Sony, OtherOS, and The Computer Fraud & Abuse Act

Submitted by greg; February 22, 2011

The tables have turned giving Sony a little taste of their own medicine... In a long, yet very informative read is an update at Groklaw concerning the Class Action Lawsuit against Sony for the removal of OtherOS. Remember that? Well SCEA filed a motion to dismiss and while the court granted part of that, another part went denied... The court has "dismissed all the claims against Sony except for one -- but with the right to amend -- and the one claim that survived is the one alleging that SCEA violated the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. Right to amend means the plaintiffs can fix the deficiencies, if they can." So now both geohot and Sony face the same allegations of violating the The Computer Fraud & Abuse Act. Ha ha, now how about that... - source & full article at groklaw

Tags: Class Action Lawsuit, Computer Fraud & Abuse Act, Geohot, OtherOS, Sony

this gets me mad. i know that some of it is the law. i just read all that and also i am in this law suit so i am very involved. this is crap sony is saying that we don't own our ps3 we bought it yes but we don't own it that they can do whetever they damn well please. it's bullshit. i am not buying anything else from sony i can not trust that they wont do something like this to a tv or even the psp2. (going to buy that used so sony won't make anything off it just to hack to just fuck sony more) i don't know anymore if i live in the USA that it's alright to get screwed over and craped on and have to pay for it. just saying that i dont understand this contry anymore. but at least that there getting some tast of what there tring to dish out.

# Vrahn 2011-02-22 04:04

This screams EPIC. I hope sony gets what coming to them and they get nailed in the ass so hard they bleed the words "Geohot is our master"

# Noah Stallworth 2011-02-22 04:27

hhhahah you got a point,

but listen to this,

even if sony gets sued for violating

they got millions of dollars to play with.

And one of the largest companies?

cmon man, that would be pocket change for them.

# doshasmoke 2011-02-22 04:35

zooweemama!!!!!

# j3n0v4 2011-02-22 05:03

the funniest part about all this is that it means $ony and Geohot are now tied to the same string, if one loses they both lose, if one gets off they both get off so no matter what happens $ony is getting a good old fashion dose of karma. Thank you Geohot for being the sacrificial lamb, your lose or victory shall be remembered for an age

# Chris Holmes 2011-02-22 05:34

I am 10 Happies =D

# Zakthehack 2011-02-22 05:56

The big companies also care (most) about bottom dollar, share values drop, it *could* translate to hitting them somewhat where it hurts a lot.

Or it could not, that's the story on how this game works "D

# John Silva 2011-02-22 05:59

There is a simple solution to this: drop the charges against geohot and offer a formal apology. Then, get to work and put OtherOS back in. This is a Public Relations nightmare. You cannot sue someone for the same charge that YOU'RE getting charged with.

"HE HACKED OUR FIRMWARE! COMPUTER FRAUD AND ABUSE! JAIL THAT MOTHERFUCKER! LOCK HIM UP! TAKE ALL OF HIS SHIT!"

"But, Sony. You removed OtherOS from the PS3. You're in violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act yourselves......"

"..............Um.....9/11?"

Yeeeaaaahhhhh.

Sony: Lowering Standards For Japanese Companies Since 2006.....

Reading the case, it looks like what the court is saying is that since Sony themselves violated their own contract with the consumer, if you jailbreak your PS3 to add back the missing features, then you're in the clear to do so.

# Steve Cole 2011-02-22 06:01

not exactly, what they are being charged with is still different. Sony I presume is being charge with the disabling of features or the hacking of consumers property or something along that line, where as geohot is being charged with going around the built in security on his property and then releasing the information he found. There is a big difference between the two but I haven't actually read all the court docs for both cases so I could be wrong

# Steve Cole 2011-02-22 06:09

If people who invest in Sony decide that they don't want to invest in a company that gets sued for violating the same acts that they sue people for then they can kiss those millions goodbye faster then we had to kiss OtherOS goodbye. also the more money they sink into legal battles (which is 3 different cases right now I believe) the less money they will have to sink into the PS4 and the PSP2 which can mean a few different thing, higher system cost, demanding more royalty form games=higher game cost, or shittier systems=the hacking and legal battles will probably happen again or they lose money because more people (customers and game studios) got with Xbox or Nintendo instead.

# Daniel Childress 2011-02-22 06:20

does this mean that win or lose we get OtherOS back?

# Paul Michael Lizzi 2011-02-22 08:13

i have been following this case since it was brought up and I am a member of the class action lawsuit..what we really want is for $ony to do nothing...what this judge has done - dismissed all the claims against Sony except for one — but with the right to amend — and the one claim that survived is the one alleging that SCEA violated the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. Right to amend means the plaintiffs can fix the deficiencies, if they can.” Since we are able to fix the deficiencies created by $ony, ie Jailbreakin & CFW to get our OtherOs option back this makes $ony's case against Geo and the whole ps3 hacking community a failure...sure putting CFW on a ps3 does enable piracy..but you can't say everyone who has CFW is a pirate anymore then you can say everyone who owns a gun is a murderer..

# Lil Grim 504 2011-02-22 08:51

LOL SONY is a BIG HYPOCRITE COMPANY :-]

# Gideon Rankin 2011-02-22 09:03

"Were all living in Amerika, its wunderbar!"

# PiYei420 2011-02-22 09:33

Go! Geo Go ! Geo! Go! Go! Go! Hahaha o knew this was gonna happend . Sony is a fraud . Stealing from us.

# yahoo-WQSW2RFMNDMDK7C7OE5UGCEGSQ 2011-02-22 09:46

Sony should of just shut their mouth and accepted the hack like the psp and the nintendo wii. I mean when have u heard of nintendo taking hackers to court ? Sony must have been cocky and said "We are the best and no one can hack us". Now they want to take geohot to court and instead are getting hit left and right: 1) They don't know a lot of the hackers name 2) The SCEA law and 3) Geohot claims he is going to be the first in line to get the new "PSP Sony phone " and hack it...Sony, just shut up and take it like Robitussin Lmao...If geohot wins, THIS WILL BE HISTORY IN THE MAKING

# Christopher Rivera 2011-02-22 11:39

OK, I see it like this, the reason this is all hapenning is because of the people. Do you honestly think a judge gives a shit about 1 million people at home who are weaping about this situation???? I for one KNOW and wouldnt dream it. It would take the amount of people who wanted it or a percentage of which, to gain attention in the court room. People need to start writing a letter sending it to George Hots lawyer along with the donation. I WILL BE DONATING TODAY TO GEORGE HOTS FEES. IF YOU WANT SOMTHING SO BAD THEN YOU GOT TO GO FOR IT. Its the same very thing that is going to OWN our asses if we do not UNITE in this generation.

I have been through the court system as the defendant in most of ways, convicted of a crime, for a means of survival. I accept those charges and dealt with them because of its backing. Sony is doing the same thing as those prosecuters do, by saying "we did not know that the consumer wanted to use the OS feature through out the life of the console". I am saying lets get them aware of the fact that now they know, and get our OtherOS back. I am now a mover and I run my own moving company with in the time of my probation. CHANGE is done not just said.

We were told by our parents it is fair to share, and we are all being punished for doing so; since napster, and the waves are calming down. If we band together for a MOMENT, then we will be heard, and not like a flash.

I am SplitMethod on PSN, and I will not accept the new TOS, due to MORAL, Join me on my mission to heavily support our hackers, and create a more peaceful world with out fighting. I will be willing to donate ONE DOLLAR (I am not a millionaire though) for every person who writes and gets a letter certified about your your experience supporting the cause against Sony, email copy to SPLITMETHOD@YAH OO.COM. Actual letters should be sent to Geohot.com

Get them to him and boom it will help.

If I get 1 thousand people I will donate the 1000 dollars, If I get a million I will donate as much as possible.

Thank you

Christopher Rivera

# Light49 2011-02-22 11:55

Wheres the story about people un baning them selfs from PSN

# Marc Joseph 2011-02-22 12:31

You're right about that. One could still win while the other lose.

# EvolutionWave 2011-02-22 14:35

Absolutely true!!!

It's just like AGENT $ony Smith who also is a big fat hypocrite :)

# David Jones 2011-02-22 14:36

how do you join the class action lawsuit against sony for the loss of other os feature

# Mark Kovalenko 2011-02-22 15:40

Excuse me sir, I would like to ask that you please pull your head out of your ass. You and every other "hacker" on this site are full of shit. You don't need OtherOS! NO ONE NEEDS OTHER OS!! Who in their right mind wants to run a snail version of Linux on their PS3? The answer: no one. If someone really wanted Linux they would do a dual boot system on their computer. Running Linux on any computer is better than running it on a PS3. Now with that said, I find it disgusting that you stupid kids continue to bash Sony just because "WAAAHHH DEM SONY ISH SHTEALIN MAH FEATURESH". WHAT FEATURES?? As far as I'm concerned they've added more than they've taken away, yet you continue to pull shit out of your ass.

Suing Geohot might be a little too much but that turd had it coming to him. What the hell did he expect when he tried to mess with billion-dollar companies and then show off like he's some kind of god. Egohot indeed.

All the suing aside I would say Sony is an alright company. Their first-party devs constantly release quality games and PSN is still free, but of course you don't care about that. You just want to pirate games, then use OtherOS as an excuse to do it, and then bash Sony at the same time. Now you want to fund Egohot so he can sue Sony. Isn't that just cute.

I hope Sony restores OtherOS just so I can laugh at you idiots when you have no more excuses to pirate games and bash Sony.

# Dom Carroll 2011-02-22 15:52

Mark Kovalenko definatley covered my opinion too

# Flavio Correia 2011-02-22 15:59

OtherOS? of course i dont want/need that piece of S**t
Thanks to sony now dev's are developing a way to boot linux with fullacess to anything :) ... way better than OtherOS lol..

# Moise Abrafo Myrvil 2011-02-22 16:08

I needed OtherOs, I spent the $400 on my PS3 because of that feature, I couldn't afford a computer, and a game console at the same time so I opted for the PS3 with Linux capabilities . Later on I found out I had to choose between getting my school work done on my PS3 Linux or getting into PSN :(

# ken moore 2011-02-22 17:05

I used otherOS and i never used it to pirate games. It is a very nice to have, as it's a good web browser, you can play online games for free, chat with friends, who wouldn't enjoy that? Yes it's a little on the slow side, but it's good. Sony advertised the feature, then took it away. If Ford advertised power windows on the car you drive, then a few months later decided to take it out, and not give you any money back for it, even tho, you paid extra money because you wanted that feature, i'm sure you scream murder. A company needs to stand behind a product, not only when it's convenient for them to do so. Some people think power windows is a crazy ass feature to have on a car, other love it and find it very useful. I would never run down some one because they don't find a feature as useful or not useful as i do.

# SethM 2011-02-22 17:20

Not worth the 15 mins it would take to boot just to browse the web. OtherOS was pointless oooo you can run emulators and rip blu rays...

I've pointed this out a million times Quake 3 that was ported to Linux couldn't even run at full screen and full FPS in Linux on PS3 and look at the original requirements for Quake 3....

# Pentium® 233 Mhz MMX®processor with 8 MB Video Card
Or Pentium II 266 Mhz processor with 4 MB Video Card
Or AMD® 350 Mhz K6®-2 processor with 4 MB Video Card
# 64 MB RAM

Even with the GPU blocked the Linux side of the PS3 should of ran it perfectly with software renders but the OS uses most of the RAM in the system so it's still useless..

# SethM 2011-02-22 17:21

Oh and I forgot they are allowed to remove features after 3 years I'm pretty sure that is how the law worked but I'll have to ask the professor that teaches copyright law here.....

# SethM 2011-02-22 17:26

Let me know when you figure out how to put more RAM in your PS3 cause even with the GPU unlocked it's still stuck with 256MB and what graphic intensive stuff can you run with that little space while the Linux OS is taking up about half of it even with a minimal version. It will still only be good for two things LOW end emulators and ripping blu-rays....

# john 2011-02-22 17:41

hopefully sony will bring otherOS back and mend there way's
but really what are the odds of that

# Robert Seguin 2011-02-22 17:41

Eat shit and die!!!

# Moise Abrafo Myrvil 2011-02-22 17:49

Its not just the unlocking of the GPU, its full controls over all the PS3's hardware including the insanely powerful cell. With 256MB of XDR and 256Mb of DDR3 RAM look what GameOS can do, run full hd movies, games, and graphic intensive applications. I'm sure with the full access to all the PS3's hardware it would make for a completely different Linux experience.

# SethM 2011-02-22 18:06

The Cell was always unlocked to OtherOS just the GPU was blocked and there is only 256MB of RAM the OS can use unless they want to use the video memory that would mess with it's performance. The whole reason games run well in the native OS is cause it's not using the memory like a full fledged OS does and dedicates the hardware to running the game while linux would need most of that RAM for background processes that even with the systems overall bandwidth it would still run to slow to do anything people couldn't do on their cell phones already....

# hacksaretehfail 2011-02-22 19:58

None of you idiots need otheros, your just bsing to hack the system. Why hack it you say, so you can play snes, gen, 64, etc games? Go and buy the fuckin old system and play the damn games. Otheros? Buy a damn computer. Can't afford one? Sell your ps3. Fucking retards all of you.

# Flavio Correia 2011-02-22 20:33

1. It will be a full MultimediaCente r console :)

2. Have u ever heard about blender? it will be a charm in ps3, even with 256Mb ram :)

3. Maybe someone could find out how to develop for GameOs - or make sort of an engine lol (dreaming a little)

4. We will finally get what we have paid for! lol

# Richard Guastella 2011-02-22 21:51

Well spoken... :) Have you ever been in dissection class held up a frog by its head? You know the way its belly sort of sticks out above its spindly little legs? Well, that's the picture I see when SONY lifts its tiny little prick in attempt to screw a dev.. lol ;)

# Adam Nunez 2011-02-22 22:53

how about you fucks buy a gaming computer and stfu about linux you geeks piece of crap with no life

# NbAlIvEr100 2011-02-22 22:56

lighten up freak...why do you care what others are doing to their console just play YOUR games and get on with your life...quit weeping, you're just humiliating yourself.

# NbAlIvEr100 2011-02-22 23:00

another freak that had a bad day:) Go head' and send a message to your congressman if you're so unhappy about this.....like your life is ruined from this...STFU!

# worldgate989 2011-02-22 23:38

Uhm, sure, we all believe you.

# Adam Rabah 2011-02-23 01:51

ride sonys dick more.. its people like geohot that stick it to the man and win that make hackers look so god damn good... you said it your self ONE person v.s. BILLIONS and he has them standing on dental floss... if he want a big deal than they wouldnt care so much.. its the corporate state of mind that people have these days that really fucks everything up... your paying $80 a game.... FOR A CD WITH INFO ONIT... it costs them a fucing blu ray dvd and a machine to make a game... they only have to think of it one time.. its not a intencive leighbour situation...

# Jon Seals 2011-02-23 02:36

PS3's aren't suuppeerr expensive like a gaming computer. I see your point but we don't all crap gold bricks.

# Jon Seals 2011-02-23 02:38

I actually use one of my old PS3's as a linux server, and it works VERY well and doesn't cost a fortune like most servers.

# Shafique 2011-02-23 04:28

If you not into all the hacking and modding, why are you even on this site?? It clearly says ps3-hacks.

# Shafique 2011-02-23 04:38

I bought the ps3 and I can do whatever the hell I want to with it. It like someone telling me that I cant install any software on my laptop cause they never authorized it. Seriously, Sony can bend backwards and go fuck themselves.

# alexeon 2011-02-23 05:38

That is funny and a bit ironic.

# Yousif Oraha 2011-02-23 07:24

You are extremely stupid, everything related to software that you buy is only a license and you never own it. Go to school, learn about software piracy and stfu. The GameOS is owned by the intellectual property owners (for you noobs: the people who wrote the source code). Maybe you should'nt buy any Apple, Samsung, Panasonic products anymore then? you don't own them either. How about you just uninstall Windows to go with that, you don't own Windows!

# SethM 2011-02-23 10:07

Yes I use blender but I have an i7 laptop for that and wouldn't want to do it on the PS3 even if it can do the rendering quickly the interface is sluggish and very annoying to work with on the PS3. You click for a menu and it takes some time to come up depending on how many options are in it.

But I guess you could set it up to network render from your main pc and that could be very useful.

The other points you make are valid though....

# Robert Brown 2011-02-23 10:21

if sony is crap ect ect why did you buy a ps3 and not the xbox 360.....i do disagree with piracy and god dam game hacking but homebrew apps are awsome...i think sony and other games companys should support homebrew apps since its gonna improve a system such as web browsers to i.m

# thecolorsofgrey 2011-02-23 11:28

I'm on here just to see how the lawsuit between Sony and Geohot is going, and to hack my PS3 to get back Other OS and backup games (not cheat, or rent & copy but actual backups).

# thecolorsofgrey 2011-02-23 11:28

Fuck off, dude. Some people wanted the ability to run Linux and use it for their emulators and such. Watching anime, ripping blu rays, etc. etc. Not everyone is a thief or wanting to do something malicious.

# thecolorsofgrey 2011-02-23 11:31

This is worse than Microsoft's RRoD, or Sony's:

Rootkit they had with music CDs
Exploding laptop batteries
Shitty DVD drives

combined. They are saying we can't run "unauthorized programs" on OUR consoles that some people paid "five hundred ninety-nine U.S. dollars" for. Fuck Sony.

Shit like this makes me want to pirate their games just to get them back for trying to control what we do with the consoles we paid for.

# thecolorsofgrey 2011-02-23 11:33

Fuck off, troll. Other OS was a feature they promised us and it's illegal to just remove it like that.

# Christopher Rivera 2011-02-23 12:27

Pulled head out of ass, he buddy you sound like you just visited America, or something. Dont seem like you know your laws, and you know what you probly work at Mcdonalds thinking you know what your talking about.

Sony said I can install Linux with OtherOS, you see sport you actually believe everybody steals, Like I said I run a moving company and you know what pirating will get me more in trouble. I own 32 games, You can buy them cheap when they are used.

OtherOS saves space in my house, as for me I just need to go and check email. Wait a minute this guy Mark is a KNOW IT ALL. You need to take your head out of your own ass buddy you talk more than you know.

You see fellas hes looking more dumb as I respond watch on.

You say Sony is a great company and you are right, 2+2=4 and we all know its a great company and we bought there product and still buy.

another thing is oh boogie, when the people hack the PS3 its their business, LEARN ABOUT FUCKING MORAL AND PRINCIPLE INSTEAD OF KISSING THAT ASS SWEAT PEA.

This a Hack site and it allows people to talk and speak their mind. So allo Mark Kovalenko to make his peace even if he looks like an ass.

Delete my comment too if its a problem

Oh Mark I type this all slow too because I understand you dont read that fast.

ALSO FUCK YOU, FOR BADGERING ME FOR WANTING TO BE APART OF SOMETHING.

This is 2011 and we are here and will be there too boy.

# Sean 2011-02-23 12:39

The PS3 happens to be the only PowerPC architecture machine in my house. As a dev, I find it useful when working on PowerPC compatibility for a project I am working. Sure, I could buy an old mac, but this is already working just fine, and Sony would be forcing an unnecessary expense upon me if I updated. Aside from all that, if a product has a feature advertised, it is just a reasonable (and legal) expectation for that feature to work, regardless of how often it is actually used.

# Jamil 2011-02-23 12:57

graf_chokolo had his house raided by German police and Sony !!

http://adf.ly/a69i

# DaBreun 2011-02-23 13:32

Why complain?

# Christopher Rivera 2011-02-23 14:03

lololz

# Christopher Rivera 2011-02-23 14:26

It is kind of an insult to this community for people to come and knock down others, for their wants. Piracy is wrong because it will ruin our products, use of life. If piracy is all over then money would be lost and companies would sink. Every one here understands that and knows that. Look at your favorite musicians. People assume they are rich rich rich; but they are not they just have a bunch of large loans to pay off. Dam OK we are kids but you know something I havent heard any kids gangbang or destroying the world, as well as self destructive.

I own 32 titles with my PS3 along with the PSMove and yea some homebrew, Shit its cool to have it all in one box. To support all my comrads below, SOMETIMES LESS IS MORE. Do you think it will look nice in your living room to have 15 wires consoles etc on the floor no. Honestly these people who try before they buy are doing what the stores use to let us do; instead its in their home. 50 bucks more a year will get you that access with Playstation Plus. Well point period is dont go off insulting one of us because you just have a prejeduce against people who play games.

This little spark of unity in a small environment of gaming should be fair to every one. Especially if you got a Sega CD and it plays 3DO. (just example)

Would people rather us being hostile with the rest of society or remain at home enjoying a game of COD or something they love like Streets Of Rage for Sega Genesis. Do we deserve to be ridiculed because of your beliefs? Man I dont care about any ones beliefs unless they try to push it on me. Shit I am 29 playing Playstation 3, I am SplitMethod, WHEN MY SON COMES OVER I WILL BE OWNING HIM IN Call Of Duty, I will play Sing Star TV with my Daughter if she likes it. I will play trivia with my family and I WILL WATCH NETFLIX I PAY 10 BUCKS A MONTH FOR; and I will still run my Moving Company. I Will also try for something I believe in.

Just because some people dont need Linux on PS3 because of its use, its performance and what ever; keep that to yourselves why? because alot more people than YOU might need it and find it useful and perform well for what they need it for.

SplitMethod@Yah oo.com
1 Letter = 1 Dollar towards GeoHot (I dont even KNOW THE KID)

I will be putting 50$ on monday of my own to start

I will do what ever I can to help the movement

Join the cause

THEZEITGEISTMOV EMENT.COM

# Christopher Rivera 2011-02-23 14:28

Yo I love the fact that one guy had his pointless statement and all of you people had all of that to say. Its amazing how we can unit in one argument.

# Christopher Rivera 2011-02-23 14:29

Yo I love the fact that one guy had his pointless statement and all of you people had all of that to say. Its amazing how we can agree in one argument and yet fail to see the unity.

# Jack_Hill 2011-02-23 14:45

why they don't just take things away and i never have and never will buy an apple product either anyway. and with windows do you see them bitching that i wrote a program to use. no they don't care if that was the case my cousin would have a job at a dev company. sony should be happy that people are working on things for it it would generate more money but insted the get an burr up there ass and not only am i in this case i am an ex hacker i have been hacking since the early 90's im not stupid it's called freedom so shut up

# Hassan Arshad 2011-02-23 17:06

Sony have announced that they plan to prosecute everyone who's hacked a PS3.

For their next project they're going to piss in the ocean to warm it up.

# Thomas Chopard-Leonard 2011-02-23 17:22

Hmmm. You tell someone to get his head out of his ass. Let's review, shall we?

"No one needs other OS" was your original statement.

How about people who are studying parallel computing with PS3 clusters?
How about the guy who improved an algorithm 100fold using PS3 Cell processor to crack Unix CRYPT?
How about the team who was able to create their own Certificate Authority, cracking SSL when used with MD5 algorithm in the process?
Or maybe the Air Force who purchased over 2000 units?

I'm guessing all these PS3s are used for training our military personnel so when we have a worldwide Call of Duty deathmatch we can win!

IDIOT!

# Thomas Chopard-Leonard 2011-02-23 17:36

SUCKS when people actually bring FACTS instead of

"ZOMG I'M SO CLEVER!!11!!1!!one!one!!1! And I can make puns too!"

So suck on that and if you want to have an actual conversation that involves facts instead of opinions and word/name puns, you just let me know. I'm at thchere at gmail ...

By the way I'm really interested in your thought process, hypothesis, and empirical method testing that you used to come to the conclusion "I would say Sony is an alright company".

Nice work there buddy.

# Thomas Chopard-Leonard 2011-02-23 17:40

Cell processor != pentium processor

Also I've played Quake 3 on an asus netbook with ubuntu on it, in full screen, and although I didn't CHECK the fps, I certainly didn't notice any lag or skipped frames.

Were you running linux on a 286? Did you try hitting the 'turbo' button? Ah you probably don't even know what I'm referring to.

Nough said.

PS: English lesson of the day: it's "SHOULD HAVE" not "SHOULD OF".

# Thomas Chopard-Leonard 2011-02-23 17:52

Dude, what 'school' do you go to? Really? You can remove features from a product 3 years after its sale? Damn I need to talk to that 'professor'.

Can you imagine sprint deciding that you can no longer use the number 9 on your phone. Imagine Bravia decide to not use Red anymore on their TVs? Microsoft deciding to remove the reply button out of outlook. Western Digital deciding you can only use 1 partition on their drives?

And wouldn't it be a bitch if Whirlpool decided that your dryer didn't really need the perm press cycle? Or if your fridge's manufacturer came to your house and removed the door handles?

I could go on and on about how stupid what you said was, but I think I made my point.

In case you missed the point: Once you buy something, it belongs to YOU. Even in the case of a MANDATORY recall, the manufacturer CAN NOT compel you to bring it back in.

This is fucking America. Not communist China. We have what we call "PROPERTY", and once something is mine, IT'S MINE!

# Thomas Chopard-Leonard 2011-02-23 18:02

no, YOU are extremely stupid. Everything related to SOFTWARE. We're talking about a piece of hardware here moron. Plus you can't sell something with a set of (advertised) features and later on take them away!
What you're saying is that it should be (and is) illegal to tamper with GameOS. That's got NOTHING to do with Sony REMOVING a feature months and months after people have purchased their hardware.
I'm not gonna get into semantics over whether or not I "own" windows, although technically I do (subject to terms in EULA), so let's say that I don't own windows: I sure as fuck own the rig it's running on, regardless of who the hardware manufacturer is, and Microsoft better not come in my PC and start removing things they don't like/deem necessary.

By the way, I've been trying to 'uninstall windows' but can't find where the button to do it is located. Can you perhaps help me?

# Mark Kovalenko 2011-02-23 21:09

Yeah, you know what, your right. Sony did let you install Linux and you certainly had the opportunity to do it. Then you had a choice. YOU chose to remove Linux. If YOU chose to remove OtherOS then obviously it wasn't that important to YOU. If you wanted to forfeit your online privileges (that's right, PRIVILEGES) just so you can run Linux at turtle speed then THAT WAS YOUR CHOICE. Again, Sony does not have to give you online service. That's a PRIVILEGE. If your so blinded by your false sense of entitlement then you can choose to keep your slow-ass Linux. If you bought a PS3 and it had OtherOS then it's your right to keep that feature, but if you keep it you lose a privilege. Such simple logic a nut-less monkey could understand it. Again, Sony DID NOT remove OtherOS, YOU DID.

To all the other people commenting: A PS3 IS NOT A CAR. Are your brains too damn small to understand that Sony doesn't make any money off PS3 sales. They make money off SOFTWARE sales. If you buy a Toyota car you don't buy games to play on it. You buy gas but that money doesn't go to Toyota. The only time Toyota makes money is when you initially buy the car. When you buy a PS3 Sony does not make money, they make an investment. They expect you to buy games because if you don't buy games they go bankrupt. Why in blue hell do you think Sony has so many first-party studios? All you people saying "DURRR WHAT IF LG TOOK THE COLORS FROM YOUR TV, WOULD YOU LIKE THAT", IT'S NO WHERE NEAR THE SAME THING.

Another thing, I never said I was against hacking OR pirating. I admit I pirate games myself, but there is a key difference between me and all you assholes: I DON'T bash Sony for no reason, I DON'T try to use OtherOS as an excuse to pirate games, and I DON'T send money to some random stranger because that stranger was too dumb to cover his face and use proxies or his ego was too damn big. So go ahead and hack/mod/pirate/whatever, I don't really care. I just don't like seeing idiots bashing Sony for no reason. "WAAAAAHHHHH SONY IS TRAMPLING ON MY RIGHTS". You Americans and your so called "rights" just make me sigh. How pathetic.

"Oh Mark I type this all slow too because I understand you dont read that fast." You type slow because I read slow? Yeah genius, that makes a lot of sense. No, you type slow because your too damn slow in the head.

Again little kids, I have to remind you: It was YOUR RIGHT to keep OtherOS and YOU either decided to remove OtherOS or YOU decided to keep it and as a result you lost a PRIVILEGE.

# Robert Brown 2011-02-23 23:05

no you bought the hardware not the software...just like ur windows/apple laptop you are not allowed to mod any of the software or install software that is not ment for the os ...unless its a form of linux were they give you the codes mod/improve the software

# Jolyn 2011-02-24 01:56

umm ok you're obviously not the brightest crayon in the box
(odear might not want to use that metaphor wrong online he might not get that it was on purpose)

anyway take your crying to livejournal or xanga faggot, if someone ADVERTISED that I could get a free panda with a laser attached and I baught it then they later told me I could either have the panda put down or turn off the laser forever I would be a sad laser less panda owner but you see the panda STILL HAS EVERY ABILITY TO USE THAT DAMN LASER and I BAUGHT IT under the impression I would get both (i wasn't told of any exp date of any kind on EITHER ) ...though being a panda it will die but meh--- the fact is I bought a damn laser wielding panda and ended up with just a laser OR a panda wtf (where do you buy this)
also FREE ONLINE PLAY was ANOTHER FEATURE advertised in order to gain market over M$ Xboxlive why the hell do I need to choose what features I get to use when I bought both and it is damn well able to DO both and I bought it under the impression it will DO both

- If I bought the chrome release date ps3 I would expect the memory card readers as I paid for them and they were advertised, if I wanted less features I would had bought the cheaper model you pay MORE for MORE features being that they sold the fats with that feature they were CHARGED for it , do you get the biggest issue here boy?

-

but I digress you're like 10 so you're probably going to be like WOAST A METAPHOR so w/e

change www.xanga.com to your homepage, believe me it will make you feel better <3

# Christopher Rivera 2011-02-24 10:56

See the point is still missed if a shitty OtherOS is what is wanted then why would a PRIVILEGE be removed your smart enough to understand that.

In Pennsylvania US, there is a privilage to work tax. Yea you pay because its a privilege to work.

It is a privelage to get have some sex, you know when its not a PRIVILEGE???? No I think your still to slow to understand and I know you dont work at mcdonalds anylonger and you just hold a sign on the corner saying "its a privilege"

No you idiot nothing is a privilege when it has a altimatem along with it. I have to stop smoking to get my right to go online. Learn about your differances in privilege

Because when I bought the PS3, PSN was included with the purchase, its free network. Thats what Sony wants.

Now I am not bashing you for backing up Sony, it is obviously a great company. But I am disgusted is how you come in here and run those fingers, like you know what your talking about. Reason why I support GeoHot is, because man, that dude had worked hours and yea dumb to do what he did; but thats cockyness, his cause spreaded on the web for what ever purpose. You gotta give a nut like that back up.

Yea Sony gave us the choice to remove OtherOS by removing the so called Privilege. But why the hell did they do that? they lie already in court.

You have peanut butter and you have the jelly they both put sites like this together.

unite with Thezeitgeistmovement.com

# Christopher Rivera 2011-02-24 10:58

And I apologise to you Mark for the improper remarks, but I was upsetted by the insults.

This however is a great debate.

# Christopher Rivera 2011-02-24 10:58

Expand And I apologize to you Mark for the improper remarks, but I was upsetted by the insults.

This however is a great debate.

# Christopher Rivera 2011-02-24 11:04

OK now their are 2 sides for the OtherOS, Yes some people like it some people know's its functionality. Then considers who dont like it and dont know about it.

Its more of the princepal on matters, its the EGO that is upset with the PS3. Thats the one thing me and others feel.

"I bought it like that I want to keep it like that I dont care if I dont use it much"

Like my car I dont care if I drive it wreckless; no one has the right to do the same in my car.

# Igor G 2011-02-24 12:51

Again, Sony DID NOT remove OtherOS, YOU DID. <<< You must be retarded..
I see it this way: I have Linux installed and buy a game and support Sony by buying that game right? Well, the game decides ohhhhhhh you need to update to 3.55 to even run it.
So I either don't buy anymore games to use Linux....
If that is not Sony removing OtherOS then I guess I am wrong....

You should fuck off and stop burring yourself deeper and deeper with each comment. I usually would never even think of posting in these mindless word battles....but your retarded point of view just makes me sick.

# SethM 2011-02-24 14:04

I said I may be mistaken of the exact time period but there is some kind of limit on features being allowed to be removed that are not main features without getting sued. I would have to walk over to the law school at UPenn and ask the one guy.

Yes you own the hardware not the software its the same with Windows and your PC....Also it has to be a well advertised feature they didn't mention it in any commercial or as a main use for the console.

Your idiotic examples you were talking about would hurt sales of any company taking away a feature that every other company has as standard. The people who used Linux were only about 10% of the PS3s in the world and it was never advertised as its main function therefore still functional for its main use GAMES. Its not like they left you with a brick that couldn't do anything....

So it didn't hurt Sonys sales like it would if you removed features like the number 9 from a phone. Yes the companies could take those features away if they wanted to but it would destroy their sales as they couldn't compete with people that all give those features not land them in a lawsuit....

If you can't comprehend all of the things that go along with those I agree buttons you hit when installing software then I don't know what can be done for you.

If you want to blame anyone for the loss of otherOS then its the hackers that found the exploit through it that forced Sony to patch it.

# SethM 2011-02-24 14:07

I just said it couldn't run on the PS3 READ if your so smart...It's way more powerful than a Pentium and can't run on Linux in the PS3 and you assume I'm not old enough to remember a turbo button on a PC I'm 29 grow up dude your arrogance is astonishing...

I had Linux on my PS3 got the Q3 Linux port and ran it and it ran like shit even in windowed mode!!!

I'm not talking about Linux not being able to run shit as that would be the stupidest comment ever made but like I said you can't read apparently....

Then you pick apart grammar that is moot just to sound like your even more superior. Your just trying to pick fights not have an intelligent discussion.

# Matthew Friend 2011-02-24 14:44

Like Microsoft found as a result of the anti-trust issues in the past, Sony isn't invulnerable. Megacorps need to realize they are in business to provide us what products and services we spend our hard earned money on. It's not the other way around.

I am personally a fan of Sony products, just not a fan of how they treat customers of their right to do what they want, the way they want, with what they purchased legally.

I own a original phat 60GB PS3 from back in the day where the "other OS" option was still available. Sony, along with other companies fleeced us badly with products that pretty much require a 2nd OS to make effective use of. Those of us that purchased anything that was primarily designed for that 2nd OS, i.e. over-priced blue-tooth keyboard/mice as example, deserve either a full cash refund of those products, or a return of the 2nd OS option.

Just look at past history at the original Xbox and softmods, did that put Microsoft out of business? No. Did hundreds or thousands of people have their privacy invaded, be threatened, and forced their own customers to have no access to services? No, they didn't.

Yes, the PS3 is primarily a gaming system, but it became something much more. We don't expect the impossible, just reasonable and valid use of what we buy.

For example, without having to pay anything, so long as they'd agree the TOS, Sony could include VLC media player on the PS3. It's completely free and open-source, which would also allow the playback of nearly any media type without problem. Likewise, they could include the Firefox web browser, also free and open-source.

Neither would cost Sony anything, and would meet 2 of the biggest reasons for using a 2nd OS on the PS3. The PS3 browser is nowhere near the capability of Firefox or Google Chrome. Likewise, although it supports many media types, the PS3 still does not support more modern, space saving, and efficient media types like MKV.

Ganking the PS2 emulator on the 80GB PS3, much less the actual PS2 hardware in the 60GB model, forces customers to either throw away hard earned money spent of PS2 things.

THE PS3 is a truly impressive piece of hardware, but it is starting to lag a bit compared to more modern advances of technology. For example, the PS3 does not have wireless N adapter. It still includes a 5400rpm hard drive, when solid state and 10,000rpm hard drives have existed for some time. DDR5 has existed for some time for video card memory along with much faster and more capable GPUs. Granted, they did offer 3D capabilities to the PS3, but those are limited because the PS3 does not include a 1.4a capable HDMI port. As well, the PS3 does not have even 1 USB 3.0 port.

None of those parts would cause Sony to skyrocket the price of the PS3, but even if it did, I would gladly buy a new generation PS3 if it included those more modern hardware capabilities.

# Matthew Friend 2011-02-24 14:44

# Christopher Rivera 2011-02-24 15:17

This is well put and understood. I totally agree with you Matthew. It seems as if Sony is selling the upgrades or how about keeping the upgrades for future reason to purchase a PS3. They seem to be unlocking features the PS3 has little by little for a price. Such as the PS Move like the Wii, in which the PS eye has capabilities of the Xbox.

But then updates which allow 3D gaming and bla zey bla. Much out there, Sony has a system in which can make another Snes, Genesis error. I dont see a point of a new system as of yet because of the constant upgrades. If Linux did coo inside within a PS3 then it may alot of things lag. But upgrades ya know. Windows can run on a tablet just fine.

# Thomas Chopard-Leonard 2011-02-24 17:19

I can see you don't like my examples but you fail to point out why.
No one is debating whether it was a smart business decision to take out otherOS. We are discussing the LEGALITY of it.

"Yes the companies could take those features away if they wanted to but it would destroy their sales as they couldn't compete with people that all give those features not land them in a lawsuit...."
This is absolutely incorrect. You MAY just want to read the article that we're commenting on, as sony IS in a lawsuit for EXACTLY that. I think you sank your own battleship there buddy.

Lastly:

"Also it has to be a well advertised feature they didn't mention it in any commercial or as a main use for the console."
OK, I'll bite. I've never seen "doors that lock with a key" as a "well advertised features" for cars. As a matter of fact it's really not even a necessity to the main function of the car (to get from point A to B). So you're saying car manufacturers can come and remove the key locks as long as they didn't advertise 'well'???

Dude I REALLY hope you're not going into any kind of judicial career.

Oh and just to finish you up... You say you would have to walk over to talk to a COPYRIGHT law teacher? What kind of college professor doesn't have email? I call bullshit.

# Thomas Chopard-Leonard 2011-02-24 17:25

English lesson of the day: it's "You're", not your. (TWICE)
Let me try and educate your 29 year old ignorant ass:

Your is the second person possessive adjective, used to describe something as belonging to you. Your is nearly always followed by a noun.
You're is the contraction of "you are" and is often followed by the present participle (verb form ending in -ing).

Also, try to invest in a sarcasm detector.

# Thomas Chopard-Leonard 2011-02-24 17:45

So by wanting to be able to use PSN (a fairly advertised feature) and play games released after a certain date (also kind of a big thing), I forfeit otherOS. You call that a choice?

Look up the word coercion and come back please.

Also, you're totally right. Toyota never makes a dime after they sell a car. No parts, no repairs, no maintenance.

There are ZERO mechanics employed by Toyota. There are zero service centers owned by Toyota. (/sarcasm)

Also, you say Sony makes no money off PS3 sales, only on games. In the same post you mention that you PIRATE games. So your all-knowing self KNOWS that you're hurting the bottom line of the company and yet that doesn't create a moral conflict for you.

Dude... wtf is your problem?

Also, you're right, we like our "so-called rights". You know who doesn't like their rights? People who have none!

Where are you from? I'm gonna venture England? At least your English is good enough to make the same your/you're mistakes as a 29 year old american. Congrats. Anyways, if you are from England, next time you're in the streets, turn around and wave to one of the hundreds of thousands of CCTV watching you day and night.

Good day.

# Thomas Chopard-Leonard 2011-02-24 17:47

Yep, this is the first time I even post on this site. But somehow I felt compelled to explain to these idiots that their logic is completely flawed, factless, or baseless...

# Thomas Chopard-Leonard 2011-02-24 17:51

"LEARN ABOUT FUCKING MORAL AND PRINCIPLE INSTEAD OF KISSING THAT ASS SWEAT PEA."

Good luck trying to explain moral and principles to someone who claims he knows and understands that only PS3 game sales bring in some money for Sony while at the same time admitting to pirating games...

# Thomas Chopard-Leonard 2011-02-24 18:02

Although your grammar is terrible, you do make a few valid points.

All in all, you know, if Sony hadn't been a bunch of assholes when teamOverflow disclosed their LEGAL research maybe geohot wouldn't have been so cocky and a dick about his research...

Tell kids it's bad to smoke weed, kids smoke week.
Legalize weed, kids find a new way to be 'defiant'.

# Thomas Chopard-Leonard 2011-02-24 18:15

Two words:
Principle & Precedence

# Thomas Chopard-Leonard 2011-02-24 18:18

GeoHot was behind 9/11? Herp!! Wait! No! DERP!
;)

# Thomas Chopard-Leonard 2011-02-24 18:22

hacking != illegal

# Thomas Chopard-Leonard 2011-02-24 18:29

Hmmm, unless you missed something OBVIOUS, otherOS is NOT needed to hack the system. As a matter of fact, otherOS was disabled LONG before the metldr vulnerability was discovered and teamOverflow did it without otherOS.
So, what was your point again?
Oh that's right, WE are the retards. Got it!
I think that you Herped when you should have Derped.

Today I learned that Sarah Palin's Down syndrome child has an account on ps3-hacks.com! Account name = hacksaretehfail

# Thomas Chopard-Leonard 2011-02-24 18:30

Jon, please refrain from using facts. People around here don't like that. ;)

# SethM 2011-02-24 18:36

LOL idiot... Fail to point out why!!! I did learn to read why would you buy a product that doesn't do what everyone else do....The examples are idiotic cause everyone ends up in not being able to use the product for its main use in your examples while the ps3 is still usable logic must allude you.

Your examples are ridiculous not realistic...

Cause I work in the psychology department I'm not a student I'm staff and I just know the guy from meeting him on campus your an asshole face it you bring no facts and just say its so because you believe it.

You also assume I said I was going into law and I never did. I build and develop PCBs and the firmware for them. You oblivious can't read English as well as you speak it.

Sony is in the lawsuit cause people claim they took away a major advertised feature and they didn't you removed it by accepting the new firmware update read the TOS....

# SethM 2011-02-24 18:38

Fuck off no wonder no one likes the french.....Ooohhh lets pick apart English as if the conversation is about that you got nothing to say except insults cause I called you on not reading or understanding anything I say.....

# Thomas Chopard-Leonard 2011-02-24 18:40

I'm confused. Are you saying that someone at apple and microsoft sits there and approves lists of softwares so that you can install them on their respective operating systems?? What do you mean by 'meant for the os'?

While you may be right with Apple and its IOS devices, you're telling me that on a MAC or PC I CAN'T install software that Apple or Microsoft doesn't specifically approve of?

Last time I checked, that is what programmers DO. I can write a "hello world" program without asking Bill Gates or Steve Ballmer totally legally. I'm either missing your point, or you have no point.

# Thomas Chopard-Leonard 2011-02-24 18:42

I don't think Sony has agents to raid a house... But be careful, they might be knocking at your door any minute now...

# Thomas Chopard-Leonard 2011-02-24 18:43

Awesome analogy!

# Thomas Chopard-Leonard 2011-02-24 18:48

The wii is by far the most hacked (and easiest) modern gaming console (and yes, i know you ps3 fanboys don't even consider the console in the same realm). However their market shares and profits have not moved in a drastic manner. Now think about how much money Sony is spending on anti piracy (during console development and playing catch up). All that to botch it up because someone forgot to salt a key...
Was it worth it?

# Thomas Chopard-Leonard 2011-02-24 18:50

I think you mean "If linux did coincide within a ps3 then it made a lot of things lag" ?? That made NO sense at all. And what does windows running on a tablet have to do with otherOS on PS3?

# SethM 2011-02-24 20:23

They don't play games on them and never needed to upgrade just replace them. The IBM QS22 Blade servers are more powerful, becoming more affordable, way more reliable, and take up less space compared to the PS3. Fat PS3 over 5 years old have a good chance of getting the YLOD soon also so even if you don't upgrade you get it repaired and Sony updates them even if you don't want them to. It was dumb to think a game consoles would be a good long term investment for super computing.

100 PS3s @ 299.99 = 29,999
5 QS22s @ 9995.00 = 49,975 but will outperform 100 PS3s running Linux but then again three of them minimum would I just used five as an example.

1xPS3 CellBE is 12.8 GFLOP

A QS22 has 2x PowerXCell8i @ 104 GFLOP each for a total of 208 GFLOP

50,000 is chump change to the Airforce so they could double or even quadruple it and get even more....People used the PS3 for all of those things five years ago when it was a cheap alternative.

# SethM 2011-02-24 20:38

You claim to know about computers but yet don't understand that FIRMWARE is SOFTWARE. The physical hardware you own but not the software loaded onto it just like YOUR PC like I pointed out a million times. You own the hardware yes but any firmware on the chips is owned by the company coding it and any software you install you just license you don't own it. Ever buy a laptop or a pre-built system there is a user agreement for Windows and to use the Hardware also when you first turn it on.

I can flash a PIC with firmware and you could buy it but you would only own the IC not the code on it. You do realize that the GameOS isn't hardware its code on a piece of hardware?????

# SethM 2011-02-24 20:42

The problem isn't people wrote code that ran on the PS3 the problem is they used Sony's code to do it and circumvented their copyright protection. If your program had chunks of code from Microsoft in it and tried to sell it you would get sued....

You know kind of like how the UDK works you are free to code with it for personal use but if you want to sell what you made you have to buy a license to use the engine commercially. Just like all the PS3 developers do they pay the money to own the SDK and to make officially licensed Sony products.

Your cousin i assume is coding from scratch and not stealing code or I would hope so and if their a legit company.

Its debatable if it helps or hurts sales but that's a whole other thing....

# SethM 2011-02-24 20:56

What did you run off of it?

# SethM 2011-02-24 21:18

This is your problem no one is really defending Sony for doing it just there isn't anything that can really be done about it. You obviously have a problem with big corporations and government as most of us do but that doesn't make us blind to the sad truth and that is all we are pointing out. What are you gonna do about it waste time and money on a lawsuit that there is a good chance you won't win? It's an obviously loosing battle but hey stranger things have happened so I don't discount Sony could loose I just don't bet on it.

# SethM 2011-02-24 21:58

There are three open source PowerPC emulators you can run on Linux x86.

# Mark Kovalenko 2011-02-24 23:57

Thank you SethM. I'm glad to see some people have some sense on this site.

# Jack_Hill 2011-02-25 02:23

yes i know all that but the point is that nobody sold anything except for those dongle's. all of it was done to ones own personaly purchesed system. so nothing was done wrong no money made or changed hands and as an example you have to use microsoft codes to make programs (VB, C++). but anyway all this is off topic. my point is I bought my ps3 to use for linix & gamming and then it was taken away. and i admit i am a lazy sob if i can start playing a game that i bought and then decide to play another without having to get up and posibly drop and/or scratch my disc then i should have the right to do it. i agree with sony on the fact about cheating online that does suck even though i don't play online. also because it has been hacked other companies can look at the code and go we can't do it like this and save themselves from bieng sued otherwise how would they know or find out if sony was using other comanies code IE LG in the blu-ray playback. i have not heard anything about the nintendo suing for the wii bieng hacked it could have happened but i have not seen squat about it. this contry is suposidly about fredom rebels have founded this country but and it just seems like we have lost our way allowing big compenies to walk all over us and letting them do whatever they please. but this was a good chat lets do this some more.

# Yousif Oraha 2011-02-25 04:39

Thank You Seth, it's really annoying trying to discuss on forums/blogs filled with ignorant teenagers who think they can do whatever they want and know everything -.-

# Thomas Chopard-Leonard 2011-02-25 09:42

WE AREN'T WALKING ABOUT FIRMWARE JACKASS! We're talking about OtherOS! Seriously what are you talking about?! Where did firmware come into this?!

# Thomas Chopard-Leonard 2011-02-25 10:22

did you mean to reply to me? Cause I see nothing about 'big corporations" or "government" in my post. I was only pointing out the problem with the guy's morals because he pirates the one thing that brings money to Sony (according to him).
So if this reply was indeed for me I'm completely missing the point.

# Mark Kovalenko 2011-02-25 16:29

If your saying I contradicted myself in my post then you are sadly mistaken. Yeah, Sony makes sales off software. Yes, I pirate games. Those are true statements. I never said I was against hacking or even pirating, I'm just stating the facts. I don't really appreciate the fact the PS3 got hacked but I'll still pirate games now that I have the opportunity. At least I'm not bashing Sony like a retard, or trying to sue them because they took away a feature I and about 47 million other ps3 users could give 2 shits about.

# Mark Kovalenko 2011-02-25 16:41

Shut the fuck up, really, just shut the fuck up. The only people that needed OtherOS were researches and such who don't need PSN and therefore would not go on these sites and complain about it. Emulators? There are faster and more stable emulators for PC than slow-ass PS3 Linux. You want to watch gay anime? Your PC can do that too not to mention the regular PS3 OS (YEAH I KNOW IT DOESN'T SUPPORT MANY CODECS, WAAAH WAAAAH, STFU THAT'S WHAT CONVERTERS ARE FOR). Rip Blurays? Go download them or buy a drive for your PC you cheap asshole.

# Mark Kovalenko 2011-02-25 16:44

"Eat shit and die!!!"

Really, really? I grown man saying this to other people? My confidence in the survival of the human race just goes down every second.

# Mark Kovalenko 2011-02-25 16:54

Ok, Sony fixes PS3s just like Toyota fixes cars, so I just neutralized whatever you were trying to prove in that statement.

Since Sony "advertised" PSN do you expect them to provide it FOREVER? After Sony ceases to exist? After you die? After our sun goes bad and life on Earth is no longer possible? After the HEAT DEATH OF THE UNIVERSE? Yeah, I wonder if they can provide you PSN for all that time just because they "advertised" it.

# Mark Kovalenko 2011-02-25 17:07

Again, Sony DID NOT remove OtherOS, YOU DID. You know when you installed that new firmware that removed OtherOS, and there was some text there? I know all those big words might be a little hard on your noggin but let me make it clear what it said: "IF YOU INSTALL THIS SHIT YOU WILL LOSE OTHEROS. ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO PROCEED?" Now if you said yes than that means YOU REMOVED OTHEROS.

All that doesn't even matter because your just shitting yourself talking about OtherOS when you never even used it.

The bottom line: Sony released a firmware that removed a feature no one gave a shit about. People installed the firmware therefore choosing to remove that feature (again, it was THEIR choice) and they moved on. It is now 2011 and EgoHot is getting sued/suing Sony and now people are using that removed feature as a reason to bash Sony and be all cool and rebellious just like they were when they were pathetic little teenagers.

# Jamil 2011-02-25 18:56

Sign The Petition and spread the word! take SONY Down!! http://adf.ly/b2kg

# Sevic 2011-02-28 04:22

Sure it is reasonable to expect a feature to continue working, however it is also reasonable to expect that features may be changed or even completely removed in order to improve the product such as in the field of security. And I see no reason why it would be illegal for a company to change/remove a feature from their product if they include a disclaimer that this may occur at some point during the product's life-cycle and whether it is forced upon the users or not.

In the case of the PS3 Sony included a clause inside the System Software Agreement that features may be changed/removed to ensure the integrity of the system's security, and Sony obviously saw OtherOS as being a negative influence on this integrity so they removed it from future versions of their OS. Now Sony did not force this update upon anyone, it was left up to the user to choose whether they would upgrade and lose out on OtherOS or whether they would not upgrade and lose out on PSN access and playback of future content. And while you could argue this last part (playback of future content) is in a way forcing the user to upgrade it really is not as it is still left up to the user to decide whether they would actually like to upgrade or not.

# Sevic 2011-02-28 07:29

"and Microsoft better not come in my PC and start removing things they don't like/deem necessary."

They can change/remove ANY feature that is a part of their software either through updates or new product releases, in fact they actually do this. Their reasons could be anything from fixing a security vulnerability or the feature no longer fitting in line with how their envision their software being (ie: a feature they no longer want).

The same applies to Sony and their system software as they can change and remove features as they desire for reasons including fixing possible security vulnerabilities , they state their in their EULA of which you agree to when you use their system software. The OtherOS feature was a part of the system software, ie: the firmware, and as such as subject to modifications in how it works up to and including the complete removal of it from the firmware.

I see no wrong doing on the legal side in Sony removing the OtherOS feature, you agreed that features in the system software may be changed or removed in future updates. And Sony did not force anyone to install the update and made it known that the feature would be removed upon installation of the update, you had a choice of whether you installed the update and lose out on OtherOS or not to update and keep it and lose out on access to PSN and possibly the playback of future content.

# SethM 2011-03-07 13:54

You saying you own the system and can do whatever you want with it. You do but the firmware that people have broken into is the problem and the only way to get otherOS is with custom FIRMWARE smart guy....

# Naohiro Takahashi 2011-03-11 22:01

Lmao! Anime! What are you, 12?

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Sony, OtherOS, and The Computer Fraud & Abuse Act

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