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10 Xbox 360 Dev Kits Stolen in Germany
BlueStar writes "Ten Xbox 360 Development Kits have been stolen from a storehouse in Düren, Germany. They were being transported from HongKong for game developers in Europe together with other Microsoft products and wrapped in neutral packaging. 3 of the 10 XeDKs have been found after searches in Germany and Austria ... probably in the homes of the people that leaked out those (now deleted) Xbox 360 motherboard pictures not so long ago."
Security through obscurity is stupid from the start; it ALWAYS gets b0rk3d into.
I've already seen some comments with respect to how this could be a great leap forward in getting arbitrary code to run on the xbox. However, what you have to realize is that the Development Kits don't sign code, Microsoft signs code. All the development kits allow you to do is create code that will run on a special Xbox-like development platform. It's possible that the dev platform would help in figuring out the architecture of the system, but some kid from MIT would likely have that figured out two weeks after launch anyway. It also might also simplify the process of creating code for hacked Xboxes. But ultimately, the limitation isn't writing code on chipped consoles, the limitation has always been getting code to run on non-modified consoles. Having Xbox 360 development stations won't help that.
There are tens of thousands of Xbox development kits floating throughout the world, many in the hands of people who would love to see Linux on Xbox. But it didn't help with that effort. And likely having a few loose cannon Xbox 360 development kits won't make a difference in getting arbitrary code on that system either.
Microsoft signs the code. Unsigned code won't run. Either snag a code signing station (good luck!) or break the cryptography. Nothing less will suffice for a pure software solution.
The ______ Agenda
I'm sure that at least one of these will end up in the hands of a mod-chip manufacturer, and give them a nice head start on cracking the copy protection of the 360.
The Xbox mod community is larger than the communities for any of those systems you mentioned. There are parts of the Xbox mod community that don't use the Microsoft dev kit in writing their apps. Just because there are some that do doesn't mean everyone in the community is "bad".
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WHO ATE MY BREAKFAST PANTS?
Hey! It's life!
What are you on? A game studio in Germany now doesn't have development kits. If they had been working with early hardware in preparation for the arrival of the final dev. kits, their schedule has most likely been completely fucked. Which could mean very bad things for the sales of their game if they had planned on being a 360 launch title. If it's anything like Xbox 1, Xbox 360 dev kits are in *very* tight supply right now in the months before the launch. Replacing them is going to be almost impossible.
The hardware means absolutely nothing to those that received it - besides being able to post pictures on the web and receiving a visit by the police for possession of stolen goods. Xbox 1 SDKs couldn't play final games so these 360's are nothing more than a pretty boat anchor to those who aren't developers who have to use the hardware to make games which pay bills and feed their family.
Quit gloating at criminal actions.
Security through obscurity is stupid from the start; it ALWAYS gets b0rk3d into.
They should have been able to ship the packages around the world with "Cash - Crate Of Untracable Unsequential Used $100 Bills" printed on the side and it not been stolen. Our society is built on the notion of trust and honesty. That your neighbour won't stab you in the throat at the drop of a hat.
The tighter you grip, the more information you'll lose.
So you won't mind if I break into your house while you're away, steal your TV, computer, your music/DVD collection - and your dog - but do it justly because you "should have had a tighter grip" on your stuff?
You, sir, are a brutally retarded moron.