PW3 browser. Java Virtual Machine - impressions

[Ian Micheal]

Simply put, unless someone wants to port a JVM in homebrew form to the Dreamcast, I wouldn't expect anything to work all that well. Its only PW3.0 that supports Java at all, and its a very early version of Java at that.

Also, even if someone did manage to port a JVM to it, I wouldn't expect it to be fast enough to do anything all that interesting. You'd really need a native Java compiler, which might actually be easier to get working than a JVM anyway. Heck, I got GCJ working in a very basic form a few years back, but haven't messed with it since then.

[AdamARM]

We also have linux ported to dreamcast which means a java port to that would be much easier and prolly run better then the browser
I have a vague memory some one had done this back in the past..

Wow, I did not know linux was ported to the DC!! (i am new to this whole deal). Which version/distro of linux? Is it a "server" version, or does it have X windows (or something similar). Do you have a link to a boot-able disk to run linux on the DC.

So, if linux can run, then likely java could run. If we can a somewhat modern java (say Java 1.4), then we can probably utilize Java3D hardware acceleration (via JOGL or something similar). Minecraft and Runscape, here we come!

[Ian Micheal]

We also have linux ported to dreamcast which means a java port to that would be much easier and prolly run better then the browser
I have a vague memory some one had done this back in the past..

Wow, I did not know linux was ported to the DC!! (i am new to this whole deal). Which version/distro of linux? Is it a "server" version, or does it have X windows (or something similar). Do you have a link to a boot-able disk to run linux on the DC.

So, if linux can run, then likely java could run. If we can a somewhat modern java (say Java 1.4), then we can probably utilize Java3D hardware acceleration (via JOGL or something similar). Minecraft and Runscape, here we come!

http://linuxdc.sourceforge.net/ still lot of work all linux elfs have to be cross compiled to sh4 but there is a vast amount of apps and things that could be done with it.. It's hard to follow there was old version with x windows that run mame and doom..

but it should be possible to update it and do it.. it would need a pretty high level of setup and know how building linux distro and sh4 toolchain

There is also netbsd http://wiki.netbsd.org/ports/dreamcast/

https://pkgsrc.se/ ton of apps and stuff that could be ported to it with a recompile for the sh4..
Java was ported to netbsd http://www.crufty.net/java/

in Theory you could make a custom netbsd distro with java

Supported Hardware
Supported Peripherals
Builtin serial port (scif)
PowerVR video controller (text and Xserver) (pvr)
SEGA Broadband Adapter (HIT-0400) (rtk)
SEGA LAN Adapter (HIT-0300) (mbe)
Maple bus keyboard (mkbd)
Maple bus mouse (mms)
Maple bus memory card (mmem)
Maple bus LCD (mlcd)
GD-ROM drive (gdrom)
AICA sound system (aica)

[NeoSnk]

Would be nice to see a Linux update for the Dreamcast with support to save files on the HDD or on the SD Card in the serial port. It would open many doors.

[BlueCrab]

The Linux port for the Dreamcast was never in any sort of particularly useful state. Yes, it exists. Yes, it can have a GUI and has full support for the keyboard and mouse... But that's about it. There's no support for any sort of graphical acceleration, so anything 3D is pretty much non-usable.

That, and it probably hasn't been maintained at all since a 2.4.x or maybe early 2.6.x kernel, so if you really wanted to do anything at all modern with it, you'd have a LOT of work in front of you. And you'd get basically a system that still can't run any modern (complex) programs with any sort of speed.

NetBSD might be a little bit better off, since there was at least some some maintenance done to the code since the last time Linux for the Dreamcast was ever dealt with... But honestly, I wouldn't expect much there either. Pretty sure they never had any graphical acceleration done there either.