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Hacker Will Try To Restore Linux Support On PS3

Posted by Soulskill on from the gauntlet-thrown dept.

Many readers have been sending in news of the impending PS3 firmware update that will remove the ability to install other operating systems on the console. (We discussed it here on Sunday.) Over the past few days, legions of PS3 owners have been voicing their anger at Sony's decision, upset that they'll be forced to either lose their custom install or forgo use of the PlayStation Network and be unable to play certain games and movies. Now, hacker George Hotz, known for his iPhone jailbreaks and his PS3 hack earlier this year, has vowed to fight back and restore Linux support on the PS3. He said, "The PlayStation 3 is the only product I know that loses features throughout its lifecycle. Software PS2 emulation, SACD playback, and OtherOS support are all just software switches you can flip. It's unbelievable you would go and flip one, not just on new boxes you are shipping, but on tens of millions already in the field."

4 of 468 comments (clear)

  1. Sony is the new Apple. by amnesiacopera · · Score: 3, Interesting

    While I love the products of both companies, they are becoming ridiculous control freaks. I'm not sure that I'll be buying any more products from either Apple or Sony.

  2. Well duh by slimjim8094 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    First of all, duh. Of course hackers were going to try and circumvent the restriction. And, like all other types of silly restrictions, it's inevitable that they will succeed.

    What I'm more interested in is the lawsuit that should be on its way over this. It was an advertised feature of the PS3, and a not-insignificant number of people bought a PS3 because they could run Linux on it. Hell, a lot of people only bought one to run Linux on it.

    If my car used to have a CD changer, and it gets disabled when I bring it in for service, I'd sue. Contracts, EULA be damned - I chose a product because it had a feature, and it got removed after the fact. That's not legal.

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    I have developed a truly marvelous proof of this comment, which this signature is too narrow to contain.
  3. Re:Heh by The+End+Of+Days · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Linux geeks have never, in the history of the universe, made anything popular. Sony made the PS3 popular, in part by dropping the "Other OS" crap on the floor and concentrating on getting games out the door. Cause ya know... it's a game console.

  4. Re:PS3 Cluster by khchung · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Care to explain why those clusters have to get the latest updates? So the development team can play after office hours?

    The only impact would be replacing the hardware, but then the latest slim version already did not support other OSes, so if that is a problem, shouldn't it have been happening already?

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    Oliver.