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Linux On Unmodded Xbox, Improved

Posted by timothy on from the ms-linux-ready-for-launch dept.

An anonymous reader writes "It looks like pSyCo from XEmulation.com Has found a way to boot Xbox Linux Live on an unmodified Xbox with nothing but an Xbox and Linux PC (no memory card of any kind, etc). Also a guide to using this method to flash your Xbox's onboard TSOP with the bios of choice, making the Xbox modded without an actual mod-chip. $5 to rent 007 to mod my xbox sounds nice =) Check it out at: XEmulation.net Forum or XboxHacker.net BBS. *Wonder what the DMCA would think about this...*" This builds on the "007"-based method discussed earlier. Update: 04/15 01:11 GMT by T : XEmulation.com, not .net. Sorry.

38 of 368 comments (clear)

  1. no mods? by alwsn · · Score: 5, Interesting

    What you'll need:

    "Soldering Iron + Solder (and torx screw drivers)

    Now you must open up your Xbox *which I don't think I need to explain how to do*, take out the motherboard, and solder the 2x2 jumpers. Now put everything back together, but leave the case top off, and keep the Xbox near your pc!

    While this method might not require you to use a mod chip, it definately requires you to mod the xbox in that you have to take it apart, and solder stuff. The only think that will make me run linux on my xbox is if I can install a working system withou touching a screw driver.

    1. Re:no mods? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      No, you misunderstand.

      You can run Linux without flashing the TSOP.

      You flash the TSOP so you can put on the hacked BIOS to play pirated (excuse me, "legitimate backups").

      The BIOS is write protected, and can be made flashable by bridging a couple of solder points. This wont be overcome with any sort of sofware trick or backdoor. The BIOS just aint writable.

      Of course, all you budding warez kiddies (excuse me again, Linux enthusiasts) need know that if you leave it bridged, your bios can be flashed at any time, like say from some joker who puts bios-destroying code in a file called "Halo 2.ISO" and uploads it to your favorite gene6 ftp.

      If all you want to do is run linux, all you need is a copy of 007, and do the trick every time. Or, you can flash the linux bios onto the TSOP.

      A smart person would realize that constant updates to the TSOP for different linux bootloaders is just asking for trouble. One bad flash and your xbox is a brick. You're much better off getting a mod chip, which required no soldering, or very dead-simple soldering to the LPC points (preferred, the no-solder ones jiggle loose).

      Then you can switch it off.

      Anyways. Dont think the majority of the chatter on these forums is really about running linux. It's about using linux as a "legal" front to getting a hacked bios on the box that allows warezed to be played. There are "fair use" backups, sure. You can use linux, sure. But 99.999999% of the posts on the forums are of the nature of "how do u copy renterd gamez?"

      Oh yeah, buy a copy of 007 NOW if you want to do this, as an updated version of the game will no doubt be silently released (if it hasnt been already).

    2. Re:no mods? by deanpole · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Be glad we have to physically remove the jumbers to write the flash. It also means Microsoft can't "upgrade" BIOSes when connecting to Xbox Live. :-)

    3. Re:no mods? by slagdogg · · Score: 4, Informative

      You can do it without modifying it, but you need a memory card to store the code that executes the exploit. Also, the memory card trick works ONLY for running Linux, not other games or Xboxmediaplayer :(

      See this link for more.

      --
      (Score:-1, Wrong)
    4. Re:no mods? by drunk_as_in_beer · · Score: 3, Informative

      Of course, all you budding warez kiddies (excuse me again, Linux enthusiasts) need know that if you leave it bridged, your bios can be flashed at any time, like say from some joker who puts bios-destroying code in a file called "Halo 2.ISO" and uploads it to your favorite gene6 ftp.
      So you should unbridge it once you are done with the flash?

      Although everyone yells "warez" when they here about something like this, and it's probably true, there are some legitimate uses. Independantly written software is one of them, look at the Dreamcast. Though, yeah, the Dreamcast is well known for allowing copies to run with no mods. I own one, though I don't have any pirated games, I run Linux and other free software on it. I would have to say the PSX was the most popular machine for playing copied games.

      --
      --Drunk as in Beer
    5. Re:no mods? by orn · · Score: 3, Interesting

      You flash the TSOP so you can put on the hacked BIOS to play pirated (excuse me, "legitimate backups").


      I know that stealing is a common reason people are doing this... but personally I like the idea of trying to get MythTV running on the beast. Once again - a single box that combines as many forms of entertainment as possible. The _mythical_ TV.

      That's legitimate. Maybe M$ should just release a version of linux, properly encyrpted and all that jazz, for the X-Box.

      Wouldn't that be a hoot.
      --
      1. 2.
    6. Re:no mods? by MoonBuggy · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Anyways. Dont think the majority of the chatter on these forums is really about running linux. It's about using linux as a "legal" front to getting a hacked bios on the box that allows warezed to be played. There are "fair use" backups, sure. You can use linux, sure. But 99.999999% of the posts on the forums are of the nature of "how do u copy renterd gamez?"

      You're right, I'm sure, for the sites that this was originally posted on, but I would think that most /. users actually do want to run linux on their Xboxes. It may be a front, but it's a front that benefits alot of us around here (spare computer, multi-use DVD player, file storage etc.) and it'd be unfortunate if people thought that ALL modders simply wanted to playe warez.

    7. Re:no mods? by John+Hurliman · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Why so focused on pirating games? I'm going to buy an XBox because of this, so I can turn my XBox in to a media center that plays DVDs, MP3s/OGGs/WAVs, DivX/Xvids/AVIs/MPEGs, view images and more with a nice remote to control it for $150. I can also work on the open source software myself and add my own changes in there.

      I want a single interface to watch all the DVDs I buy, all the amateur skateboarding/snowboarding movies I make, listen to all the music CDs I buy, and look at all the pictures I take with my digital camera. Corporate America isn't able to come up with a solution that isn't completely bogus, and certainly not for under $200, so I'll build it myself. Two soldering points and a single ROM flash doesn't seem like too much work.

  2. I still hope by sielwolf · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The guy who came up with the 007 method gets whatever rewards were for booting Linux first on an Xbox. Yeah, this seems more like what "people want". But that wasn't the challenge. It was to boot Linux.

    I'm sorry but the fuss around the backdoor-ness of the 007 method was blown way out of proportion.

    --
    What is music when you despise all sound?
    1. Re:I still hope by Ikeya · · Score: 5, Interesting

      At a bare minimum, he earns my respect as a hacker. Holes like this can often lead to great developments. Look at the TI calculators. Holes were found in the ROMS in order to get to the Z80 assembly layer and produce some of the greatest games (and useful applications) that have been published on calculators.
      This was so much a success that TI eventually starting allowing access to the Assembly layer natively (ala the TI86 and TI89/92+)
      Besides, it's so much fun hearing about all of these cool holes and backdoors. Like the TI82 was cracked through the Matrix variable named "Q" (which doesn't really exist).
      Anyway, kudos to all involved!
      ikeya

      --
      ---- Move SIG...For great justice!
  3. FYI by skrowl · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The previous method that they're talking about involved a buffer overflow in the savegame handling from 007:Agent Under Fire.

    You were able to execute code (in most cases, a BIOS flash to flash the internal TSOP) tacked on to the end of your save game.

    Hopefully this comes as a lesson to ALWAYS ALWAYS sanity check ANY USER INPUT, even if it comes in the form of a file that you THINK you know the layout of.

    --

    Prevent linux based DDOS's!
    http://linux.denialofservice.org/
    1. Re:FYI by Pharmboy · · Score: 4, Funny

      What I find odd is now we WANT a buffer overflow, so we can BOOT linux instead bitching about sloppy ass programmers for them causing it to crash.

      Make up your damn mind ;)

      --
      Tequila: It's not just for breakfast anymore!
  4. Xemulation.net should be Xemulation.com by Sonicboom · · Score: 4, Informative

    I think the first link should read Xemulation.com and point there, too.

    C'mon editors - don't you check your stories and links before you post?

    --
    [Connection closed by foreign host]
  5. sure.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny


    [l337 kid returning xbox]

    kid: g1bb0r m3 my m0n3y b4ck, f4gg0rz. My k-r4d Xb0x0r 15 fux0r3d.

    clerk: Ok.. let's see.. Hmm.. the screw heads are worn, indicating you've opened this XBox up. Oh, I see solder splattered on the board.. wait a sec, this isn't even an XBox board, it's from an old Betamax!

  6. "Wonder what the DMCA would think about this..."? by RLiegh · · Score: 5, Funny

    Whatever Microsoft TELLS THEM to think about this.
    (I may get an -1 redundant since that is the whole reason for the DMCA. Oh well. )

  7. Here's the article by JoshuaDFranklin · · Score: 4, Informative

    SAVE THEIR SERVERS: Ok, I've never written a tutorial of any kind in my life... so if this is posted anywhere, you can edit it (to a point ... keep the main writing.. but adding photo's, etc are fine by me, just give me a lil credit) And with that said .. I'll start...

    This tutorial will explain how to go about mounting your Xbox HD's game save partition under Linux on a PC, in order to get habibi_xbox's 007:Agent Under Fire game save along with raincoat and your bios of choice onto the Xbox's HD, eliminating the need for a Mega-X-Key!

    What you'll need:

    Xbox
    PC running Linux (distro of choice)
    Linux kernel 2.4.20 source ( http://www.kernel.org )
    "Kernel" folder from xbox-linux's CVS ( http://xbox-linux.sf.net)
    007: Agent Under Fire retail DVD
    Soldering Iron + Solder (and torx screw drivers)

    *Warning... i installed a fresh copy of Slackware Linux on an old PC just to do this, following this tutorial can cripple your linux system if you don't revert back to your old kernel... or compile a new one... unless you know what your doing*

    1st things 1st! Now you must open up your Xbox *which I don't think I need to explain how to do*, take out the motherboard, and solder the 2x2 jumpers (one's on top, ones on the bottom of the mobo) pictures: http://www.xbox-scene.com/articles/tsop.php . Now put everything back together, but leave the case top off, and keep the Xbox near your pc!

    Now, download the Linux 2.4.20 kernel source from http://www.kernel.org *look in the archives!*, move the tar.gz or tar.bz2 file to /usr/src and extract. This should leave you with a folder named "linux-2.4.20". Next, get the "Kernel" folder from the Xbox-Linux team's CVS *sourceforge tells you how to get on their CVS server... just user kernel as the module name*. After doing so, move the contents of the "kernel" folder to the "linux-2.4.20" folder.

    Go into the linux-2.4.20 folder and read the README.xbox file! Follow it's instructions to the point right before compiling the kernel! Next, run "make xconfig" or "make menuconfig" in console while in the folder. Configure the kernel as you normally would *I assume you have some knowledge about Linux*, remove USB support, and turn off all Xbox specific functions... Make sure to leave FatX support in though! When done, run *without quotes* "make dep ; make modules ; make bzImage ; make modules ; make modules_install ; make install" This will automatically do everything needed. Next, shutdown, and use the Xbox HD swap trick to unlock your Xbox's HD and connect it to your PC (Turn on your pc, wait for it to boot RIGHT BEFORE it gets to your Linux boot loader screen press the Pause / Break button. Turn on Xbox, wait for it to boot to the dash, unplug IDE cable from Xbox, connect an IDE cable from your PC into the Xbox's HD and press any key. Your pc should boot as normal, into Linux... except now it see's your Xbox's HD!

    *NOW, BACK UP YOUR XBOX HD! MAKE AN IMAGE FILE OF THE HD!!! I don't know the command do to so under linux, but I used HDD Driver under windows to do it ... but seriously, if something goes wrong here, you can be left with a bunk HD if you don't have a backup!*

    Now, make a new folder in /mnt (I used /mnt/xbox myself). Now, look in the /dev folder, you should see "hda50 hda51 hda52 hda53, etc..." *it may not be hda, it could be hdb, hdc, or hdd...*. After seeing what block device it is, type this command into console"
    mount -t fatx /dev/hda50 /mnt/xbox" ... if it works, you will see no error message. Go into the folder in which you mounted the partition to, and guess what! You should see TDATA and UDATA folders!

  8. Still need 007..... by Another+AC · · Score: 5, Interesting
    with nothing but an Xbox and Linux PC

    Um, no!

    It's true you don't need a memory card, but you still need 007 Agent Under Fire to do this.

    I think it's less work and easier to do it with a memory card though. This method requires hooking the xbox drive up to your pc and a lot of recompiling kernel stuff.. the other way just requires you putting some files on a memory card (you can do it with a previously modded xbox or a couple of other ways) and that's it. Once you've got that memory card you can reuse it on each xbox you want to mod too. It takes about 90 seconds to get an unmodded-xbox to run linux with the memory card:

    • Turn on xbox with no cd in drive, but with memory card in controller.
    • Use the MS dashboard to copy the 007 save game to the harddrive.
    • Put in 007 Agent Under Fire and reboot.
    • Wait for lots of annoying intro stuff.
    • Choose "Load Mission", pick the game off the hard drive.
    • Linux boots!
  9. Re:"Wonder what the DMCA would think about this... by Sheetrock · · Score: 4, Funny

    My guess is that the DMCA would have the same contented papery thoughts that other printed documents have, not to mention an intense dislike for fire.

    --

    Try not. Do or do not, there is no try.
    -- Dr. Spock, stardate 2822-3.




  10. Another problem is by chadamir · · Score: 5, Informative

    that you still can't use the xbox to play unsigned code without modifying it. So yeah you can boot linux, but I can't just bring some software I wrote over to my friend's house and pop it in and show him. He needs to have it modded which is still a big problem.

    --
    NJ Local Music Scene
  11. Shows Palladium is not going to work by captaineo · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This wonderful example shows how even hardware-enforced media protection schemes aren't going to work, as long as there are any vulnerabilities in the "trusted" software.

    e.g. say you have a DVD player program that is "trusted" and prevents you from taking a screenshot or recording anything from a DVD. If you can find a buffer overflow or any other kind of exploit in the program, you can just have it execute your own code (rip the whole DVD) at its super-trusted privilege level.

    Given that MS has a hard time keeping its HTTP server secure, I don't think buffer overflows will be too hard to find in typical razzle-dazzle media player programs :)

    1. Re:Shows Palladium is not going to work by nick+this · · Score: 4, Insightful
      This wonderful example shows how even hardware-enforced media protection schemes aren't going to work, as long as there are any vulnerabilities in the "trusted" software.

      This is true as far as it goes, but you have to think that the goal (from Microsoft's perspective) isn't to lock hackers out of the hardware, it's to lock them out of the hardware only long enough to ship the next version, built on a platform immune to the vulnerabilities of the previous platform.

      Look at the satellite TV folks -- once pirated satellite got out of hand, they just dropped the H cards and started shipping HU cards. Once the community started getting traction on those, they moved to the next version of smart cards.

      DirectTV doesn't have to lock the hackers out forever, just make it hard enough to reverse engineer that they can move to a newer platform when the dam starts to break. So Microsoft can do the same thing. They can move faster than the community can, particularly when the protection is on die. Makes reversing it *really hard*... both expensive and time consuming.

      So really, the security on Palladium doesn't have to be great, just good enough.

  12. Re:Wow. by FatRatBastard · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Actually, it just may. If the price goes down to $150 (as the rumors are claiming) then I've just saved a boat load of money on my "media PC" that I've been meaning to build (but have been too lazy to actually get around to). A good box with TV out, sound and ethernet to stream my 10K+ mp3 collection. This def. saves me time and money.

  13. *Wonder what the DMCA would think about this...* by csteinle · · Score: 5, Funny

    Not very much, I would imagine. Given that's it a law. It's not even an object, let alone an animate one capable of thought.

  14. Because by FreeLinux · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Because the XBox has

    a powerful processor

    enough memory

    dvd drive

    high-end graphics card

    and more

    All for only $200. You can't get a PC with the same specs for near that price.

    Did you vote?

    1. Re:Because by stratjakt · · Score: 5, Interesting

      a powerful processor

      A mobile celeron 733 powerful? A 1 gig tualitin celeron would be 40 bucks, with another 30 or so for a mobo.

      enough memory

      What's 64 megs of SDRAM worth? 10 bucks? I bet most of us have a DIMM collecting dust we could use. I know I have a dozen of 'em.

      dvd drive

      A crappy dvd drive, on which recordable media support is somewhere between terrible and none, depending on your luck.

      high-end graphics card

      To be fair, it's a GeForce 3 with another pixel shader. And with no real driver support past a plain-jane framebuffer. And I sincerly doubt nVidia is going to pony up some drivers for the xGPU any time soon.

      and more

      Yes, an 8, 10 or maybe 20 gig HDD depending once again on luck. A terrible (from a general use PC standpoint) bus configuration. No way to do key/mouse input without sacrificing a $40 control pad.

      Seriously.

      Cheap case + PSU = 40 bucks

      mobo, 733mhz celeron, ram = 100 bucks

      Crappy DVD drive = well, you cant buy one as crippled as the xboxes. But lets say 25 bucks for a used 8x.

      Cheapest, smallest HDD you can get = 30 bucks.

      Sound card and video = spend as much as you want. You can get xbox-linux functionality on anything with a framebuffer. But hey, spend the 10 bucks on a Riva TNT2 and you're already smoking X-linux. But I'll say 50 bucks for a SB PCI card and a cheapo video card with TV-out.

      100+40+30+25+50 = 245 bucks for a similarly configured home-built machine.

      Xbox would be the price of the box (200) + a memory card (40) + a copy of 007 (20?).

      --
      I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!!!!
  15. Re:Neat, but why bother? by secolactico · · Score: 3, Funny

    so why do folks sink lots of time and effort into this?

    Why do people climb the Everest? It's not like they are going to settle there or mine for resources.

    --
    No sig
  16. Smallest version? by CrazyJim0 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Is there a .exe for Linux or Windows?

    I just run the .exe and then I can flash roms over?

    --
    God spoke to me
  17. Re:What is the point? by MoonBuggy · · Score: 5, Funny

    But what, exactly, does this do for me, besides letting me put a finger in M$'s eye?

    You're a slashdot reader, shouldn't annoying Billy boy be enough for you? ;-)

  18. I can tell u what�s the point! by dark-br · · Score: 5, Informative

    "Why Xbox Linux?" Well I have a legitimate reason for wanting Linux on an unmodded Xbox.

    My Xbox is going back to MS as they have attempted to fix a problem several times and have so far been unsuccessful. This time, they're considering swapping systems for a new one, which I'm fine with except for one thing: Loss of saved games.

    They will not just swap drives as it would save them at least 5 minutes of work, so I will lose all of my info on the HD.

    With Linux running on my unmodded Xbox, I could possibly FTP the data elsewhere and restore it on the new system. This makes so much sense to me that I wonder why there is no way of doing it by default.

    Microsoft's idea is to purchase their Memory Units and backup this way. Problem is, since each Xbox comes with a hard drive, no developer tries to make the smallest possible size save file. I would need several MUs to backup my data. Plus, some files cannot even be copied to a MU which means they cannot be backed up at all.

  19. meet the impossibles by Naikrovek · · Score: 3, Insightful

    the cop says: "I want body armor the size of a handkerchief that can stop a howitzer."

    the fireman says: "i want a firehose that weighs less than a pound that can fight fires 250 feet away."

    the scuba diver says: "i want an oxygen tank that holds 10 hours of air, and fits in my back pocket - those backpack tanks are HEAVY!"

    the hot rodder says: "i want a car that goes from 0-60 in 1 second with a top speed of 400mph in the quarter mile and i don't want to spend over $500."

    the alwsn says: "i want to make some electronic equipment i own do something it was never intended to do without opening the case, changing anything, and i want it to work flawlessly every time."

    ALL RIDICULOUS.

  20. Why I'm doing this by BigDish · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The most common question here seems to be why? Well, for my, XBMP is the answer. Few months ago, I installed a mod chip in a friend's Xbox. One of the first things he did was get XBMP running. Wow, all I can say is XBMP is the killer application for the Xbox. Just to run XBMP, I picked up a used Xbox and DVD remote just before the initial exploit was discovered, and I grabbed 007 off ebay for like $10. Though when trying to bridge the 2 resistor pads, I knocked another resistor off the board, so I need to obtain a replacement resistor (soldering iron I was using was WAY too big) to finish this project Really though, if you haven't seen XBMP, look at it. It is a killer app-ESPECIALLY for college students. For $150 or so I have a box that will play damn near any media file I through at it, off CD, DVD, or SMB share, and is designed to be hooked to the TV, with an interface designed for it too. To me, the Xbox with XBMP is the media PC Microsoft has been trying to create.

  21. What about running Windows? by Rinikusu · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Why isn't anyone trying to get Windows to run on one of these things, as well? Sure, Linux is nifty and all, but some of us actually *prefer* using Windows. Just curious.

    --
    If you were me, you'd be good lookin'. - six string samurai
    1. Re:What about running Windows? by aderusha · · Score: 3, Funny

      as soon as m$ open-sources windows, i'm sure somebody will compile it to run on xbox.

      just don't hold your breath...

  22. Dreamcast $50 by FatalTourist · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Your example defeats your point! A new DC costs $50, you can probably get a keyboard (or adapter, or make one) for $10, $5 RF adapter, and then get a crappy TV from a yard sale for $5. Customize NetBSD for yourself and you have a fun little server. Cram it anywhere! Put it on the network at the office and hide it in the ceiling!
    I'd like to see Walmart try and sell me a server for less than $100.
    And of course when you get bored you can take the server down and play some sweet games on it (they sell for peanuts now).

    --


    Escape Pod Films: Sketch Comedy and Web Series
  23. The clerks of the world . . . . by ysaric · · Score: 3, Funny

    kid: g1bb0r m3 my m0n3y b4ck, f4gg0rz. My k-r4d Xb0x0r 15 fux0r3d.

    clerk: uh, ok. You got your receipt?

    Receipts are all powerful. Clerks are dumb.

    --
    Happy goldfish bowl to you.
  24. Drive me crazy, please! by evil_one · · Score: 4, Informative

    I hear so many people talking about the TSOP. "the TSOP this," "the tsop that" - TSOP stands for Thin Small Outline Package.
    It's just a flash chip. You can get much more than memory in TSOPs.
    Why don't people call it what it really is?
    How about "the flash chip" or "the firmware chip"?

    --
    Desperation is a stinky cologne
  25. Conspiracy Theory by riclewis · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Just thought of this...

    Has the fellow who first figured out the 007 hack come forward with his real identity yet? Seems like awfully good fortune to find this vulnerability lurking around.

    <Conspiracy Theory>
    I can't help but wonder if Microsoft didn't plant this 'hack'. Follow me out here--MS doesn't really care if Linux runs on XBox. Sure it's a black eye, but it doesn't hurt their bottom line. But--all of a sudden there's a flaw in the closed system, and it's in --gasp-- a program written by someone other than MS. Now when future software is released for the Xbox (or Palladium) MS can use this 'incident' as an excuse to call for complete code disclosure from 3rd parties

    I can hear Microsoft saying "You need to show us all your code so we can test it--otherwise how can we be sure it won't break our 'perfect' security system?"...
    </Conspiracy Theory>

    I don't mean to say this to take away from the guy who came up with this, but it's just an interesting, plausible scenario.

  26. Impossible is done every day. by Groo+Wanderer · · Score: 5, Insightful

    There was an old quote on l0pht a while back, before they went corporate and scrubbed the site with the wire brush of PC-ness, that went something like:

    "That problem is strictly theoretical" -Microsoft
    "L0pht, making the theoretical possible since...."

    What you are decrying is innovation, not MS style word corruption, but the real thing. My parents bought a building in the 70's. It was ~75,000 sq feet, 30 foot ceilings, and a HUGE air conditioner, but almost no heater. It was built in the 1950s to house a computer. I shudder to think what it cost, much less cost to run. Today, my $27 timex wristwatch has over 10x the computing power of that HUGE computer, runs for about 3 years on a button battery, and never breaks, can work under water to 100m, survive heat, cold shock, and me beating it.

    Looking down the list of 'rediculous' things you mention, that is far and away 'more rediculous' than any of the things you mention.

    For another example, my roommate has a bullet proof vest. Another friend makes plate mail armor. The plate costs ~$2500 and takes months to build. A .45 will put a hole in one side, a bigger hole in the soft squishy thing in the middle, and a bigger hole in the back. The bulletproof vest will stop it, and probably only leave you with a big briuse and possibly a cracked rib or 3. The vest cost less than 1/10th of the armor, weighs about 1/100th of the weight, and is more readily available.

    Rediculous!

    So, what is your problem with innovation. The very best things that you use came from the same spirit that the people doing XBox hacks have. I mean, why bother with things like transistors, antibiotics, lasers, nuclear power, and CIA mind control lasers. Oops, you aren't supposed to know about that one.

    Rediculous!

    Before you decry cool stuff that others do, I suggest you try the following in order.

    1) Take a deep breath.
    2) Try ignoring things that bother you.
    When that fails
    3) Don't bitch at people doing things you don't like.
    4) Move out of your mother's basement
    5) Do something usefull yourself.

    Rediculous!, I know.

    Seriously, the world needs more cool things, be they useful or frivolous. Strange things come from seemingly random events, and noone tends to see the next killer app ahead of time. Don't be a roadblock.

    -Charlie