Microsoft vs. Modded Xboxes

hikeran writes "The Register has an article about how Xbox live service is now apparently banning Xboxes that have been mod chipped. Basically it seems this is one of the many uses of those unique id's used in Microsoft's software. Next up bannings for using foul language on Xbox live service?? Be careful what you say.. you may be playing with an Xbox Live admin..."

Comments

It's Their Right, Good For Them

[MBCook]

For all the MS bashing here on Slashdot (which I'm usually a part of) I've got a few things to say about this. First off, we all know that it's their right to do this, it's in the EULA (along with giving them your first born son, etc, etc) and it's OK for them to do this. And with more and more games going online and being mostly online (as we'll most likely see in the future) this will be a major deturent. I would expect Nintendo and Sony to do the same thing if they setup online gaming the same way. I do think that you should get one warning first though. Just as a question, I believe that there is a mod chip that can be switched on/off, can they detect that when it's off? Just wondering.

As for the implication about swearing, GOOD! I don't mind a "Damn" when something happens now and then, but if I want to hear non-stop-increadibly-vulgar-peel-the-paint-off-eve ry-single-thing-within-ten-miles swearing, I'm sure I could go find that somewhere. But I don't want to hear it when I'm trying to play on online game. If you can't deal with not doing good in a stupid game without shouting enough obscenities to make all nuns on your contenant have a heart attack, then you need some serious help. I've been using Live a little (I got into the beta) and I haven't heard much of it, but I am expecting a certain level of maturity when I play online (about age 7). The constant idiotic trashtalking is anoying too, and people who make tons of sexual references and innuendo. I HOPE MS bans people who do this repeatidly. Considering that they are positioning this as something for kids, they most definatly should controll that sort of thing.

Re:Um...so??

[SoupIsGoodFood_42]

I think people who installed mod chips pretty well know what they were doing.

Until--as the artical pointed out--the xBox is sold 2nd-hand to some completely inocent person.

Certinaly won't do the xBox reputation any good if people are finding they can't get on-line, and that there's nothing they can do about it.

Sure--as the artical says--you may be forced to by a new box, more cash for the vendors. But would you still want an xBox after all than? Maybe a Playstation would seem like a better option the 2nd time 'round. Atleast you know you want get banned from anything.

Re:It still works...

[Bios_Hakr]

I'd prefer to see someone do an ID sweep _with_ a modded XBOX in order to ban _all_ the legit XBOXen. Hell, you probably don't need an XBOX to do it. Just sniff the line and find the portion responsible for the ID code. Then set up a PC to generate those types of packets with different ID codes.

I'm sure they use some form of encryption on the network side, but _strong_ encryption would add a lot of delay.

Once they see that 90% of their network is banned, they'll freak. They will try to ban the IP generating the packets, then the entire subnet. Pretty soon, IRC will distribute the packet generator to thousands of geeks looking, not to kill, but to prove that banning modded XBOXen is stupid.