Chip a Playstation, Go to Jail

perogiex writes "A man in Ottawa was convicted of selling and installing mod chips out of his computer store. Sony is overjoyed, man is less than thrilled. This is the first time such a case was tried in Canada." From the article: Garby said he didn't know he was committing a crime and would have never gotten involved in selling mod chips if he had known the law. Update: 07/24 21:53 GMT by M : Headline corrected; it's clearly mod chips for the original Playstation, not the Playstation 2.

Kudos to him!

[Proaxiom]

He grossed $30,000 and was fined $17,000?

Looks like I'll be picking up a new hobby...

Today, Sony Is:

[sulli]

[ ] Bad
[ ] Good
[ ] CowboyNeal

Moronic spelling..

[grub]

(emphasis mine)
Garby sold the chips from his computer store, Kustum Komputers

That in itself should get him life in prison with no chance of parole.

Re:Stood the test of trial...

[goldorak_dan]

Jesus!!! In the US, he probably would have been held indefinitely in an army compound with "american Taliban" stamped on his forehead.

Re:Selling 413 Pirated Games?

[Callamon]

I can believe that he really didn't know it was illegal, just looking at the name of the store:

Garby sold the chips from his computer store,

Kustum Komputers

Re:Moronic spelling..

[Anonymous Coward]

I sure hope you're not reading slashdot on Konqueror.

So I'm guessing...

[efedora]

These guys didn't see the law either? [easybuy2000.com]
This seems like a legit company selling a device to allow Playstation 2 to play copies, backups etc. Is this illegal?

Re:Umm, there's more than just the chips...

[LittleGuy]

Agreed. The subject title is deceptive.

It's like saying Timothy McVeigh was given the death penalty for failing to return his rental truck in time... and other associated offienses.

Re:Moronic spelling..

[motardo]

mmmm...forbidden donut

Re:mmmm, krispy kreme...

[Idarubicin]

Actually, since this story is Canadian, the One True Doughnut would have to be from Tim Horton's.

Are Nestle Mod'd Chocolate Chips legal?

[brer_rabbit]

Is it not illegal to sell or own the chips, however it is illegal to sell the PS/2 with one pre-installed, as that comes under the heading of selling Sony's product with unauthorized modifications.

Just out of curiousity, what is the distinction between selling mod'd PS/2 systems and selling, say, mod'd Nestle Chocolate Chips? If I combine Nestle Chocolate Chips with flour, sugar, butter etc to make cookies is Nestle going to come after me? Or is it ok because I'm selling them as cookies and not Nestle Chocolate Chips(tm)?

PS/2. Nestle. They're both just chips.

He should've defrauded shareholders

[alteran]

You make more money, and you're never threatened with jail time.