very least you'd be violating some copyright issues.

*Is it even possible to semi-port it? Idea being, use FreeBSD and try extract code and/or assets and adapt from the PS3/4 OS to FreeBSD?

It's a proprietary system which has very little to nearly nothing in common with FreeBSD. The only relevant aspect is that Sony based their OS on FreeBSD, but all resemblances end there. And just because FreeBSD is open source and a free-for-all OS does not imply the same for the Playstation OS.

But I can be very clear on one thing: using FreeBSD over Windows or Linux would gain you no advantages when it comes to accessing the Playstation OS.

*Is it viable to even try (even for a small team of programmers id consider hiring)?

Very doubtful. Especially considering the copyright and patent issues. I don't think Sony would be in much favor of this

*Is there a sub division of FreeBSD that tries to bring it as a full fledged OS for people without programming skills (essentially, trying to make it more accessible to the common folk and make more commercial) and if not, why not?

There isn't, because mainstream has never been FreeBSD's goal. There are projects based on FreeBSD which provide an environment with a less steep learning curve but... I have no experience with those.

FreeBSD mainly focuses on being a Unix-like server OS and it does a good job at that.

*General question about the idea itself, would you like to be able to have free choice to use a OS on multiple electronics?

I don't see the added value, no.

When the PS3 provided the option to install another OS I did appreciate the capability, but there are much better hardware solutions out there than a Playstation. Not to mention much cheaper too. And less riskfull too: you don't have to worry about some manager entering the server room, thinking to have come across a nice gift for his kid after which he takes the playstation with him, unknowing that it was actually re-purposed as a router. "auch".

The target audience would probably be geeks and those usually know how to rebrand hardware themselves. Just look at the massive projects already in existence. Heck, we got the iPaq PDA around 2000 and a few years later Opie was introduced: running Linux on top of the iPaq. Stuff like this already goes back a long way.

Yet the main problem is that time has caught up. When the iPaq launched it was a device capable of many things which couldn't be easily done elsewhere. Now your phone can probably do all of that and much better too. So why bother with some arcane new 3rd party solution when Android can do the same yet also comes with major backing from a whole existing community?

 

[theimmersion]

There isn't, because mainstream has never been FreeBSD's goal. There are projects based on FreeBSD which provide an environment with a less steep learning curve but... I have no experience with those.

Seem like good pointers. Fanboys aside, people dont really care what they use in the end.
Windows has its upper hand due to game devs monoboly being so focused on DirectX for instance that cripple anyone with perhaps better/equal OS solutions.
So we have to take into account that many also game or have someone that do. (if you catch my meaning)
Me included, id use any OS, more based on looks then anything else tbh and id go on Linux in a heart beat a few years back if it wasnt for my games. xD

When the PS3 provided the option to install another OS I did appreciate the capability, but there are much better hardware solutions out there than a Playstation. Not to mention much cheaper too.

Well yes, there are better solutions but as we all know, its primary purpose is of course games as well. But it also gave broader possibilities thanks to optional OS. And that is by no means of a small matter IMHuO.

And less riskfull too: you don't have to worry about some manager entering the server room, thinking to have come across a nice gift for his kid after which he takes the playstation with him, unknowing that it was actually re-purposed as a router. "auch".

I'm not sure i entirely understood this analogy. xD

The target audience would probably be geeks and those usually know how to rebrand hardware themselves.

Yes i'm sure but there are also a lot of people (and id say more of them then geeks) who would want to play around with things but as said, lack time etc. to jump into it on a deeper level and lack some kind of framework possibly aimed at such people to make it easier.
Perhaps this is irrelevant in the scope of FreeBSD but i'll try to put it into perspective:
Have you heard of AutoHotkey? (almost certainly sure you have) xD
It is one of those things i can safely say is something revolutionary in our digital lives now.
I'm frequent there on the forums and see actually how many have amazing ideas and have even put it into reality while not being a programmer and even less than that. Also, i know a lot of people that got them into programming while they never expected was possible for them due to many reasons, me included.

So why bother with some arcane new 3rd party solution when Android can do the same yet also comes with major backing from a whole existing community?

I was a salesmen in a big tech market and, dont know how its called in english, guy who is in charge of the whole store as well of a store in the capital city. Serbia, Belgrade btw.
You have no idea how many abusive stuff there are to consumers/customers. And i also have the fortune or misfortune (ask me in 10 years for final answer)
to live in a not so prosperous country. Now IT is a huge part of our lives and a nessessity at this point and yet my country, and i believe there are a fair share of countries in similar positions, take a huge toll on people.
To put it into perspective. Average salary is 300 euros that is just enough to pay rent and food. A smart TV 32 inch costs 300-400 euros from a more respectable manufacturer, like samsung. A parent wants to buy it for their children since as any parent wants to make their child happy and mostly want to give them what they never had etc. Long story tho, so to cut short...
Since its, id consider, a low end smart TV, already 50% of app support is gone.
I usually told costumers to buy a smartbox since it had longer app support and did essentially everything a smart TV does while being a bit cheaper. Higher ups werent really alwasy happy for my practices. I got tired of it and quit. xD
But it was one of the best things i did in my life to get to know even better how it looks on boths sides. The consumer/customer and a big company. So many take things for granted but its much more complex then that.
I guess i just wish some barriers got finally broken. Monopoly and lack of choices or cheaper alternatives that are just as good.
You know, something like "its what i wanted to choose" and not "what i had to choose".
I dont know. Since, well, i lived on both sides, living in one moment extravagant and all the way down to the edge of my very existence. xD
Im kinda in the middle now, something of a crossroads and yet, i kinda want to do something that will help people and not just make money and be a d*ck which usually one always ends up becoming. xD
I especially dont want to become Steve Jobs/apple and sell fog to people. (A hole different story that ill better refrain from for now) xD

Sorry for another wall of text.
In any case...
Huge thanks for taking the time for these (apparently) trivial questions. I am still very fond of this foundation though and hopefully be able to support it in the near future. I guess i need to find some solution and do some compromise as well. At least it is in its idea state so all is open. I will sure have a go at FreeBSD to play around with it. Wish me luck in my crazy endevours. xD

 

[SirDice]

Is there a sub division of FreeBSD that tries to bring it as a full fledged OS for people without programming skills (essentially, trying to make it more accessible to the common folk and make more commercial) and if not, why not?

FreeBSD is a full fledged OS. But your definition probably includes a fancy graphical interface. Which we also have, it's just not part of the OS. If you want a fancy FreeBSD desktop experience right out of the box you may want to have a look at TrueOS (formerly known as PC-BSD).