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Xbox Auto-Update Blocks Linux Usage

Posted by timothy on from the how-conveeenient dept.

An anonymous reader writes "According to The Inquirer, Microsoft has used their Xbox Live Vole System to patch any Xboxes that access it....without asking their permission before installing the software. However, in this occurrence, the bug appears to be the 'dashboard bug' that allows Linux to be easily installed on an Xbox. Further, according to The Xbox Linux Project, users who do not have an Xbox Live account may find themselves being patched without permission as well. If a gamer tries to access any part of a game that uses Xbox Live, the console can 'phone home' and install the patches anyway. While patching bugs can be a nice touch to poor software, I don't know if I feel comfortable with ANYONE installing software on my hardware without asking permission first."

4 of 702 comments (clear)

  1. Well this proves it.. by naktekh · · Score: -1, Redundant

    ... this is exactly the reason why I would NEVER purchase an XBox.

  2. Re: They ARE hosing customers! by thedillybar · · Score: 0, Redundant

    And by automatically installing updates they ARE hosing customers. They get lucky only because they're probably hosing too few to launch an attack worthy of a bullet proof limo.

  3. Re: Microsoft owns it? by 00420 · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Since Microsoft owns the hardware, they can also install a patch that makes it completely unusable, right?

    Hey don't give them any ideas.
    They may end up doing that so everybody has to upgrade to an Xbox2.

    --
    Have you tried Linux yet?
  4. This post is going to be modded interesting! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Redundant
    How to avoid having your dash updated:

    1) Don't play Xbox Live

    2) Don't leave your xbox connected to an Ethernet port that is on a network that's connected to the Internet. EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE A LIVE ACCOUNT.

    For those of you who own an Xbox, or plan on purchasing one for installing Linux, you should still be ok for another few weeks. I personally don't understand why this is a big story. Hello! The Xbox is MS's strategy for getting further into your home. They are going to patch and update to provide better and more interesting functionality to the system. Oh, and by the way, they patch a buffer overflow. If this was Windows 2k, you'd be bitching about poor security. Make up your mind, slashdot.