Hacker Will Try To Restore Linux Support On PS3 468
Many readers have been sending in news of the impending PS3 firmware update that will remove the ability to install other operating systems on the console. (We discussed it here on Sunday.) Over the past few days, legions of PS3 owners have been voicing their anger at Sony's decision, upset that they'll be forced to either lose their custom install or forgo use of the PlayStation Network and be unable to play certain games and movies. Now, hacker George Hotz, known for his iPhone jailbreaks and his PS3 hack earlier this year, has vowed to fight back and restore Linux support on the PS3. He said, "The PlayStation 3 is the only product I know that loses features throughout its lifecycle. Software PS2 emulation, SACD playback, and OtherOS support are all just software switches you can flip. It's unbelievable you would go and flip one, not just on new boxes you are shipping, but on tens of millions already in the field."
Heh (Score:3, Interesting)
In the interest of openness, I've decided to release the exploit. Hopefully, this will ignite the PS3 scene [...]
Looks like the fires need a little more than that to get lit, but there's a lot of pissed off users now with torches just aching to start a blaze.
Sony had to see this coming, now we just have to see if they'll try to litigate their way out of it or own up.
Sony is the new Apple. (Score:3, Interesting)
Exactly. (Score:2, Interesting)
Well duh (Score:4, Interesting)
First of all, duh. Of course hackers were going to try and circumvent the restriction. And, like all other types of silly restrictions, it's inevitable that they will succeed.
What I'm more interested in is the lawsuit that should be on its way over this. It was an advertised feature of the PS3, and a not-insignificant number of people bought a PS3 because they could run Linux on it. Hell, a lot of people only bought one to run Linux on it.
If my car used to have a CD changer, and it gets disabled when I bring it in for service, I'd sue. Contracts, EULA be damned - I chose a product because it had a feature, and it got removed after the fact. That's not legal.
Re:Heh (Score:3, Interesting)
but there's a lot of pissed off users now with torches just aching to start a blaze.
Which amount to what? 1% or less of the total PS3 owners?
I would say even less. Maybe 0.01%. I would really like this feature but it wont turn me off from PS3 - it's media streaming is superb compared to 360 and generally I feel nicer to play games on it. I didn't buy PS3 to run a Linux - I bought it to play games. If i wanted to run Linux or such, I would had just build such box (like I have).
I bought a PS3 for the same reason, but how long might it be until they retract a feature you are concerned about?
Re:Heh (Score:3, Interesting)
Linux geeks have never, in the history of the universe, made anything popular. Sony made the PS3 popular, in part by dropping the "Other OS" crap on the floor and concentrating on getting games out the door. Cause ya know... it's a game console.
What I've been saying for a while. (Score:2, Interesting)
OS X is on it's way out. Apple intends to replace it with the Iphone OS on Macbooks and Imacs. These machines will run Apple' s A4 processor which is simply an ARM Cortex-A8 processor with a proprietary component on die. My arguments for this are as follows.
1. Homogeneity, Apple as a matter of marketing conscience does not maintain disparate systems. This interferes with the "just works" slogans as you have to determine which OS is supported before installing a product (I believe Android and Windows is bashed relentlessly for this).
2. Control, Apple hate hackintoshes, positively despise the fact that someone can get outside their control and that the cheapest OSX box is actually a Dell for 1/2 the price of a Mac Mini.
3. They can, to Apple the Iphone has proven that so long as a cool image is maintained it's customers will happily accept any level of abuse.
4. Numbers, Apple have more numbers on the Iphone OS then on OS X, OS X is still very much a niche market.
Apple have changed both OS and processor architecture in the past, nor has prospect of losing most of their core stooped them from shooting themselves in the foot before.
Re:Heh (Score:1, Interesting)
Sony sells slim units to the USAF in bulk with OtherOS turned on and GameOS turned off. Presumably that fork of the firmware will continue, just like you have to buy test, dev, and review systems, all with significant security issues, direct.
Re:PS3 Cluster (Score:4, Interesting)
Care to explain why those clusters have to get the latest updates? So the development team can play after office hours?
The only impact would be replacing the hardware, but then the latest slim version already did not support other OSes, so if that is a problem, shouldn't it have been happening already?