Computerized gaming system, method and apparatus

A machine-readable medium with instructions thereon, the instructions when executed operable to cause a computer to:

• load a first program shared object,
• execute a first program shared object,
• store game data in nonvolatile storage, such that a second program object later loaded can access the data variables in nonvolatile storage,
• unload the first program shared object, and
• load the second program shared object.

A method of modifying an operating system kernel, comprising at least one modification to obtain functionality selected from the group consisting of:

• 1) accessing user level code from ROM;
• 2) executing user level code from ROM;
• 3) zeroing out unused RAM;
• 4) testing and/or hashing the kernel;
• and
• 5) disabling selected device handlers.

A method of converting a game to operate on a universal gaming system comprising:

• removing a game operating system from the game, the game operating system including hardware and software;
• installing a universal gaming system in place of the game operating system, the universal gaming system including a game program layer, an open operating system, and a game controller for running the game program layer on the open operating system;
• providing functional interfaces between the universal gaming system and game devices;
• and
• installing a game specific program in the game program layer configured to operate with the open operating system.

A method of converting a mechanical reel slot machine game to operate on a universal gaming system comprising:

• removing a slot machine game operating system from the game, the game operating system including hardware and software;
• installing a universal gaming system in place of the slot machine game operating system, the universal gaming system including a game program layer, an open operating system, and a game controller for running the game program layer on the open operating system;
• providing functional interfaces between the universal gaming system and slot machine game devices;
• and
• installing a game specific program in the game program layer configured to operate with the open operating system.

A network based method of configuring a game program layer for a universal gaming system configured for a game program layer and an open operating system, the method comprising:

• defining a user interface;
• configuring the game program layer via the user interface remote from the gaming system;
• defining a controller having a web server;
• downloading the game program layer into the controller via a network;
• transferring the game program layer to the universal gaming system.