Linux users have launched and spread an online petition for Sony to allow access to the PS3's Nvidia-sourced GPU to the Linux operating systems. Sony has made an option in the PS3's XMB(XrossMediaBar, the user interface) menu for installing other operating systems, including Linux.

However, it has currently implemented a hypervisor that restricts access to the RSX in order to block individuals from creating "homebrew" playable content for PS3s that access sophisticated rendering and physics libraries available only to licensors. Among the distributions running on the playstation, there are Ubuntu, Fedora Core 5, Gentoo, Debian and Yellow Dog. Sony has also added the possibility for firmware updates to be downloaded and run on the PlayStation 3.

About PS3

PlayStation 3 (PS3 for short) is a Sony video game console such as Wii from Nintendo first released on November 11, 2006. The console is equipped with a 3.2 Ghz Cell Broadband Engine with 1 power processor element and 7 synergistic processing elements CPU and a NVIDIA-SCEI "RSX" graphics processing unit. The system storage is represented by a 2.5" SATA hard drive with a 20 GB or 60 GB included. PS3 is also compatible with the previously released PSOne and PS2. The Playstation 3 was launched with Resistance: Fall of Man as launch title, a shooter video game developed by Insomniac Games. The Game takes place during an alternate post World War II era and follows Nathan Hale hero trying to drive an alien invasion out of Britain.

You can sign the online petition now here.