News

Comment by: evnflow (Mar 31, 2010 08:45)

i thought that sony said earlier this month that they wouldn't drop support for the "otherOS ps3's"?

from ps3-hacks.com(earlier this month):
In a mailing list post from Geoff Levand, PS3-Linux maintainer, he says SCE management has provided this tidbit:

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.

Dolla Dolla Bill Ya'll

Comment by: Pop_Smith (Mar 31, 2010 16:16)

Originally posted by evnflow:

---

i thought that sony said earlier this month that they wouldn't drop support for the "otherOS ps3's"?

from ps3-hacks.com(earlier this month):

---

That's weird that Sony said that at the beginning of March and now is saying they are getting rid of OtherOS support with 3.21. Here is a link to that news article: Sony: Other OS won't be removed from non-Slim PS3's

Comment by: Gneiss1 (Apr 01, 2010 01:19)

Originally posted by molsen:

---

I think the security breach is from trying to mod this system.

---

Yes, that's always been expected and acceptable. The reason for selling you a product, then killing it is, at best, unclear. However, Apple and Linux users know that Sony is an 'unfriendly' company, unlike Panasonic: it has always offered elaborate software augments, which run only on Microsoft OSes; and Sony has grudgingly tossed in a primitive ISO protocol or format for Apple & GNU/Linux users.

Perhaps the security problem would be easier fixed if the Sony store didn't use Microsoft servers. Seriously, though, its the 'mods' of GNU/Linux (along with its 'price'& greater graphic support) that should be frightening Microsoft. Note the long report urging the U.S. (of all organizations) to encourage poor countries to teach students using ... closed source MS ... which should go over well.

All large organizations need the source code of their OS and applications, so they can modify them to their particular, exact needs. Such organizations would include corporations, government, and public education. If they use Microsoft, this is a problem.

Note that I've been paying Netflix monthly to stream movies even since it offered this service, but can't: I'd have to buy a MS computer, Xbox, or Sony Playstation for the DRM conversion (or buy a single-purpose electronic device, which opposes my philosophy). (Is this any less outrageous that the arbitrary removal of Linux from the PS3?) Why should I pay Microsoft for a movie being steamed to my home television? (Must ISPs still buy security certificates from MS to have their websites visible on .MSN?)

Administrators knows that Linux security is better than Microsoft's. (Because they case see the OS, they can harden the NSA-enhanced security*, if needed.) Although the reason for this arbitrary removal of Linux is unclear, Microsoft may be ordering its hardware minions to fall in line. In the past, Microsoft made its OS incompatible with popular applications; the only option left to it may be having its minions assuring their firmware & hardware remains incompatible with Linux. Even the word is disappearing from hardware sites (note 'other OS') in the 'optional' paragraph.

While MS attemps to 'kill off' free GNU/Linux with its 25,000 free, expert applications (with source code), lets hope the Sony executive who suggested Linux on the PS3 doesn't meet a similar fate. :-)

Just some thoughts.

*The NSA (like the CIA) certainly isn't going to run closed-source code on any of its machines, so they enhanced the security of the GNU/Linux on their supercomputers and, as suggested in the GPL license, offered their enhancements to everyone. (It's the default on the Fedora distribution.)

Comment by: bmlshane (Apr 01, 2010 04:23)

Shades of 1984! Big Brother doesn't trust you, he needs to know what you are up to. M$ falls in line Sony falls in line, we get shafted, just like in an
Animal Farm, we know what is good for you, Yet Big Brother wants to keep his Secrets from you. Control the sources, plug your own propaganda, and remove the threat of free thinkers and other dangerous radicals who want to control their own lives.

Comment by: xnonsuchx (Apr 01, 2010 07:13)

Originally posted by evnflow:

---

i thought that sony said earlier this month that they wouldn't drop support for the "otherOS ps3's"?

from ps3-hacks.com(earlier this month):
In a mailing list post from Geoff Levand, PS3-Linux maintainer, he says SCE management has provided this tidbit:

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.

---

That quote is actually from LAST YEAR when it was revealed "Other OS" wouldn't be on the Slim, RE-reported earlier this month.

Comment by: Gneiss1 (Apr 01, 2010 08:44)

Originally posted by bmlshane:

---

Shades of 1984!

---

Orwell as prophet: After buying Unix source code from AT&T, then selling the binary as Xenix, MS learns about OS shells. Later, having borrowed a Basic interpreter from Dartmouth College, MS is asked to create a CP/M clone for IBM. It sells 86-DOS, newly purchased for this purpose, to IBM and throws in its Basic interpreter. Then, with the help of graphic code from Apple and suggestions from IBM, MS produces what it had promised IBM as a graphical shell around MS-DOG: MS Windows.

In 1984, while IBM is still comatose, Microsoft becomes sentient. It learns to sue for violation of intellectual property rights. It continues to buy source code. (Well, buy may not be the right word.) Its announced purpose: a $300 copy of unreadable binary in every home, on every desk. It creates a little hologram to insure every student in Southeast Asia and India coughs up the US$ 300. Year 1984 on the Gregorian calendar.

Comment by: core2kid (Apr 01, 2010 15:29)

One of the selling points of the PS3 was Linux. I figured out later that it wasn't as good as I thought and the lack of a bootloader was really annoying but still, I'd like to have it for the future. I'm not updating.

Comment by: daveytrac (Apr 01, 2010 16:00)

thx you have been really helpfull!

Comment by: core2kid (Apr 01, 2010 16:18)

Originally posted by daveytrac:

---

thx you have been really helpfull!

---

Was that to me?

Comment by: Mr-Movies (Apr 01, 2010 17:51)

Originally posted by Gneiss1:

---

Originally posted by bmlshane:

---

Shades of 1984!

---

Orwell as prophet: After buying Unix source code from AT&T, then selling the binary as Xenix, MS learns about OS shells. Later, having borrowed a Basic interpreter from Dartmouth College, MS is asked to create a CP/M clone for IBM. It sells 86-DOS, newly purchased for this purpose, to IBM and throws in its Basic interpreter. Then, with the help of graphic code from Apple and suggestions from IBM, MS produces what it had promised IBM as a graphical shell around MS-DOG: MS Windows.

In 1984, while IBM is still comatose, Microsoft becomes sentient. It learns to sue for violation of intellectual property rights. It continues to buy source code. (Well, buy may not be the right word.) Its announced purpose: a $300 copy of unreadable binary in every home, on every desk. It creates a little hologram to insure every student in Southeast Asia and India coughs up the US$ 300. Year 1984 on the Gregorian calendar.

---

Actually Graphics code came from Xerox as did the original networking code both Job's & Gates were together when that happened and both have robbed from many companies. If in 84' or 07' MS steals UI code from Apple so be it they are both crooks it is poetic justice.

The reference to 1984 was in my opinion to the book and not a literial year, at least that is the way I would see it with other references to security issues.

I would think this is not a Fools hoax as PS3 has been moving this direction since they found that having the OtherOS option is a security hole, so from their stance it is a no brainer, plug the hole.

Comment by: WierdName (Apr 01, 2010 18:42)

By the way, skimming through here I didn't see if it was a joke or not. To anyone curious, go to the source: link
It specifically says otherOS is "deleted."

EDIT- Well this sucks! The call of online is heard but the enticement of CFW is even louder...
I wonder how writing homebrew would go. Being a different architecture, I wonder if one has to make their programs use several threads to work effectively with the processor. Hmm, I think I might wait.

Comment by: Gneiss1 (Apr 01, 2010 21:11)

Originally posted by Mr-Movies:

---

The reference to 1984 was in my opinion to the book and not a literal year, at least that is the way I would see it with other references to security issues.

---

Literal year, I think. MS claims 1983, but I remember reading of it on a plane in 1985; so I chose 1984. (Its history I skimmed, but I believe MS earlier obtained Apple's source code to write MS Word for the Mac about this time.) Apple has always stuck to the old model of offering an OS with its computers, so I don't see it as Orwellian. The recent attempts to squash the little 'open source' OSes is, to me at least, amazingly Orwellian. :-) Only one thing could leave the world with a single OS:

Hardware companies differ greatly in their cooperation with Linux. Examining AfterDawn's recent news, I can't rule out 'suddenly unwelcome' as a possible reason.

Comment by: nyurbiz (Apr 01, 2010 21:42)

@bmishane, you should have been boycotting edited for content by moderator Sony way before you
bought a ps3.

Comment by: el_golfo (Apr 02, 2010 09:46)

any who.... lol, no seriously that blows, i WAS going to buy MVC2 off the PSN store but i just havent now i hear this and i dont even wanna touch my ps3 :( i LOVE her, shes my friend and we play games together. WHY would any one want to take a childs laughter away like that? WHY?! i ask you! but on the other hand i HAVE been looking at some slims and REALLY thinking about buying one.... too bad im poor and i have to wait :( maybe with the money i get back from the lawsuit i can buy TWO slims, keep my old fatty, have a OS on my fatty AND play games just the same in either one of my hotties :D

Comment by: jambo130 (Apr 02, 2010 15:16)

I am a bit annoyed about this because this was the reason i got my ps3 and now they have taken it was

Comment by: Jemborg (Apr 02, 2010 16:28)

Originally posted by jerred121:

---

just waiting for the mindless, cue-card, xbox fanboy comments...

---

And your useful comment is... ?

Its a lot easier being righteous than right.

Comment by: WierdName (Apr 02, 2010 19:21)

Still no word from mister spot-light. Then again, it's not like he's going to do it overnight. Either way, I think I might just go ahead and update because, a) I don't use the feature because the hardware access is so limited it borders on the same resources as my ~15 year old desktop, and b) I think I would rather wait for any CFW to become stable enough before I actual use it. It would be really cool if I could actually write my own plugins and whatnot for my PS3, but I don't want to jump in head-first and brick my $400 piece of hardware. Sure I could maybe recover it, but I would have to open it up and directly connect it to my computer. Not to mention I don't know enough and would have to wait for someone, if anyone does, to make a piece of software that will write the firmware. At this point I'm rambling though, and the point is just that I guess I can sacrifice this feature in order to play my games for now. But I'm anticipating the ability to do my own code for my PS3. I don't anticipate the influx of people using someone else' written plugin to cheat online though...

Comment by: DXR88 (Apr 02, 2010 22:35)

Originally posted by WierdName:

---

Still no word from mister spot-light. Then again, it's not like he's going to do it overnight. Either way, I think I might just go ahead and update because, a) I don't use the feature because the hardware access is so limited it borders on the same resources as my ~15 year old desktop, and b) I think I would rather wait for any CFW to become stable enough before I actual use it. It would be really cool if I could actually write my own plugins and whatnot for my PS3, but I don't want to jump in head-first and brick my $400 piece of hardware. Sure I could maybe recover it, but I would have to open it up and directly connect it to my computer. Not to mention I don't know enough and would have to wait for someone, if anyone does, to make a piece of software that will write the firmware. At this point I'm rambling though, and the point is just that I guess I can sacrifice this feature in order to play my games for now. But I'm anticipating the ability to do my own code for my PS3. I don't anticipate the influx of people using someone else' written plugin to cheat online though...

---

that's exactly what they want. for you to take it up the ass, and say well i never use it. it not about that there taking away a selling point an advertised point.to think i was going to fork out another 100 dollars for nothing. its absurd not to mentioned horrible, sometime illegal.

Example your buying a new car you see 2 of the same cars one has a V8 with power windows the other one has a V-6 with no power windows. how would you like it if after paying the car off they come and take your power windows out saying it was a security risk and left you with no windows at all.

Powered By

Comment by: WierdName (Apr 02, 2010 23:35)

Originally posted by DXR88:

---

Originally posted by WierdName:

---

Still no word from mister spot-light. Then again, it's not like he's going to do it overnight. Either way, I think I might just go ahead and update because, a) I don't use the feature because the hardware access is so limited it borders on the same resources as my ~15 year old desktop, and b) I think I would rather wait for any CFW to become stable enough before I actual use it. It would be really cool if I could actually write my own plugins and whatnot for my PS3, but I don't want to jump in head-first and brick my $400 piece of hardware. Sure I could maybe recover it, but I would have to open it up and directly connect it to my computer. Not to mention I don't know enough and would have to wait for someone, if anyone does, to make a piece of software that will write the firmware. At this point I'm rambling though, and the point is just that I guess I can sacrifice this feature in order to play my games for now. But I'm anticipating the ability to do my own code for my PS3. I don't anticipate the influx of people using someone else' written plugin to cheat online though...

---

that's exactly what they want. for you to take it up the ass, and say well i never use it. it not about that there taking away a selling point an advertised point.to think i was going to fork out another 100 dollars for nothing. its absurd not to mentioned horrible, sometime illegal.

Example your buying a new car you see 2 of the same cars one has a V8 with power windows the other one has a V-6 with no power windows. how would you like it if after paying the car off they come and take your power windows out saying it was a security risk and left you with no windows at all.

---

I completely understand what you're saying and I don't in any way condone Sony taking away the functionality that is, I'm pretty sure, listed on my PS3's packaging in the other room. However, I don't use that functionality so I can sacrifice it for now to actually use the console for online and whatnot. I do anticipate saying 'good-bye' to the official FW and 'hi' to the more user friendly custom FW. They're taking away functionality post-purchase that was promised pre-purchase. That's not cool. But in this particular case of what functionality it is, I can (grudgingly) handle 'up'dating the firmware. Though I can understand the logic on their part for doing this, it was pretty stupid considering now they pushed someone to hack it who is evidently quite capable to.

Comment by: bmlshane (Apr 04, 2010 09:06)

Originally posted by nyurbiz:

---

@bmishane, you should have been boycotting edited for content by moderator Sony way before you
bought a ps3.

---

Well, I bought one of the First PS3's, because of Blu-ray, could play some PS2 games, and having the OS capability. I built my first computer, yes, a kit form, but I bought separate components to upgrade during the build. It had Basic, and not M$ basic.I learnt a few programming languages as well. At that time, $ony wasn't such an unfriendly company, had many of their goods because of quality, but know they farm everything to lowest component maker and assembler bids. The quality isn't there now, and they have become involved in more things, and are only interested in profit. I now avoid $ony goods.I hope that makes my position clear. Why the attack that had to have a moderator edit it?

Comment by: ititoko (Apr 05, 2010 18:50)

Sony's move is questionable at best. I've been in touch with someone from the EFF, and they don't intend to engage in this fight directly for 'complicated strategic reasons'. However, they may be able to provide support in other ways for people affected by this stunt.

We just need to organize...

Comment by: core2kid (Apr 05, 2010 22:33)

For all of you upset that you lost the feature, check this out. You can still play online without updating. It's working fine for me.

First workaround, provided by Aaron on rvlution.net is a very easy hack to access and sign into PSN, without upgrading PS3 to firmware version 3.21. All the “old” PS3 owners (such as those on firmware 3.15) should do is to customize the network settings from XMB (XrossMediaBar). Under the option for DNS name-servers, select Custom, and enter the following IP address as the Primary DNS:

67.202.81.137

This is the website with the info:
http://www.mydigitallife.info/2010/04/05...de-for-otheros/

Comment by: Jemborg (Apr 05, 2010 22:36)

Originally posted by core2kid:

---

For all of you upset that you lost the feature, check this out. You can still play online without updating. It's working fine for me.

First workaround, provided by Aaron on rvlution.net is a very easy hack to access and sign into PSN, without upgrading PS3 to firmware version 3.21. All the “old” PS3 owners (such as those on firmware 3.15) should do is to customize the network settings from XMB (XrossMediaBar). Under the option for DNS name-servers, select Custom, and enter the following IP address as the Primary DNS:

67.202.81.137

This is the website with the info:
http://www.mydigitallife.info/2010/04/05...de-for-otheros/

---

Excellent work Core2kid

Its a lot easier being righteous than right.

Comment by: core2kid (Apr 05, 2010 22:39)

Thanks and btw, be sure to disconnect from online and power on the system (If wireless, quickly go to where it says "signing in" and click it; if wired unplug) and then go to network settings and change the settings. I don't know if it makes a difference but that's what I did.

Comment by: jnoll (Apr 22, 2010 18:36)

Please contact Jerome Noll at (914) 517-5000 to join a class action lawsuit against Sony.