Hacker Will Try To Restore Linux Support On PS3

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."

Comments

Smart move Sony

[OrwellianLurker]

I moved years ago off of the PS platform, and onto the Xbox platform. Lately I've been glancing at the PS3, and I've had thoughts about purchasing one. I'm sick of paying for XBL, and many of the PS3's features were exciting to me. The ability to install Linux on a PS3 on a partition while still maintaining the other capabilities of the PS3 (the PSN for starters) was one of the most attractive features to me. Sure, I might not be your typical user. But I'm a gamer who still has decades of playing time left, and Sony will likely never see any dollars from those decades. I dislike Microsoft and Sony, but the former seems better than the latter.