
Sony to kill off PS3 Linux option on next firmware update - anigbrowl
http://www.platformnation.com/2010/03/28/ps3-droppin-linux-support/
======
ks

      > On Fri, 2009-08-21 at 09:58 -0700, geoffrey.levand at am.sony.com wrote:
      >> Please be assured that SCE is committed to continue
      >> the support for previously sold models that have the
      >> "Install Other OS" feature and that this feature will
      >> not be disabled in future firmware releases.
    

Source: [http://www.haxnetwork.net/2010/03/otheros-will-not-be-
remove...](http://www.haxnetwork.net/2010/03/otheros-will-not-be-removed-from-
phat-ps3s/)

I guess this proves that you can't really trust the promises of some
companies. We have to keep in mind that a company is driven by profit, and it
will always have the highest priority. I have no problems with that in
general, but removing features from a product that people have already paid
for is not acceptable.

~~~
Zak
I understand Sony is driven by profit, though I don't understand how disabling
the option to install another OS makes them any more money.

~~~
TheBranca18
It's a reactionary move precipitated by the hacking done by that geohat guy. A
lot of gaming companies think that by making a console pirate proof (which the
PS3 has been so far) saves them money in the long run.

Look at the whole Ubisoft Assassin's Creed 2 mess.

In Sony's case I think they partly blame the PSP's problems on piracy and
don't want it to happen to the PS3.

~~~
gizmomagico
_A lot of gaming companies think that by making a console pirate proof (which
the PS3 has been so far) saves them money in the long run._

Surely it's a big boost to game sales when people have no other option than to
buy.

~~~
TheBranca18
Yeah I agree, I'm just saying that sometimes companies make the DRM so
restrictive to prevent people from buying that they can anger people. That
Assassin's Creed 2 PC mess is a good example of bad DRM.

------
steve19
The reason may be that Sony has had enough of scientist buying shiploads of
their subsidized hardware and not buying the profitable games.

MS has been reluctant to sell xbox systems to the military for this reason.

------
Torn
This _has_ to be in direct response to George Hotz (geohot)'s PS3 exploits.

<http://geohotps3.blogspot.com/>

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jrockway
Sounds like Sony just wants to legitimize modchips. With no way to run Linux
on the PS3 without one, possession doesn't immediately mean you're a pirate.

(Now to solve the small problem that there aren't any PS3 modchips. AFAIK,
anyway.)

------
terminus
Interesting comment on the rationale for Linux support on PS3:
<http://kotaku.com/comment/21054663/>

------
snissn
..does this basically rule out future researchers making a grid out of ps3s,
since they'll have to hunt down machines earlier than this specific firmware?

~~~
chrischen
Using otheros limits the number of accessible CPUs. So is this really
practical anyways?

~~~
terminus
AFAIK booting into OtherOS renders the GPU inaccessible. The cell processor
(PowerPC core and the SPEs) is still fully usable.

~~~
chrischen
Ah that's right. I meant the GPU.

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Keyframe
This is just terrible news. Good luck to sony and game devs finding new
programmers to code SPU's now.

~~~
TheBranca18
Considering games like fl0wer were made with the PhyreEngine, awesome game by
the way, I don't think this is really going to be an issue.

I doubt most gaming companies were using the OtherOS feature in order to learn
how to program on the PS3, they hopefully have dev kits.

~~~
migueldeicaza
DevKits have a notoriously bad development environment.

Granted, some things can only be done on the devkit, like access to the
graphics card and the Sony graphics API, but doing compiler work or code that
targets the SPUs is simply done better from Unix than with the native devkit
options.

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zyb09
Not cool. Is this even legal? They can't just patch out features that I paid
for, otherwise I may have not bought the device.

~~~
_delirium
Yeah, it seems questionable, especially since they're still advertising this
as a feature: <http://www.playstation.com/ps3-openplatform/index.html>

They do include a disclaimer that it isn't available on the slim models, but
don't given any indication that if you had a model that advertised support,
that the support would be removed in the future. In fact, as another comment
here points out, they promised pretty recently that they would retain support.

------
tumult
Any lawyers out there: if they remove this feature, can I use this as a way to
get my money back?

------
cookiecaper
Really sad. I've always been intent on getting a PS3 when I get money
primarily so I can run Linux on it and play around with it. Now maybe I won't
waste the money. :(

~~~
mdg
You should buy the PS3 to play games or watch Blu-Ray.... See that old box
sitting in the corner collecting dust? Yea use that to toy around with linux.

EDIT: I had the same intention when I bought mine, but I soon realized
anything of interest was locked down anyways.

