Mod Chips Up, Game Industry Revenues Down?

securitas writes "In his latest Game On column, the Boston Globe's Hiawatha Bray describes Xbox and PS2 game console hackers as software pirates who use mod chips and damage game industry revenue. The focus of the column seems to be on the use of mod chips as a way to circumvent game copy controls and glosses over legitimate uses, although he mentions some of them. Without offering any research or concrete numbers, Bray facetiously writes, 'But how many mod chip users are interested in making honest backups? You could probably fit them all into the trunk of a Cadillac, with space left over for a spare tire.' Are the majority of mod chip users 'pirates' or are they legitimate users with legitimate applications for the modifications that Bray hasn't considered?"

Comments

What about drug paraphenalia?

[emo boy]

Bongs enable people to smoke marijuanna. Crack pipes enable people to smoke crack. Mod chips allow people to copy games illegally. Now there might some legal uses for all of these things but the majority of people use them for illegal reasons. The laws currently assume that you will be using all of the above for illegal reasons. Is this right?? Who's to say? But i think it sure cuts down on illegal activities.

Re:What about drug paraphenalia?

[vasqzr]

It's illegal to sell/possess a lot of drug paraphenalia here in the US.

Re:What about drug paraphenalia?

[tekunokurato]

That's bullshit. Find the law. Maybe there are some state laws, but none where I come from.

Re:What about drug paraphenalia?

[Ellis D. Tripp]

Find the law? OK , how about 21 CFR sec. 863? Text available at: http://www.erowid.org/psychoactives/law/law_fed_pa raphernalia.shtml