Sony to kill off PS3 Linux option on next firmware update | Hacker News Reader

Sony to kill off PS3 Linux option on next firmware update

platformnation.com

32 pointsanigbrowl29 comments

  > 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...

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.

Well in all fairness, you have the option not to upgrade to 3.21 if it really means that much to you. I think a lot of this is blowing in the wind. I'm sure most people don't even know that you can install Linux on the PS3. Plus the RAM limitation (256 mb) along with not having real access to the RSX makes me go eh.

I agree that companies shouldn't promise one thing and then two years later do something completely differently.

No, you DON'T have a choice; if you still want to play online/purchase games from the playstation store/play any new game published after this firmware release/use the chat functionality of the machine. Where is the "fairness"? I purchased the machine specifically because of the multi-function aspect, including being able to run Linux on it. I purchased the games I wished to play, both from the playstation store and retail. It was only 6 months ago that this was posted: "On Fri, 2009-08-21 at 09:58 -0700, geoffrey.levand at am.sony.com wrote: The feature of “Install Other OS” was removed from the new “Slim” PS3 model to focus on delivering games and other entertainment content. 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." Lying bastard japanese pricks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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.

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.

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.

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.

There's a difference between what they are doing now and the Ubisoft Mess. With Assassin's Creed they exerted effort to enforce DRM, with the PS3 they are just not making it easier for you to break DRM.

I wonder if they can somehow be persuaded to compromise - all future firmware updates limit the owner to running Sony's OS, but if you're prepared to forego the consumer goodies, they'll lift the hypervisor restrictions.

As a matter of act, with little or no marketing or other overheads, they could offer an open PS3 for a bit more than the consumer version (say $400), on the understanding that when you purchase it, you are not entitled to support for anything except physical hardware failure.

I'm really sad that PS3's potential as a general computing platform have not been properly realized. Of course that's partly Sony's own fault, but there has been much less interest than I expected even in the possibilities that were available. I thought the Cell offered a really interesting architecture and expected a surge of black-box applications. Oh well.

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.

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

http://geohotps3.blogspot.com/

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.)

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

..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?

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

People are using linux on clusters of PS3s for real work, so it is obviously practical in some scenarios.

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

Ah that's right. I meant the GPU.

One of the SPE's is reserved for the hypervisor, but this is true for games too. There's plenty of power left (the main CPU and 6 SPE's).

They already have to hunt down specific models, as the PS3 Slim doesn’t have this functionality.

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

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.

Of course game companies have devkits. I'm talking about programmers getting their feet wet before working for a game company.

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.

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.

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.

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

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. :(

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.

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