There have been many attacks on Sony on the lock down of the PS3. Basically, they are mad that Sony has locked down the system from hackers for the time being, and have removed the feature OtherOS for security reasons. While I find it unfair that the feature was removed in the first place, as it was a feature I used in the past, I still think Sony had the right to do so. Just because you own the system doesn’t mean its yours to modify.
Think of it this day, you can go out and buy a sports car, drive it on the roads all you like and its completely fine. However, the second you pop racing spec tires on the thing, it becomes illegal to drive it on the public roads. You can do whatever you want with it as long as you don’t go on public roads. Compare that to the PS3 situation, you can mod the PS3 all you want, but if you want to go on Sony’s network, you have to follow their rules.
This is something the group Anonymous doesn’t understand. Sony doesn’t care if you mod your PS3 at all, they won’t take any legal action as long as you’re the one doing the moding, and you aren’t trying to use their network. However, if someone were selling illegal upgrades for cars, the police would take action, much like how hackers have released illegal code for the PS3. Once again, yes you own the PS3, but if you want to use Sony’s network, you have to follow Sony’s rules, which in this case is no custom firmware and no OtherOS.
Yes it was wrong for Sony to remove OtherOS, yes they could have handled the situation better, but the fact of the matter is people are still getting it wrong. You own the console, but you don’t own the network.
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That Geohot swears up and down that he doesn't support piracy means jack because he doesn't have one application in the Linux otherOS to show for it. At every opportunity now he refutes any level of activity on PSN as an average user, to the point he swears to have no knowledge of Sony America, so that means the only reason he owned a PS3 was to open it to piracy.
That is true, and that is something that I don't think the hackers have picked up on. I think it's something they're too afraid to admit.
It's like this: As a musician I've suffered at the hands of people giving out my work for nothing yet never had an issue with people selling on the CD/LP/Singles it was recorded onto-in those cases I just feel I should have made a better record, one they wanted to keep. When we buy a CD, or a game for that matter, we know we don't OWN the IP on the disc, we don't own the rights to perform the songs etc. Same with a game-you can't reproduce, or claim as your own, the contents of a game disc. We all seem capable of grasping that and knowing where the lines are that we don't cross.
Sadly, we don't seem (all of us) capable of getting what the position s with a console-we own the physical box but NOT the software to run it or the network to run it on. As it results in piracy in every previous console case Sony have every right to expect it with PS3 and Hotz hasn't proven to me that he's any more fair minded than any other person who, plainly, enables theft.
Removing the Other OS(already removed from Slims anyway)might have annoyed people but the number moaning far beats out the number who EVER used it. I never have and as a PC is so much more easily modable and easily messed with-with better results-I never saw the point in PS3 homebrew scene at all. Had Hotz and Co not been so big mouthed and public with their claims etc then Sony might not have feared a repeat of the lost income from the PSP(how hackers helped us there!)and those wishing to tiker wth things might have been able to do so but not in this way, not a chance. We all have the agreements to read and all know the biggest thing about jailbreak etc was that people smelled free games. Not about liberties at all-I wish it were but it isn't, it just isn't.
If Geohot IS honest then he should blame everyone who uses hacks to steal devs property as they have-I don't see why people blame Sony for being protective after the monies they lost because of piracy on PS2 and PSP either.
It is the Sony hate that people try so hard to deny. All people want to see is Sony take a fall for this. Logic goes out the window. You can throw your PS3 in a shredder for all Sony cares but when you play you are using their resources. Their keys, their network, their codes, their copyrighted games and their rules. The PS3 is merely a tool to do so.
Illegal mods to a car is a good analogy. I might have a better one.
When you get a Driver's license, you agree to follow the rules of the road. If yo violate those rules, the state is within its rights to take away your license: your right to drive. Even though you still own your car.
It's the same with the ps3. You don't buy the software (OS or games) you buy a license to use it. When you buy that license, you agree to follow Sony's rules. If you break any of those rules, Sony has the right to suspend or even revoke your license. Even though you still own the ps3.
Hope that's a helpful illustration.