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."
First DUH!! (Score:2, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2)
Well, no duh!
Not really -- about five years ago Sony donated five PS2s running Linux to my university. Something's obviously changed their mind.
(There are papers and projects and stuff [google.co.uk], some of them probably wouldn't have happened otherwise.)
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
You're thinking of the EU PS2 version of YaBasic, not Linux on the PS2 or PS3 which came after the special EU tarriff was eliminated.
And Sony will respond by... (Score:3, Insightful)
And Sony will respond by banning these people from PSN for hacking the PS3. Or does this person really think that Sony won't be checking such a thing when you connect to PSN?
Re: (Score:2)
Exactly. Theres no way Sony will allow this after they've banned it. As much as I hate their action (it really sucks), and how American Sony representative just an month ago said they would keep continue supporting OtherOS feature (someone can probably dig the link to that mailing list from the older discussion), they must have a good reason to do this against their previous words and I don't see them not fightings against any circumvents. After all it's quite easy to do and there would be several ways (inc
Re: (Score:2)
Hm, I bet the reason is green, has numbers printed on it, and features pictures of dead presidents and statesmen. Honestly, what good reason is there for Sony to do this, except to try and muscle more money out of PS3 owners?
Re:And Sony will respond by... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Personally I've always intended to use Linux on the PS3 not for the usability aspect
but simply because it has around 7-8 cores (if you include the PPU) running at around 3.2Ghz (most have limited memory)
the sort of thing ideal for running simulations / cracking codes
(personal interest was more geared towards the use of FEM or Finite-Element-Analysis to simulate different types of stress's within CAD)
if your clever enough to code for it, effectively your own mini super computer
I'd be fairly impressed if he d
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Actually, it's worth mentioning that the only core available up front is a single PowerPC core, with 256MB of RAM. It's possible to expand the RAM by adding the VRAM to swap space, and to unlock some SPE's (I can't recall how many, but you aren't given access to all of them), but it's also necessary to program specifically for them; They have their own architecture.
While for computational tasks, it's fairly moot, the GPU is also entirely locked down and inaccessible. Even available screen resolutions are, a
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
You think Sony is going to win. You are wrong. Look at how long the cat-and-mouse game over the PSP has continued. They are not capable of keeping people out of hardware they own.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
I'd say they were very capable. It took 5 years for the PS3 to get its first hack. 2 weeks for Sony to patch it. Who's to say it won't take another 5 years?
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.
Re: (Score:2)
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?
Re: (Score:2)
Which amount to what? 1% or less of the total PS3 owners?
1% of 1,000,000 is still 1,000. That's a lot of people to deal with.
Re: (Score:2)
Wait, no, 10,000. That's even better!
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
1% of 1,000,000 is still 1,000. That's a lot of people to deal with.
No, it'll quite easy for them to deal with those people. SCE will just ignore them.
Re: (Score:2)
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).
Re: (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: (Score:3, Insightful)
Don't try to slippery slope argue support into existence. Yeah, they came for the OtherOS and I said nothing because I didn't care. That isn't likely to have any effect on my ability to play God of War 3 any time soon. If they come for the God of War 3 players, I hereby grant you license to mock me. If they don't... well, yeah. They won't.
"Slippery Slope" isn't a definite fallacy; let's look at the history. They've already killed off backwards compatability (software emulation, not just the Emotion engine stuff), SACD (An invention of Sony's own) and now GNU/Linux (Other OS whatever). There's a trend developing, though I'm not terribly clear what the point is.
Re:Heh (Score:5, Insightful)
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.
I love the way that slashdot geeks think that they are the average user. The number of linux installs on PS3 is so small that there's no reason for Sony to continue to support it, basically a few high computing centers and a few hackers, as opposed to the millions of gamers who have no idea it's even there. And yes there is a reason to turn it off. To remove it from the list of features that need to be supported going forward.
I'm really surprised that it lasted this long.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
And yes there is a reason to turn it off. To remove it from the list of features that need to be supported going forward.
I'm really surprised that it lasted this long.
There's even a bigger reason than that - the guy mentioned in this summary too exploited the OtherOS feature (with burning the PS3 hardware to cause kernel panic and subsequent escalate to PS3 code) and it would possibly allow piracy on PS3. It's obvious that now Sony will disable that feature from the few geeks to keep the system secure. You can thank this guy for ruining it for everyone.
Re: (Score:2)
Don't forget that Sony is actually the one knee-jerk blocking everything.
It's rather like China cock-blocking Google after they migrated to Hong Kong to get around censorship laws.
Re: (Score:2)
did they cock-block google? I haven't seen anything new on this since they moved to .hk.
Re: (Score:2)
Yes, no, for a while, all depending on exactly when you are talking about it seems [washingtonpost.com].
Re:Heh (Score:4, Insightful)
I love the way that slashdot geeks think that they are the average user. The number of linux installs on PS3 is so small that there's no reason for Sony to continue to support it...
There is a difference between not supporting it, and forbidding it. And while the people doing it, are a minority, they are a vocal minority of early adopters. Ya know... The folks that made it popular in the first place.
Re: (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.
Re: (Score:2)
I'd be willing to bet that almost no one is listening to them. Go to a Gamestop or Best Buy and ask the people in the PS3 section about running Linux on their PS3 and how this update disables it on older models. You will get blank stares.
Funny you mention that, I just had someone working at Gamestop bitching about how the Slim doesn't have "Other OS", then their manager got in on the discussion.
Re: (Score:2)
>>There is a difference between not supporting it, and forbidding it.
>Then don't download the update and keep running Linux.
Are you a lobbyist?
You are choosing to be intellectually dishonest -- putting that charitably -- because you are pretending not to understand that this course would instead REMOVE the ability to play BluRay movies or games (if not now, then with the next printing or release of new games and movies).
Re:Heh (Score:5, Insightful)
True, slasdoters tend to way over estimate the collective moral outrage that exists out there in the world beyond this website. There needs to be some acceptance of reality that its very unlikely you are going to make $COMPANY pay!
Still I totally understand the frustration. There are lots of comments to the effect here to of: I did not buy a $PRODUCT to do $TASK, where task is something other then the most common application. Still if you bought something that advertised $FEATURE its not at all unreasonable to expect to be able to use it for that, and its a little unfair for the vendor to come along after and say "well no you can't do that anymore."
Its not like you can just not apply the new firmwares either, because if you don't you can't run the latest games. Lots of people probably did buy a PS3 expecting that they could run Linux AND native PS3 software. If Sony wants to be a responsible vendor (and they have proved time and time again, at virtually every opportunity they are not) they would support the full feature set for the life cycle of the product.
What people have to start doing is being personally responsible enough to assess the past behavior of vendors and decide if that and the merits of the product make the purchase worth while. I have been burned by Sony enough times that I WILL NOT BUY their products even when they are light years ahead of the competition because I know I will end the end be treated badly by them.
You can sell me awful hardware if your customer service is good enough. If I feel like you care about my problems and you're solving them quickly and painlessly when they happen, I will put up with a lot of problems. If you pull Sony type BS all the time than forget it, I don't want to do business with you becuase I know when I do have a problem its going be misery, even if there will be few problems.
Re: (Score:2)
OtherOS is not moving into some "unsupported" status, it is being BANNED. Removed. Gone. Did you read the article?
I have my PS3 box and documentation in storage, and it CLEARLY lists OtherOS and Linux as a feature.
Now they remove that feature.
Apparently you don't have a problem with false advertising? That's fine, your choice, but please don't spin the facts into something else.
How about if you brought your car into the dealer for unrelated service, and they removed the cruise control feature?
To be perfectl
Re: (Score:2)
It hit the front page of BBC for a bit. May not be a big concern to gamers, but it did hit Sony with some major bad press that even non-gamer's will go "I was thinking about buying a Sony Camera, but I saw that article about the complaints and I guess I go with a Nikon"
Re:Heh (Score:5, Insightful)
Sony has forgotten something important. One of the ways that piracy hacks come to be is people hacking the hardware to install Linux or some other random thing. Now that Sony doesn't support it, it's like throwing down the glove and daring them to hack it. Once the hacks exist, it's just a matter of time until they're used for piracy.
This is really a tremendously bonehead move.
And Legions of other PS3 users... (Score:3, Insightful)
express their total disinterest and get back to playing God of War whatever.
Thanks for coming.
Sony is the new Apple. (Score:3, Interesting)
Exactly. (Score:2, Interesting)
Re: (Score:2)
Are becoming? Are you new to the scene or have you been ignoring the past twenty years of Sony tech? Sony and Nintendo walk hand in hand to the prom as the King and Queen of Overbearing Control Freaks who punish their customers left and right for committing the sins of daring to use their products in an unauthorized manner.
Remember the Memory Stick? The DAT? The MiniDisc? BetaMax? ATRAC? UMD?
Anyone buying a PS3 thinking they were entering into a relationship with a company that was open and responsive to it
Re: (Score:2)
While I love the products of both companies, they are becoming ridiculous control freaks.
Becoming? Uh... Have you just recently discovered this "Internet" thing?
Re:Sony is the new Apple. (Score:4, Insightful)
took the music player market by storm with the iPod
iPod, meet Walkman and Discman. Just sayin'.
Re: (Score:2)
1970s: Sony develops a new media format called Compact Disk and tries to get everyone on board.
1980s: Sony develops a new media format called 3.5" micro diskettes and tries to get everyone on board.
1980s: Sony develops a new media format called DAT and tries to get everyone on board.
1990s: Sony develops a new media format called MiniDisc and tries to get everyone on board.
1990s: Sony develops a new media format ca
Re: (Score:2)
Don't forget SACD, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Audio_CD [wikipedia.org]
Something that worked on earlier versions of the PS3, and was even developed by Sony. Imagine the PS4 removing Blu-Ray support, with a firmware update while the necessary hardware components still exist.
Re: (Score:2)
What's to love about Sony anyway?
Well, they make some nice projectors. Which I recently didn't buy because of Sony's behaviour. There are competitors and they don't leave quite the bad taste in the mouth that Sony does these days.
Its not just sony (Score:4, Insightful)
>> The PlayStation 3 is the only product I know that loses features throughout its lifecycle.
Presuming youre talking about artificial limitations, Microsoft have been doing it for years.
For example, I can watch Blu-ray under XP. No such luck with Vista or Windows 7 thanks to the extra DRM and my non-hdcp monitor.
Re:Its not just sony (Score:4, Informative)
No such luck with Vista or Windows 7 thanks to the extra DRM and my non-hdcp monitor.
That's funny. I watch Blu-Rays just fine on both my Vista and Windows 7 machines which only connect to my monitor via DVI. Or are you one of those idiots who actually uses crappy playback software like PowerDVD to play Blu-Rays?
Re: (Score:2)
In that case your monitor must either support HDCP, or your not running at full 1080p, or you've got something like AnyDVD HD installed.
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
n that case your monitor must either support HDCP,
Nope.
or your not running at full 1080p
Nope.
or you've got something like AnyDVD HD installed.
Yep.
Re:Its not just sony (Score:4, Informative)
or you've got something like AnyDVD HD installed.
Yep.
Which makes this entire sub-thread just another internet penis measuring contest.
The only reason you can run AnyDVD is because Slysoft found a loophole in the DMCA and moved to a country that will let them exploit it.
It certainly isn't because of MS that you can watch BDs on vista - it is, in fact, in spite of them. Kinda like the way this hacker wants to re-enable linux on the PS3 in spite of Sony's efforts to the contrary.
Re: (Score:2)
Your monitor, graphics card support hdcp through dvi.
That would be kind of hard since my monitor predates HDCP.
Re: (Score:2)
Your monitor, graphics card support hdcp through dvi.
Try using a really old lcd monitor.
Yeah, DVI can be HDCP compliant as long as you don't try to use a DVI to VGA connector.
Re: (Score:2)
Bzzt wrong.
My DVI monitor is way older than HDCP.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Dude the "home video of the TV screen" thing blows massive chunks in terms of picture quality compared to the original HD mage, no matter how good your equipment is or how carefully you control the lighting.
I guess you're the sort of person that thinks highly compressed MP3 sounds indistinguishable from a live band too.
Re: (Score:2)
Re:Its not just sony (Score:4, Insightful)
>> The PlayStation 3 is the only product I know that loses features throughout its lifecycle.
Presuming youre talking about artificial limitations, Microsoft have been doing it for years.
For example, I can watch Blu-ray under XP. No such luck with Vista or Windows 7 thanks to the extra DRM and my non-hdcp monitor.
(emphasis mine)
Those are separate products.
Re: (Score:2)
April 1st release... c'mon guys (Score:5, Funny)
I'm hoping i can point this out early enough, but the slated released date for this patch is april 1st.
Talk about one of the most successful trolls on the internet today, sony generated a TON of nerd rage on this stunt, it's rather hilarious.
I'll also say that many news stories about this pointed out the obvious fact that it conflicts with a recent statement that sony supports this feature and will continue to preserve it, it seems a fairly obvious april fools joke.
Just saying.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Major [google.com] corporations [bmweducation.co.uk] don't [google.com] play [google.com] April's [google.com] fools [google.com]? Seriously [google.com]? Not [google.com.au] even [google.com] a [bmweducation.co.uk] little [blogspot.com] bit [blogspot.com]?
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
OK, so we have an ancient BBC thing, Taco Bell, Two BMW ads, and the rest are all google? Seriously, not much of a counterpoint.
Re: (Score:2)
If you're big enough to squash everyone who would want to take you to court, being legally questionable is entirely legitimate.
Re:April 1st release... c'mon guys (Score:4, Informative)
This whole thing would have been less surreal and controversial if instead of saying "3.21 means no more OtherOS Just Because." they had "Here's this feature the community has been absolutely begging for, and this one, and this one, and this one... oh, by the way, it'll probably disable OtherOS so plan around that."
What they have done is effectively make pre-3.21 fat PS3s high-value items for the people interested in homebrew, backups and "backups". Eventually they'll be cracked, and they'll have cracked firmwares installed on them that will provide all the official features plus the useful things that Sony apparently skipped on doing all this time to release this potentially crippling update.
Oh, and this all assumes that the OtherOS option will even be necessary to mod the system.
Re: (Score:2)
Pushing an update out on April 1st might be a good way to hold off suspicion long enough to let the update come sneaking down on everyone, so that by the time they realize it's serious their machines have already been pwned.
PS2 emulation wasn't just software (Score:2, Informative)
Re: (Score:2)
Re:PS2 emulation wasn't just software (Score:4, Informative)
The so-called "software emulation" was only for the Emotion Engine chip (ps2's CPU). It still required the Graphics Synthesizer chip (video), which was never software-emulated, and is missing in newer PS3s.
Re: (Score:2)
I don't think there was ever a version that was pure software emulation. The earliest models had more or less a hardware PS2 inside of them. The 2nd-gen models ditched the hardware Emotion Engine (basically the PS2's CPU) and emulated that in software, but kept a hardware GS (basically the GPU).
PS2 emulation was not purely software (Score:3, Insightful)
The PS2 backwards compatibility always used a hardware GS (the GPU). They emulated the EE and the VU1s, but not the GS. I'm not sure the cost reduction was really worthwhile, but it's not something they can just flip back on, on machines that don't have it.
Instead of Hacking.... (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
The point here is that people bought the PS3 when it still had that feature, and then it gets disabled remotely after the fact. There's no way you can "not buy" the device due to a missing feature, if it's already sitting in your home.
Re: (Score:2)
dont buy it, if you dont like it. You can also sell it as used. Thats the biggest Hack. (If you hack for the purely academic reason of demonstrating that it can be hacked - thats fine and beatiful. But dont pay money to a company to pay people to fight you).
Yes, sometime you dont get the shiniest most beatiful HW. When the iphone came out there was no direct competitor (if you where interested in touch). Now there are many. When the PS3 came out, it was probably better and faster than the current PCs. no probably not (i dont know, not seriously interested).
Boycott isn't the only way to fight a corporation doing something you don't like. There's other ways, such as voicing your opinions and giving the corporation financial incentive to appease the crowd.
Re: (Score:2)
I am interested in your Time Machine technology. Please contact me at your earliest convenience to arrange a demonstration.
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: (Score:2)
You had the choice not to upgrade the firmware.
Firmware release notes clearly show, "OtherOS is going bye bye."
Re: (Score:2)
So I still have my car. The dealer has told me that if I bring it in, they'll disable the CD changer. But let's say I need an oil change, and the car's under warranty so it needs to go to the dealer.
I suppose I should just suck it up? Neither option is acceptable, and it's the company's doing. Therefore, they should be liable in a suit.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
I disagree that they're liable for disabling that feature.
Of course they are. Depends on what the original sales contract says. Oh, no contract for a normal retail sale? Then normal sales laws apply and I'd be very surprised if those laws allow a vendor to change the conditions after the sale.
They have said that feature might go away in the manual
Irrelevant. That text was only available to the purchaser after the sale was made and many retailers do not offer money back guarantees.
it's not advertised o
Re: (Score:2)
You had the choice not to upgrade the firmware.
Firmware release notes clearly show, "OtherOS is going bye bye."
You will lose features in any case.
If you upgrade, you lose "OtherOS" support.
If you don't, you lose online gaming capability and newer BluRay discs may not play.
Removing (Score:2)
I'm not usually one to defend Sony, but... (Score:2)
The PS2 emulation was not a bit flipped in software.
The first PS3 models had both of the PS2's main chips (I think in the single-combined-package form they'd switched to) physically present.
Later PS3 models had only one of them, using Cell to emulate the other.
Still later PS3 models (the first US "40 gig") have neither.
There was never any PS2 emulation for that last hardware revision, and last I heard, the first two still have PS2 emulation, although the second one has sorta crappy PS2 emulation. (Yes, you
Buy Sorny (Score:2)
That's why I bought a Sorny PlayStayshin III instead. I can do whatever I want with it*, and there are never any updates that disable features. In fact, there are never any updates. It runs MAME great though. Well, extremely slowly, but that just makes the games more playable IMO.
* Except connect to PSN, watch BluRay discs, or play PS3 games.
Why is this even an issue? (Score:2)
Seriously... why is this even an issue? Why do you assholes that have a problem with this continue to buy Sony products?
Sony has shown, time and again, that they care not one whit about their customers. They will screw them in any possible way they can to make more money out of them. They have no regard for their customers, their customers privacy, their customers equipment, etc... You dumb bastards that bought a PS3 deserve everything you get, because you KNEW ahead of time that Sony was one of the wor
it's not the only console to lose features (Score:3, Informative)
XBox 360 lost the subscription feature for demos with the NXE. It also will lose online play for Xbox games when Live for original Xbox in two weeks.
I can't think of any older consoles that lost features with software updates, although many lost features in new versions, most notably progressive component out removed from Gamecube.
Letter to Sony (Score:3, Informative)
For anyone who's interested I wrote a letter to Sony Customer Support about this. Here is the letter I received as a response. Names were removed
Discussion Thread
Response (xxxxxxxxxxxx) 03/30/2010 04:38 PM
Hello xxxxxxx,
Thank you for writing us with your concerns for the upcoming firmware release and it's features.
The Playstation®User agreement states that we may update the system which may change the operating system.
11. MAINTENANCE AND UPGRADES
From time to time, it may become necessary for SCEA to provide certain content to you to ensure that PlayStation(R)Network and content offered through Playstation®Network, your PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system or other SCEA-authorized hardware is functioning properly in accordance with SCEA guidelines. Some content may be provided automatically without notice when you sign into Playstation®Network. Such content may include automatic updates or upgrades which may change your current operating system, cause a loss of data or content or cause a loss of functionalities or utilities. Such upgrades or updates may be provided for system software for your PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, or other SCEA-authorized hardware. Access or use to any system software is subject to terms and conditions of a separate end user license agreement found at http://www.us.playstation.com/termsofuse [playstation.com]. You authorize SCEA to provide such content and agree that SCEA shall not be liable for any damages arising from provision of such content or maintenance services. It is recommended that you regularly back up any data located on the hard disk that is of a type that can be backed up.
If you'd like to read the full user agreement, you may do so at the link below:
Article Title: Terms of Use and User Agreement
Article Link: http://playstation.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1109 [custhelp.com]
Regards,
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Re:Letter to Sony (Score:4, Insightful)
I'll summarize...
"Fuck you."
PS3 Cluster (Score:5, Informative)
As a member of the PS3Cluster team I would like to say that Sony's cutting off of 3rd party OSes from their platform is going to impact the Air Force, UMass Dartmouth and other organizations using PS3 hardware as massively parallel clusters for scientific computing. This goes far beyond the home-brew market.
We've been covered here before:
http://tech.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/12/17/2251232
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?
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Firmware updates aren't just to play the latest games, they also fix critical bugs in the firmware.
Games may not be important to massive clusters but critical bug fixes are.
Letter to Sony (Score:3, Insightful)
Dear Sony, if an update to my machine will disable the "install other OS" feature in my PS/3 I will guarantee you that I will have it reported to every possible authority that I can think off and ensure it is followed up.
For a start, IT IS A DOCUMENTED FACILITY. It's on the manual, and I will make pictures of "before" and "after". This means it's something I paid for. Removing it without my permission is (a) theft and (b) a violation of trade description - you can't take something away which has influenced my decision to buy without expecting this to have repercussions. It would be equivalent to selling me a full stereo set and take away the speakers after I bought it so I'd have to spend extra money to buy those.
Secondly, YOU CANNOT FORCE MY COMPLIANCE. If you make acceptance of a trade description violation dependent on, well, a trade description violation (the device should be capable of Bluray playback even with the new code you plan to implement) you will lose double. The sort of coercion is AFAIK illegal in most countries.
So, here's your one and only warning: if I either find the facility gone, or find me unable to play a Bluray disc you WILL be facing the music, if you pardon the pun.
Oh, FYI, I don't use the feature, this is a matter of principle. It would be rather nice if Sony for once thought about the *customer* before doing things. I accept that is a wholly novel and far too innovative concept for Sony, but believe me, the pain is worth it. That's what made the Nintendo Wii such a hit. Learn from it.
Re: (Score:2, Informative)
You're expecting good treatment from the company that put rootkits on its CDs?
Since when did SCE put rootkits on CDs? Oh, you're talking about Sony Music which is a completely separate and distinct subsidiary which has absolutely zero ties to SCE.
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
It's all Sony. If it's a "subsidiary", then there's no such thing as a "separate and distinct"; they're all under the same CEO.
One of the main reasons Sony was so reluctant to support MP3s in its portable electronics was because its music division saw it as supporting piracy.
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
It's all Sony. If it's a "subsidiary", then there's no such thing as a "separate and distinct"; they're all under the same CEO.
No, actually SCE has it's own CEO, Kazuo Hirai. Sony Music has it's own chairman and there is another chairman and CEO of Sony Corporation. You also seem to be profoundly ignorant about how conglomerates are run. They are basically made up of mostly autonomous units.
Re: (Score:2)
> They are basically made up of mostly autonomous units.
Apparently not autonomous enough to call themselves something other than Sony.
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
I used to work for Sony Electronics, or rather Sony Customer Information Service Center, a subsidiary of Sony Electronics, which in turn is (or was, they could have restructured) a subsidiary of Sony America, which was in turn a subsidiary of the Sony Corporation.
The divisions do indeed have their own executives but at the end of the day those lines were drawn for legal and tax reasons. The CISC most definitely did what it was told by Sony Electronics and Sony Electronics heeds the concerns of Sony Pictures
Re: (Score:2)
I can't play Metal Gear Solid 4, Super SF 4, or Valkyria Chronicles on a PC built with ITX parts
Re: (Score:2)
Oh no! How horrible!
You want to buy into a closed system so you can play certain games? Go ahead. But don't complain when the people controlling that closed system do things you don't like. If you don't like it, you shouldn't have bought it.
This is like buying an iPhone and then complaining that Apple doesn't allow some apps in their App Store. WTF did you expect?
Re: (Score:2)
I'm not really up to speed on this ... would you care to elaborate on what geohot's "massive fuckup" was? Is it that he cracked the ps3 via the Other OS feature, and that prompted them to patch it away?
Re: (Score:2)
As much as geohot can try to make up for his massive fuckup,
Oh please. For years the question was "so when is the PS3 going to be hacked?" You people cheered him on when he came out with his hack. Now you guys are mad at *him* because *Sony* is taking one of its toys away. Shouldn't you be directing your anger at Sony?
You know what? I think geohot should not even bother trying to fix it. No good deed goes unpunished. No, I'm not related to him. I don't even own a gaming console. But this name calling
Re: (Score:2)
I have one of the PS3s with the PS2 software emulation and it still works even with the current patch installed.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
[...] despite this Sony got nothing but flack from technical users from the PS3 since launch.
They do not speak for all of us. I had great respect for Sony's relative generosity with a gaming console.