Sony CUTS OFF PS3 balls, angry hacker responds!

As of the next system update (version 3.21), OtherOS will apparently be “disabled” from your system. You will no longer be able to install and run other operating system on your original ‘fat’ PS3. sony claimed it was done “due to security concerns”. Honestly, I think that is a steaming load of crap. I think the primary reason behind this is that a hacker, geohot, hacked (and released) the system after 3 years of work and now has control over the hardware that he payed for. apparently, Sony got pissed.

Basically, Sony gives you two choices: ether ditch linux (which was one of the primary features for some to actully get one), or get banned from PSN and from playing newer games that require the new update.
That was a really bad move, sunny.

well you know how hackers get when you take something rightfully theirs (or when they feel guilt): http://geohotps3.blogspot.com/2010/03/dont-update.html

Sony doesn’t have the right to do this (even if it reserved the right to do so in its EULA). People should be able to do what the fuck they want with the hardware they payed for. To quote geohot:

Now you [Sony] go and remove a feature that people expected to be included with the expensive device they purchased, citing “security concerns” […] The PlayStation 3 is the only product I know that loses features throughout it’s life cycle. 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.

Just a note the guy’s against software piracy. so seriously Sony wtf!

sources:
http://geohotps3.blogspot.com/
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2010/03/29/sony_ps3_to_nix_linux_support/
http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2010/03/hacker-vows-to-fight-sony-ps3-update-restore-linux-support.ars

28 thoughts on “Sony CUTS OFF PS3 balls, angry hacker responds!

  1. guess i should have known that they’d turn apple on me (with all anti-hacking racket around the psp).

    anyways, I’m not really upset for myself (i have the slim version). but i know a guy who depends on that feature to play DVDs (he can’t play videos with the xmb thingy even if regions matched). And this would (and eventually will) be a major issue for him.

    and after the poor guy went out and bought an external DVD drive for his PS3 (another issue).

  2. I have Debian installed in my PS3 @_@ I won’t update the firmware, Sony can go to hell for all I care.

  3. After reading the news from various websites and blogs on this issue there are speculation going on that this might just be an April Fools prank. However knowing Sony and it’s stupendous historic actions in the video game industry I don’t see how this not far from being true.

    I am totally against this move. Granted that I am not using this feature but I did pay for it to be in the console. I am glad to hear that Geohot is working on a CSW and that he is against piracy. I love my original PS2 and PS3 games and I wouldn’t mind paying a little extra just own the licence.

    It would be interesting to see what will happen on the 1st of April. I would imagine there will be a huge number drop on PSN due to people all around world are not turning on their PS3’s on that day. That will definitly send a heavy message to Sony.

  4. If it is indeed a prank, Sony will loose half the credibility that it has (at least for me). not everyone celebrates april fools, definitely not me. when i worte this post, I also read that it might be a lie. but since sony is a large company that knows how cultures vary from one another, I doubt this is the case.

    although it might provide a convenient escape if there move backfires. they can just claim it was a joke.

  5. It’s the evil company, they’re the ones behind this!!

    I didnt know sony would become so $!17!! I, for one, though of buying a ps3 only for this! And now she’s taking what we wanted!! And made a person install linux on his console, and now they are taking that away.

    And what about the projects which are based on that feature, YellowDog Linux & PSUbuntu?

    Sony became loseers in my eyes! stupid idiotic ignorant $#!7! thing!!!

  6. Wow… You guys must be the biggest group of basement dwelling mouth breathers I have had the misfortune of encountering on the internet for a while.

    “Sony doesn’t have the right to do this (even if it reserved the right to do so in its EULA).”

    What kind of idiotic reasoning is that?

    So when a company decides to tighten its restrictions to make sure that its profits are kept safe, that makes them evil?

    Get a life! Seriously.

    Most people people do not use the other OS option, the few that do tend to have other devices that do so.

    “Oh noes I cannot yoos linux!!!1!1!! eleventy! Sony iz da evul company!!”

    The Playstation 3, is a game console in the end with the option to do other things. Sony wants to make profits for its investors and the employees and the other companies that work with it.

    For those that only bought a PS3 for the other OS option, there is a nice quote from Team Fortress 2 that fits this post properly… though I cannot remember it at the moment.

  7. oh oh oh! kitsune! i know the quote..

    “CRY MOAR NUBS” .. QQ

    oh and by the by, if Microshaft found an easy way to stop piracy (since this is a relatively easy fix ie. remove install OS) they would patch the 360 faster than the ps3..

  8. Dear Kitsune,

    “What kind of idiotic reasoning is that?”

    What kind of idiotic reasoning is THAT! to allow someone to “disable” a capability in a system you *bought* . This is not about that retarded piece of hardware, It’s about my rights (which you obviously don’t know anything about).

    When sony pushed out the ps3, it announced the fact that it would be capable of running other operating systems, will be able to connect to a large gaming network, will be able to to play blue rays and so on. It did not at any point state that the users would be forced to choose between features later on. what if sony decided blue-ray disk playback was also a “security risk” and disabled it. what then? I suppose you’ll also use that pathetic excuse of yours.

    Its guys like you that really piss me off blabbing about issues as if they are actually correct. If you want to surrender your rights, then by all means be my guest. but don’t force your fucked up “apple know best” ideology on the rest of us.

    and thanks for mking me waste time on this reply.

  9. I just turned on my PS3 and the well… the 3.21 update is there. Turns out that it is not an April Fools prank after all. My own choices, the price I paid for the 60gb console are officially being controlled by Sony. I’m interested to see how the news are going to turn up on this issue. Can a majority of people can win against big corporation? The only thing I want for the CFW to do is to get me online and yet still maintain my original PS3 features.

  10. @ Kitsune

    Sony doesn’t give a crap about you, me, or anyone else in the matter. They screwed a lot of users by removing a feature that was advertised during the release. also, hacking and piracy are two different things.

  11. If this was about protecting rights, then this entire argument is null and void because Sony is protecting THEIR rights by removing a potential threat in a seldom used feature.

    Once you agree with the EULA, it actually does say that Sony reserves the right to add or remove services without prior consent of the user. Just because you can’t read doesn’t mean that its not there. Once you agree, you kinda lose the right throw a tantrum.

    I’m a PC user and proud, I pirate like no ones business and I actually do understand a thing or two about consumer rights… Stop projecting silliness and actually act like an adult and look at the big picture.

  12. 22% of my update to the latest version… Who uses PS3 as a computer anyway to install another OS?

  13. Geeks?

    or guys like “i know a guy who depends on that feature to play DVDs (he can’t play videos with the xmb thingy even if regions matched). And this would (and eventually will) be a major issue for him.” — SIGTERMer

  14. Kitsune,

    A company should protect its rights, but it should do so without trampling on others’ rights. EULAs aside, I paid for all of the features advertised, and I expect to retain those features in my system until the end of its life. I shouldn’t be forced to choose between being able to play games (that require the update) or using a feature i payed for.

    And as far as ELUAs go, they are pure nonsense. That’s probably the main reason why judges keep ruling some of them invalid.

    Also, piracy is not hacking. Sony will not loose money when I hack my own system (it’ll probably get more money due to bricked systems). so even the given reason behind this ridiculous “downgrade” is incorrect.

    I’m also a proud pc user, but I don’t pirate because I respect others rights. That’s why I expect them to respect mine.

    I don’t know what the story is with you, but i wont bother replying to you anymore until you can provide me with a logically sound argument. Also, It appears that you’ve got your mind set on blindly following what you are told. so I really don’t see why this dialog should continue any further.

  15. @sigtermer:

    hacking leads to piracy, and the amount of people that want piracy leads to hacking .. nuff said. QQ

    And, if all you care about is install other OS, well.. now thats its been patched out i should ask, “how much you selling your ps3 for?”

  16. We are both in agreement that a company reserves the right to protect its rights. Good

    We are both in agreement that the customer retains the right to the use of advertised features in a system. Good

    Sony decided that the easiest way to bypass a potential risk to their rights was to remove a feature that posed a great risk. Does it remove your ability to hack your system? Not at all. You can still do whatever you want if you are inclined to do so, bricked system or not.

    If installing another OS is your only means of hacking, then learn the others. Download the updates, and go through them, figure out all the API’s and anything else in there and work with it.

    As for piracy not being hacking, I agree. Sadly though in almost all cases Hacking LEADS to piracy. look at what happened with the PSP. Look at the Hay Day of Ibn Khaldoon street in HAwalli. I have personally hacked and pirated as much as I wanted on the PSP and eventually out of guilt I went out and bought a majority of the games to support the companies that put effort into it.

    Hacking for personal use is fine, however many people only hack to pirate. Sony is bypassing the whole drama of having to go to the same lengths as say Nintendo by suing guys that pirate their games where-in actual customers are harmed, by removing a small feature that has been removed in all models made since last fall.

    I agree with you that it is a shame that some people will not have access to a feature that they actively use. That group is the only one that will suffer the loss of functionality. For the majority of users, this doesn’t change a thing thus making it a painless ordeal.

    In the end, for those that use the other os feature, they can always go to a place like Rihab, buy another PS3 for their gaming and keep the older model for their hacking. While it is inconvenient, they still have that that option.

    As for Judges ruling against EULA agreements, there are in fact some that are ridiculous, such as the “Network Associates” case. However those are the exceptions, most companies will remove anything that is potentially harmful of is causing a loss to the company. Most Judges would rule in their favor.

    As for the guy running Linux to play DVD’s. Seriously, go buy a dvd player. They are dirt cheap and everywhere, you don’t an operating system just for that.

  17. @ eleet:
    I never said anything about wanting to install another OS on my PS3. besides, I have the slim version. I jsut don’t like people stealing stuff from me.

    @ Kitsune:
    The reason I am pissed with Sony is the fact that they disabled something people payed for and actively used. however, I surprisingly agree with your last reply.
    but I just have to ask, what if a hardware exploit was discovered with dvd/blue-ray playback that enabled full control over the system. will Sony also disable this key feature? and how far is Sony willing to continue disabling features in the name of securing profit (on the expense of its customers)?

    it’s just sad. I think this’ll be the last time i buy a console from Sony 🙁

  18. @sig actually, i think the blu-ray thing can be easily fixed by not allowing blu-rays to run arbitary code or dump code on the hdd.. only thing the BD is allowed to dump onto the HDD is BDLive and thats all downloaded off the net from secure production sites. (this is about BD-Movies ofcourse)

    i personally think that what they are doing is the easiest way they can go about stopping people from running code, and therefore hacking, the ps3.. and this is coming from a ps3 owner that bought a ps3 with intent to install another OS (lack of HDD space and laziness has stopped me).. even though im miffed about them removing the option, i updated my ps3 as soon as i saw the message (god damn Uncharted 2 and its multi player addictiveness)..

  19. @eleet: About the hypothetical blue-ray exploit, You would be correct if the exploit was in the software. but if the flaw was at the hardware level, there would be no way to patch it up unless playback is completely disabled.

    for instance, lets say that a new exploit was found through the use of a specially crafted blue-ray disk that caused a hardware buffer overflow, which in turn, effected certain privilege flags. It doesn’t matter if the system is running PS3’s firmware or linux. as soon as the operating system tries to play the disk, the flaw occurs. Of course, I doubt it’ll be THAT easy, but what if something like that happed? say goodbye to playing blue-rays.

  20. @sig: nah, i dont think so.. i think sony views Blu-ray movie playback is a more integral part of the ps3 than the install other os.. i think they would find a way to stop it through the use of software, ie push out a f/w that stops the blu-ray from causing shit, and still let us have our region free BD-ROM player..
    but what do we know? we just have to wait and see..

  21. Sounds like the article is siding with Geohot. I read online about how he thanks some one from brazil for giving his ps3 for geohot to hack. I can understand for some one to mod their hardware for personal gain but he got ahold of the software. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8478764.stm he talks about how the hack was 5% hardware 95% software. Correct me if im wrong but the License clearly states your not supposed to mod the Software.

  22. “A really bad move” im pretty sure sony was making a great move. First of all sony is making money off exclusive titles. Companies who trust that sony is gonna make money for them. Lets say Killzone 3 a title worked on by a small group of people. Every one just downloads the game for free. Sony starts losing exclusiveness to game developers. Sony loses money. OtherOs disabling problem? sounds like a money making problem to me

Leave a Reply to Kitsune Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.