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Games Entertainment Hardware

Hacking the XBox 339

Posted by michael from the mcpaper dept.
Kong99 writes "Here is a brief interesting read on hacking the XBox at USA Today. They claim an XBox-PC costs a total of $336."
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Hacking the XBox More

Hacking the XBox

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  • Now we're getting hacking tips (Score:3, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 18, 2003 @05:32PM (#5987662)
    From USA Today? USA... friggin... Today?

  • Are MS (Score:3, Interesting)

    by caluml ( 551744 ) <slashdot@spamgoe ... minus herbivore> on Sunday May 18, 2003 @05:34PM (#5987678) Homepage
    .... still losing money on each of these things?
    • Of course they're losing money for every unit sold. In some countries this is called "dumping" which is illegal. I'm curious why no one has spanked them on this issue. Nintendo has always stated that their systsme costs under 100 to make, and no one really knows about Sony, but it's safe to assume they're making a profit as well.
      • As far as getting spanked for spiking or dumping, that is an international trade issue and is only brought up when the country getting the dumped goods complains/puts up trade barriers.

        I don't really know of anything in the US that prevents having a loss-leader ofr a product line (but there may be something out there).

        Even GM did it with their X-body(?) cars in the 80's. If you bought one "base" it cost you less than it cost them. As soon as you started adding options (including GMAC financing), they st
      • dumping is when a company is selling their product at a loss AND well below market price in order to beat the competition. microsoft is not dumping b/c they are selling at a loss just to remain price competitive with nintendo and sony. if they were selling at $50, that might be dumping.
      • Selling at a loss is not "dumping". If it were, RedHat, Amazon, VA Linux etc. would all have their boards in prison on federal racketeering charges.

    • Re:Are MS (Score:3, Interesting)

      by AvantLegion ( 595806 )
      .... still losing money on each of these things?

      Yes they are... just like they are with every other MS product except Office and Windows. Funny enough, it doesn't seem to hurt them too much...

  • HI2u (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Sh0t ( 607838 ) on Sunday May 18, 2003 @05:34PM (#5987680) Journal
    The xbox has replaced my dreamcast as the emulator box of choice, i already have a few nice computers :)

    quick swap of the stock hd for a nice 80gig, throw on your emulators and roms, and viola, punch out courtesy of ms.

  • The Most Interesting Quote... (Score:5, Interesting)

    by $$$$$exyGal ( 638164 ) on Sunday May 18, 2003 @05:35PM (#5987686) Homepage Journal
    The most interesting quote from the article:

    Microsoft's attempt to "lock down" the Xbox's parts is a prelude to using similar techniques to keep PCs from running anything but Windows.

    Could this really happen? How would Microsoft deny having a monopoly if they went this route?

    • Seriously. MS comming out with a proprietary PC has nothing to do with being a monopoly.

      Unless they prevent me from building my own systems and running whatever I want on them, there's not an issue.

      I wouldn't be shocked if MS came out with a WindowsPC. If they can put together a good PC at a good price, great for them.

      Ben
      • take your head out of your ass, please.

        if i wanted to, i could easily load four different linux/bsd distro's on an off-the-shelf mac

        what the original post was talking about is:
        how do you use linux, mac os x or solaris on your desktop in a world where every email in your organization (including the ones about brownies in the kitchen) *requires* palladium to read?

        every hard-core tech could be forced to keep a windows computer on their desk (like me) even though their primary development platform is complet
    • Could this really happen? How would Microsoft deny having a monopoly if they went this route?

      With the Bush administration in power they don't have to worry about denying any monopoly. No one in the justice department cares.

    • Re:The Most Interesting Quote... (Score:4, Insightful)

      by Babbster ( 107076 ) <aaronbabb&gmail,com> on Sunday May 18, 2003 @11:51PM (#5989371) Homepage
      "Could" it happen? Sure. Is it going to happen? I don't know and neither does the person quoted. Every argument like this smacks to me of someone who simply wants to justify doing whatever s/he wants to do. It's like people arguing that they download MP3s because CDs are too expensive - if a CD is too expensive to purchase, how does that give you the right to steal it (yes, I use the word "steal" despite all the arguments about copyright being civil law and that copying supposedly isn't the same as stealing).

      That's not to say that I think people shouldn't be able to mod their Xboxen. As long as the person modding isn't pirating software then I myself don't see the big deal. But that quote from the article reads like the kind of paranoid spouting off that we read every day from posters on Slashdot...to those people, EVERYTHING is a "slippery slope."

      The truth is that I think Microsoft wants to "lock down" the Xbox hardware so that people can't play pirated games and not as some sort of diabolical plot that has something to do with Windows, Office and the Illuminati. I consider their stance on this matter reasonable (though maybe not defensible) considering that any money they make from the Xbox comes from software licensing.

  • Hmmm.... (Score:3, Interesting)

    by k03 kalle ( 669378 ) <kalle@network t h i s.org> on Sunday May 18, 2003 @05:35PM (#5987688) Homepage
    XBox running non MS software. How much more elite can that be? It poses an interesting question. Can we make it run GL?
    • Yes, screwing themselves over. The best part is, no matter what they do, they just can't win. I'm sure we could make it run GL, but nVidia would have to make the drivers(they won't though), and they aren't giving the specs out anytime soon.

  • Best Xbox hacking device (Score:5, Funny)

    by SharpFang ( 651121 ) on Sunday May 18, 2003 @05:35PM (#5987693) Homepage Journal
    Something like this [damascusknife.com]

  • Nice PC... (Score:3, Funny)

    by meta-monkey ( 321000 ) on Sunday May 18, 2003 @05:36PM (#5987701) Journal
    Yeah, $336 is nice for a PC and all, now if it can just be hacked to play video games, I'm sold!!

  • $336 with a 120GB disk (Score:5, Insightful)

    by drinkypoo ( 153816 ) <drink@hyperlogos.org> on Sunday May 18, 2003 @05:37PM (#5987708) Homepage Journal
    Which is unnecessary and/or overkill for most applications. The 8GB disk will fulfill most users' needs because their media library can be stored on their PC (A more logical place for a large expensive disk than a cheapass little piece of consumer trash - I like my Xbox a lot but I don't think I necessarily trust it.)

    Make that more like $236, with no disk upgrade, which as I mentioned before is unnecessary. Actually, I think it will cost you a little MORE than that, though. It's $30 for a decent modchip, something that's updatable from a CD. You also have to pay shipping on cables to hook up USB, or you have to make cables out of Xbox extension cables and USB extension cables, which probably ain't much cheaper. Also, to get digital audio out of it you have to spend another $20. (That also gets you S-Video, though, it even comes with an S-Video cable to get you started... it's lousy but it works.)

    Then again, you can get an Xbox used for $130. So maybe it's actually not so expensive. Why buy an Xbox with a warranty if you're just going to void it anyway?

    • Re:$336 with a 120GB disk (Score:5, Informative)

      by loucura! ( 247834 ) on Sunday May 18, 2003 @05:43PM (#5987743)
      You don't need the modchip though, you just need a copy of 007:something or another, and you can buffer-overflow your way into it.

      You can also, after using the buffer-overflow exploit upgrade the firmware in the bios by soldering two of the pins (I'm no X-Box hacker, so I'll not try to say which). So, you won't need a modchip.

      You can get the 007 game at blockbuster for five bucks...
    • Why buy an Xbox with a warranty if you're just going to void it anyway? Maybe because if there IS warranty, you may be pretty sure the box is not broken? But in the other hand, you can buy an used Xbox with a warranty that's about-to-expire and get just enough time to test if you should make use of the warranty and take the xbox to service or void it safely...

  • USA TODAY "research" (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Alpha_Nerd ( 565637 ) on Sunday May 18, 2003 @05:41PM (#5987726)
    Just because there's been 150,000 copies donloaded doesn't mean 150,000 XBoxen have been modded. I'm sure there's people who have downloaded it and not installed it(I do that to software often =/)and on the flip side I'm sure there's peopel who DL it and install on multiple. I'd take a guess and say the former is more common than the latter.


    And to the idiot that said XBox games look like Quake 2, well you're just that - an idiot. The XBox is the technically superior system. It also IMO has the best controler - too bad it's games suck =/
    • The only good Xbox controller is the small version first sold to the Japanese market. The old "big" controllers were awful.

      I agree that the Xbox games selection leaves something to be desired.
      • The small 's' controller is now standard in new XBox machines sold in the US now. It has been for quite a while.

        I also prefer the smaller S controller, and you can trade in your 'big' original controller and pick up an 'S' controller for not much money.

        Go to someplace like GameCrazy (in most hollywood Video stores) and trade in the 'Big' controller for credit towards the 'S' controller.

        I traded in my PS1 with a few games and had enough credit to get a Refurbished XBOX with 1 year no question GameCrazy wa

  • X-Box Troll Handbook (Score:5, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 18, 2003 @05:41PM (#5987727)
    The following is being offered free of charge to all those who feel the need to troll the Slashdot Games section. newsgroup. Please print out a copy and keep it with you at all times. If you follow these simple steps, you trolling is guaranteed to improve.
    1. If a game is currently on PS2 and there are plans to bring it out on the Xbox, make sure to claim that no one will want to play that game by the time it gets to the Xbox. For example, by the time Virtua Fighter 4/GTA3 comes to the Xbox, we'll all be playing something new.
    2. Use the reverse logic if it is a game only on the Xbox that may be ported to other systems/PC later. Case in point, Halo. Say something to the effect of "I'll wait for the true version of Halo on the PC". "It will be much better than the Xbox version".
    3. Constantly complain about FPS on consoles ACCEPT for Goldeneye.
    4. Always use Bill Gates name. Act as if he is the one making the games.
      By all means, if you run out of clever or interesting things to troll about, just bring up Mr Gates. Lots of people hate him and will be glad to agree with you.
    5. Complain about the XBox controller. Even if you have never seen or used it, it won't matter. People will believe you when you say it's big. Be sure and try to provide a testimonial about your wife or girlfriend or kid who complains about the size of it. Also claiming to be injured by the controller can be the foundation of a great troll post.
    6. When referring to the Xbox, try to scew the name a bit. Xblox, eggs bocks, the stupider the name, the more favorable of a response you will get.
    7. Be sure and mention Japanese and European sales numbers. If you aren't sure what those sales numbers are, go ahead and make something up. Estimate low, most people will believe you.
    8. Although Xbox owners seem to enjoy there games, make sure to comment on Xbox not having any games with good gameplay. Although the Xbox does share some ports with PS2 and Gamecube, it's okay to assume that the Xbox version of those ports has poor gameplay as well.
    9. Since the Xbox has nice graphics, be sure and find a way to put a negative spin on this. Using the age old formula that states if a game has nice graphics, it must have terrible gameplay, you can convince people that Xbox games are all tech demos.
    10. Defective Xbox stories are excellent to use in trolling. The best part is that they require no proof. I find that "the screen just froze up" works great. Occasionally you can use something really bizarre like "My friend bought an Xbox and it caught on fire and burned down there house. Now they are homeless. F*** Bill Gates."
    11. When all else fails, lie. There are lots of people who will agree with you just because they hate MS.
    • not a troll but the following are true...
      re:
      # 3 - not all FPS on consoles EXCEPT (;-)) goldeneye are crap but many are. however, Goldeneye and Timesplitters 2 are both great and metroid prime (more of an adventure game that happens to be from the 1st person) is absolutely incredible. on the other hand, the "pride" of the xbox is Halo which i have played and have no desire to play again... very boring, very generic, etc and see #10
      # 5 - the controller IS huge and very hard to use. especially compared to

      • Re:X-Box Troll Handbook (Score:5, Interesting)

        by UserChrisCanter4 ( 464072 ) on Sunday May 18, 2003 @06:32PM (#5988032)
        The only good games for the XBox are out for the other systems, except for Halo which i was not impressed with

        I own all three of the current-gen systems, and every one of the XBox games I own are "XBox-exclusive". Halo is a great game, but you might also check out Buffy (basically a 3D Double Dragon with a decent storyline), Panzer Dragoon, Jet Grind Radio, Mech Assault, and Dead or Alive 3 (if fighting games are your thing).

        Dead or Alive 3 was the only game I was interested in at launch (I was a fan of the prior games), and I put off buying the XBox until early last summer. Although I'd still recommend a GC or PS2 to someone who only wants one console (A PS2 would be my first inclination), the Xbox is a really solid game machine.
      • #3 You haven't played Castle Wolfenstein on the XBOX - obviously. Halo is a great game with great game play, especially in the upper levels with vehicles.

        #5 The Original controller is large, but it is NO longer being shipped with XBoxes, they moved to the S Controller like 8 months ago. And again, if you already have the large controller, trade it for an S controller at any GameCrazy for a few dollars difference.

        #7 This is a first version console, of course it will lag in sales compared to two console ma

      • Re:X-Box Troll Handbook (Score:4, Insightful)

        by blincoln ( 592401 ) on Sunday May 18, 2003 @09:43PM (#5988909) Homepage Journal
        #8 - The only good games for the XBox are out for the other systems,

        No. Steel Battalion is reason enough to own an XBox, and it will never be released for anything else.
    • I'm glad this got modded up - too often, genuinely funny trolls get modded down by some mod with no sense of humour.

    • Re:X-Box Troll Handbook (Score:5, Funny)

      by Psychor ( 603391 ) on Sunday May 18, 2003 @06:33PM (#5988037) Homepage
      I bought an Xblox the other day, and I wish I hadn't. I guess the poor sales number should have warned me (since they only sold 3000 EggsBlockses in Europe, and 12 in Japan). I don't know what Bill Gates was thinking when he designed the controller, but it really hurts my hands. It's way too big!

      I was playing a game with it once, and it started vibrating, jumped right out of my hands, and severely wounded a small child. Also, it's strained my fingers so much, I'm starting to have problems 'viewing' my Natalie Portman image collection! I'm going to sue Bill Gates!

      Sure, some of the games may have nice graphics, but the gameplay is absolutely shocking. I tried to play Halo, but it's nothing but a tech demo! You may not believe this, but it's actually impossible to shoot! I played for five minutes, and couldn't kill anything at all, so I took the game back to the shop. It has nothing on Goldeneye. I'm going to wait for the PC version, which should be much better.

      Also, my son really wanted me to buy a console, so that he could play GTA3, so imagine my surprise when I found out it was not yet released on the Xbox! He had to undergo therapy for several weeks - but I'll get the money back from Bill Gates when I sue him.

      I'm going to sell my XSocks on Ebay now. It'll probably cost me a lot in shipping, because it's really heavy. Bill Gates designed it that way, because he likes to hit immigrants over the head with his. I'll never buy another M$ product!

    • 12. The games are too hard for children to play. Of course, adults are the target audience, so I guess that kind of follows.

    • Actually, despite some people here thinking I am an anti-MS fundster, I still give MS their due - I like most of their hardware - I am using a MS optical mouse right now. The X box hackers must agree with me, or why would they bother? They want the MS hardware, plus the freedom to do what they want with it. MS office suites are quite good, and WinXP is a lot more stable than Win9x. I just don't like their product licencing and the lack of freedom that goes along with it. Also, I wouldn't dream of using

  • Fair Use (Score:5, Insightful)

    by InvaderXimian ( 609659 ) <elvedin@o[ ]org ['ds.' in gap]> on Sunday May 18, 2003 @05:41PM (#5987730)
    I believe all of these should fall into the "fair use" catagory. If Microsoft doesn't interfere with any of this alleged "illegal hacking" projects, they could sell those Xboxes like hot cakes. More people would buy them since they'll have more than one use. Since more people would buy an Xbox to say run Linux on them or what not, they could also use it to play games! That way games will be sold and Microsoft would make money of it since the publishers have to pay a royalts to MS.

    Also, whatever you do to the Xbox should be considered fair use. When you mess with the hardware, all that MS should be able to do is deny you warrany. Car manufacturers already do this. Think of the people that modify their cars and put in turbos and superchargers. If/when their engine craps out, the dealership or whatever doesn't have to cover anything since what you did to your car has voided your warrany.

    My point is MS has no right to take any legal action against any of these "illegal hacking" projects and should just leave them alone. Fair use is fair use.

    • Did ya get the memo? (Score:5, Informative)

      by miu ( 626917 ) on Sunday May 18, 2003 @05:57PM (#5987835) Homepage Journal
      If Microsoft doesn't interfere with any of this alleged "illegal hacking" projects, they could sell those Xboxes like hot cakes.

      Why would they want that? They make money from Live subscriptions and game sales. People who mod their XBox are unlikely to purchase either.

      I agree that anyone who purchases an XBox should be free to do with it what they want, but to claim that mods are in Microsoft's best interest is wrong. MS will continue to support legislation that makes modifying these units illegal.

      • Re:Did ya get the memo? (Score:3, Insightful)

        by cygnus ( 17101 )
        Why would they want that? They make money from Live subscriptions and game sales. People who mod their XBox are unlikely to purchase either.
        people who buy xboxes for hacking are infinitely more likely to buy games (or xbox live) than someone who never bought an xbox at all.

  • this is the subject line (Score:5, Funny)

    by deadsaijinx* ( 637410 ) <animemeken@hotmail.com> on Sunday May 18, 2003 @05:41PM (#5987732) Homepage
    1) sell at great loss to undercut competition
    2) still not beat competition
    3) ???
    4) total domination and billions of $$$

    i REEEEAALLLY wish i knew step 3
  • which runs the Linux OS can be had from wal-mart for >$100 less.

    I'm sorry, I don't see the appeal of this?
    • The Xbox is actually a much better machine than those computers found in Wal-Mart. Hell, even the graphics card itself is faster than most of the CPUs inside the Wal-Mart computers.

      The appeal behind all of this is that because MS released a "locked down" computer, please wanted to circumvent around those security devices and prove something to other. Also, its fun, you can show off, and its a good time waster.

    • Re:Meanwhile, a LEGAL and FUNCTIONAL PC (Score:5, Insightful)

      by Twister002 ( 537605 ) on Sunday May 18, 2003 @05:57PM (#5987838) Homepage
      and you'll have a point once you are able to run Xbox games natively in Linux.

      Right now, the biggest complaint about Linux is "not enough games" (ok, maybe not the biggest, but one of the reasons that a lot of people are dual-booting). Once you can install Linux on your gaming console (PS2 or Xbox) you remove that reason for dual-booting. Now you've got a functioning Linux PC that you can reboot and use to play games with.

      What's the difference between that and dual-booting? Well for one thing you only have to maintain one OS installation instead of 2.

    • Re:Meanwhile, a LEGAL and FUNCTIONAL PC (Score:5, Insightful)

      by Tenebrious1 ( 530949 ) on Sunday May 18, 2003 @07:06PM (#5988202) Homepage
      which runs the Linux OS can be had from wal-mart for >$100 less. I'm sorry, I don't see the appeal of this?

      Not that we haven't gone over this a thousand times on /., but:

      XBox- Great graphics to a TV (which most people already have). Great stereo output.

      WalMart PC- crappy video, crappy sound, cheap components all around. Still need to buy a monitor. Only available through mail order, that's at least $30 shipping (plus tax since Wal-Mart has a physical presence in your state). Doesn't fit in TV console, doesn't look good sitting on top of VCR. Doesn't play DVDs. Doesn't play xbox games. Doesn't play many games at all. Need to get IR mouse/kb or you can't use it from the couch.

      You're probably too young to remember this, but the reasons the Commodore 64 sold so well was it was much cheaper than other computers, but mostly because you could plug it right into the TV. The IBM PCjr selling for $1000 was too expensive for most people, but a C64 and tape drive could be had for $200 (or less!) and plugged right into the TV. That's what introduced millions of us to computers- the fact we didn't need to buy an expensive monitor. And the awesome COLOR graphics, sound, the the sheer number of games available, put the C64 into many homes. Oh, and most retailers were willing to sell the C64 at a loss to get customers in to buy the accessories and games.

      If MS were to market a "game" that consisted of Windows, Word and Excel, with a cheap xbox printer, I think it could create a HUGE market for the xbox, similar what happened with the C64.

    • Incidentally, using an Xbox for a linux box is (ostensibly) legal if you install the cromwell linux BIOS, so that you are not using a hacked version of Microsoft code (The BIOS.)

  • On the same page as the article explaining how you can have a really compact PC for $336 by modding the x-box is an advertisement for Dell computers with free shipping.

    That gets me thinking...maybe Microsoft needs to abandon the whole losing money on the xbox to compete with the playstation 2 strategy and start charging more for it and advertise the modding--and compete with companies such as Dell and Gateway :)

    • Xbox's successor will supposedly be a full-fledged PVR in addition to being a game console. Ostensibly they will just go ahead and make it a full set top box by including a browser.

  • Ironic (Score:4, Funny)

    by Realistic_Dragon ( 655151 ) on Sunday May 18, 2003 @05:58PM (#5987847) Homepage
    The irony is that although Microsoft sell you the hardware, you still can't run Windows* on it, just Linux.

    Nice to see that Microsoft are taking the whole antitrust thing seriously and rolling out subsidised Linux based terminals :o)

    *Yes, except for the cut down version of the 2K kernel it ships with, I know.
  • Since MS is losing money on the XBox, as indicated in the story, couldn't one assist in MS' decline by purchasing as many XBoxes as was available? So, following that logic, everyone who loathes MS needs to go out and buy an XBox (but no games.)

    Just a thought...
    • Great idea. Lets waste our money so MS might lose some. Of course, considering they have $40 billion odd in cash lying around (at least, I think I remember hearing something like that), we're going to have to buy a hell of a lot of X-boxes. Lets see, something like 400,000,000 of them I think (assuming they lose $100 a console). Somehow I don't think that is going to work.
    • If you don't buy anything related to the Xbos MS earns 0, nada, zilch, nil.

      If you buy only the Xbox they are recouping 140 or wahtever dollars. Do the maths wise one.

      Now, don't be stupid. This argument is the most idiotic one in the history of /.

      If you want to hurt MS don't buy their products. If you want to hurt them even more, don't use their products at all (i.e. don't buy second hand, don't pirate stuff you criminal, drop their stuff as fast as you can).

      I try to avoid people with shoddy legal and et

  • I can just see it now (Score:5, Funny)

    by Timesprout ( 579035 ) on Sunday May 18, 2003 @06:13PM (#5987941)
    in 10 years when Redhat has achieved total domination and released their new home entertainment system there will be a rush to see who will be the first to port win2010 to it and then posting to cfullcolon to brag about their l33t skillz and demanding the right to be allowed install the home entertainment systems as their car stereo if they so choose without being forced to make their car available to anyone who wants to drive it under the terms of the new Redhat GPL

  • you'd think... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by dfj225 ( 587560 ) on Sunday May 18, 2003 @06:21PM (#5987978) Homepage Journal
    But it does highlight the complexity of Microsoft's struggles to make its products more secure. Because Xbox has so much capability...

    You'd think that MS would embrace this community and use thier advances as a selling point for the X-Box. Maybe they could make software of this type an official release. The whole idea of the media hub seems to be what most companies are moving towards today, so you would think that MS would want software of this type running on its system.
    • Xbox live 2.0 will include support for (at least) WMV and WMA files, and perhaps some flavors of AVI, though I haven't heard anything about that. I think it's supposed to play mp3, too. And all of this over the network.

      Hence, any software like this competes with Microsoft and their attempts to play the DRM game.

  • US Army likes XBox (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Alain Williams ( 2972 ) <addw@phcomp.co.uk> on Sunday May 18, 2003 @06:24PM (#5987993) Homepage
    See BBC News today [bbc.co.uk] , they have a war game that runs on one. Is this preparation for dealing with those individuals that won't run a M$ operating system ?
    • The article said, and I quote,
      "A combat simulator developed to train grunts in discipline and manoeuvres is being adapted for the Xbox games console."


      This doesn't mean that the Army's using X-Boxes as you're implying. It only means that Pandemic's making an X-Box version of the simulation based upon the Army's version that they supplied.

  • A new (and better) WebTV? (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Angry Pixie ( 673895 ) on Sunday May 18, 2003 @06:36PM (#5988051) Journal
    Ona quick note, Microsoft doesn't mind hacking the Xbox to make it into something more; if fact, MS wants that done... but not right now... and not by someone who hasn't been licensed to develop software/hardware. I've watched a week-long dedication to hacking the XBox on TechTV a little while ago, and I saw Windows Media Player on the thing. I don't own any console, but what does XBox run OS-wise? Is it Windows CE or some mutant form of it? Can I get a keyboard, web browser, a dialup modem, and maybe have a better WebTV? If it can run Linux, does that mean I can install Slackware straight from CD?
    • The XBox runs the Windows 2000/NT core with a version of DirectX that is on par with DirectX8.

      However, you don't get Explorer and the other GUI applications of Win2k.

      WindowsCE has some NT Core concepts in it, but it is another OS entirely.

  • dont understand.. (Score:2, Insightful)

    by segfault_0 ( 181690 )
    While it says it will attack hackers on a case-by-case basis, analysts say the company has so far tolerated the Xbox hacking as an unavoidable nuisance.

    Alright, im still having trouble with people selling others hardware products with the intentions of them using it for a specific purpose - and then suddenly its a punishable offense that they are going "attack". What business is it of theirs what I do with my XBox?

    If these machines come with these kinds of restrictions I think we're still getting ripped
  • you could build your own (better) PC for about that much and you don't have to go to the trouble of hacking anything. Nforce2 motherboard w/ integrated sound, lan and Geforce4 MX - $100 Athlon XP 1700+ - $42 2x 256mb PC2700 - $86 48x24x48x CDRW - $40 40gb hard drive- $60 Cheap case and decent PSU - $50 these are SHIPPED prices from Newegg.

  • Did it every occur to anybody.. (Score:5, Interesting)

    by rufusdufus ( 450462 ) on Sunday May 18, 2003 @06:58PM (#5988164)
    Did it every occur to anybody that maybe Microsoft really wants people to hack X-box? They want it to become hip-to-hack. This is the sort of grassroots cool they really hunger for. Basically, the hackers create a hip new market and what the heck can MS do but jump on the bandwagon? After all their goal all along is not to make a game platform, but to build a more ubiquitous computer platform.

    • I guess it's a plausible scenario, but on the other hand, they're pushing the DRM thing so hard it's difficult to imagine that it might be true.

      On the other hand, the ideas of Machiavelli are both available in book form and reasonable things to come up with on one's own, if you catch my drift here. If M$ pushes DRM like a mad bastard for a while they can make some money out of it, then if things go wrong they can just change a bunch of officers and go open source and/or give up on DRM.

  • Big Xbox (Score:3, Funny)

    by briggsb ( 217215 ) on Sunday May 18, 2003 @07:09PM (#5988220)
    The heck with the Xbox PC, I'm getting me some Xbox Sized fries [bbspot.com]!

  • XPe (Score:3, Informative)

    by eMilkshake ( 131623 ) on Sunday May 18, 2003 @08:24PM (#5988561) Homepage
    Has anyone tried running Windows XP Embedded on an xbox? I've been working with XPe for about a week, and frankly I'm pretty impressed with the ability to select/deselect components of the OS (don't want IE, don't include IE), but it seems it would be something that someone has tested on a 'box.

    • Re:XPe (Score:5, Funny)

      by breon.halling ( 235909 ) on Monday May 19, 2003 @12:19AM (#5989461)

      ...has tested on a 'box.

      'box?!?! 'box?!?! C'mon! You're only contracting one freakin' letter! And come to think of it, by replacing the uppercase "X" with an apostrophe, you're not even saving yourself any keystrokes! =)

      </anal>

  • I hacked my PS2 to run Linux (: (Score:3, Insightful)

    by LoudMusic ( 199347 ) on Sunday May 18, 2003 @08:26PM (#5988573)
    No wait, Sony did that for the community [playstation2-linux.com].

    If I had a good reason to hack an XBox I'd do it, but as it stands, it's best for playing video games. It would be fun to buy a bunch of XBoxes, mod them, and continue to screw Microsoft, though. Oh well.
  • spend $200 on a lindows pc. Yes, I know you'll still have no tv out, so you'll have to blow another $100 on a scan converter. You do get ethernet though, and a 1.1 gig duron :). Still, I don't like the idea of relying on something so patently illegal (note: I said illegal, not immoral) as modchips. Not that I expect microsoft to come roaring into my house and arrest me...

    On the other hand, this is really cool for 2 reasons. One, it provides a real, legit, fair use reason for modchips. Two, it's gotta reall

  • Surprising (Score:4, Insightful)

    by bedouin ( 248624 ) on Monday May 19, 2003 @12:33AM (#5989505)
    . . . that /.'ers who are generally opposed to M$'s monopolistic business tactics rush to buy Xboxes. I know the usual arguments is "M$ loses money for each one sold," but it seems people are actually buying games for their systems too.

    I'm guessing you enjoy M$ dominating yet another industry?

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