It no longer does everything: no more Linux on PlayStation 3

Sony has decided that the ability to install Linux on PlayStation 3 hardware is just too risky, so its newest firmware update takes that option away... for all systems. The update is optional, of course, but you won't be able to go online or play upcoming games without it. Thanks, Sony!

<a href='http://meincmagazine.com/gaming/news/2010/03/it-no-longer-does-everything-no-more-linux-on-playstation-3.ars'>Read the whole story</a>

 

[codingpanic]

Is this legal?
I would think that a false advertising lawsuit could be filed?

I actually do run linux on my PS3, even if it's just to run my IRC client in a screen session to ssh to when I'm away from home/ generic research system (SPUs cracking password hashes... yay). This really pisses me off, if true.

 

[Aurich]

I really can't fathom why you would ever want to run Linux on your PS3 aside from the novelty factor. Am I missing something?

Edit: The above IRC example (and I lubs me some IRC) doesn't exactly sway me.

 

[maflynn]

I'm still scratching my head as to why you'd want to run Linux on a game console. I use my PS3 to play games not use linux.

 

[xwred1]

I have Linux on my PS3. And I play games on it. I nearly bought Just Cause 2 this weekend after playing the demo, after reading about it on Ars. I'm not sure what I will do now.

I'm pretty disappointed. I was glad to have an older fat PS3 with the Linux support and PS2 compatibility. Now my console is much less valuable to me. Maybe they will take away PS2 support in April 2011.

I really can't fathom why you would ever want to run Linux on your PS3 aside from the novelty factor. Am I missing something?

I mostly did it simply because I'm a Linux guy and enjoy putting it on other platforms. Legitimate reasons may be to learn Cell programming, to actually use the Cell for something, or simply to have a computer in a pinch. It would almost be a brilliant idea for a media center, except that Sony's Hypervisor blocks gpu access so video is actually very sluggish.

Running Linux on game consoles is mostly a geek endeavor, I suppose.

 

[amluto]

There are a lot of us. Let's all file FTC complaints and see if the FTC takes note. Mine's below, but you should customize it.

Sony's address is:

Sony Computer Entertainment America
919 East Hillsdale Boulevard
Foster City, CA 94404

---BEGIN FTC COMPLAINT---

Sony (as Sony Consumer Entertainment America, Inc.) sells, and has sold for several years, a popular device called the Playstation 3. Up until now, this device has two features of note:

1. It supports a feature called "Install Other OS." This allows users to install operating systems such as Linux on their Playstation 3, which many users use for scientific and other purposes.

2. It supports something called the PlayStation Network. This is an online network of gaming users and is critical to obtaining the full gaming experience advertised by Sony.

Yesterday, Sony announced (http://blog.us.playstation.com/2010/03/ ... 21-update/) that they were going to disable the "Install Other OS" feature on all PlayStation 3 units, even those already sold. Users can opt out of this disablement, but that will in turn disable PlayStation Network.

Sony claims that this is due to "security concerns." These security concerns are probably that Sony realized that "Install Other OS" might allow PS3 owners to bypass digital rights management restrictions. In other words, Sony is crippling an existing product to aid in preventing users from doing something that may hurt Sony's relationship with content developers. (Users attacking the Playstation 3 may or may not be legal, but that shouldn't matter here.)

I am not an expert in the relevant law, but it seems to me that a company should not be permitted to disable functionality of products already sold, especially when the reason that they disable that functionality is to prevent their users from doing something.

 

[Kani]

I really can't fathom why you would ever want to run Linux on your PS3 aside from the novelty factor. Am I missing something?

Edit: The above IRC example (and I lubs me some IRC) doesn't exactly sway me.

What about HPC applications? I gather some people use them for scientific research, granted they probably don't also use them for games so they can probably just avoid this new firmware.

Also, I guess I would just say "for the same reasons someone would run Linux anywhere." It, like any other modern console, is really just a computer, so there is no good reason why you can't use it like one other than the manufacturer's bizarre whims. If I had a PS3 I'd probably have Linux on it and use it as a HTPC.

 

[Manic Miner]

Is this removing the ability to use Linux installs already present?

I wouldn't really call this crippling. Technologies like CUDA have moved the game along since the Cell was first introduced and it looks pretty likely the Cell is a dead end.

 

[countcracula]

Maybe the "exploit" that GeoHot put out has something to do with this knee jerk feature kill

 

[ad5os]

IT ONLY DOES EVERYTHING*













*except Linux

 

[tomhut]

This is a really disappointing move on Sony's part, not only will thousands of end users suffer who rely on this every day but Im sure Sony's reputation will take an even bigger hit. I doubt this is entirely legal either, asking users to either give up the online features of the device (by not updating) or the ability to install another OS.

http://www.dontdowngrade.me

 

[countcracula]

@Manic Miner:

Yea it is crippling, like the article says - Old hardware included Install OS as a feature, while new slim hardware didn't tout that as a feature. This firmware update makes the old, fat PS3 just the same as the new slim ones. It's a feature kill.

 

[Manic Miner]

There are a lot of us. Let's all file FTC complaints and see if the FTC takes note. Mine's below, but you should customize it.

[SNIP]

This is pretty rich given the complaints on this site about organised protests against near nipple sights on TV programs. If people want to complain let them do it because they really give a shit.

Linux on the PS3 was always crippled by 256MB of RAM and terrible video performance anyway.

 

[Aurich]

I mostly did it simply because I'm a Linux guy and enjoy putting it on other platforms.

No offense intended, but in other words, no, there was no reason.

 

[Manic Miner]

@Manic Miner:

Yea it is crippling, like the article says - Old hardware included Install OS as a feature, while new slim hardware didn't tout that as a feature. This firmware update makes the old, fat PS3 just the same as the new slim ones. It's a feature kill.

Its only crippling in the sense they've removed a feature used by 0.001% of the user base. I was excited by the prospect of Linux on my PS3 until I used it. If you had used it you'd know it was crippled 3 years ago.

You can guarantee if the recently reported hack became easier to use that percentage would have been up to ridiculous levels.

 

[smitty825]

Sony seems to have a rather unique business model. Most manufactures attempt to improve their products as time goes on. However, Sony seems to be taking the opposite approach. The first to go was PS2 support, next they took away Linux on new systems, and now they are taking away Linux on existing systems... Anyone want to guess what's next? (I'm guessing they remove Emulation Support for existing customers...)

(Though, I suspect that they've found a bug inside their Hypervisor, which could be exploited to allow pirated content to work, and instead of trying to fix it, they are just removing the Hypervisor)

 

[dark-star]

I was seriously considering trying to find a 1st gen PS3 w/ BC on ebay so I could mess around and play older games as well as installing Linux. Guess that's not happening now. Not to mention I would have certainly bought 1st party PS3 titles along the way....too bad for you, Sony.

What about the Air Force that has thousands of these things running in clusters on Linux? Are they going to get a special dispensation from Sony, or do they just stop updating the firmware?

 

[boranin]

April 1, 2010

Linux or no linux, I'm looking forward to a follow up article.

 

[MJ the Prophet]

Well, we can always hope that the patent for a Cell-processor-based PS2 emulator Ars reported on a while ago gets into a firmware update some day. I know its not likely, but perhaps the manufacturer will giveth back. But I won't hold my breath.

 

[PVO]

I stopped caring and buying anything Sony quite a while ago. They've proven time and again they don't give a damn about their customers.

 

[Skripka]

BREAKING NEWS:

Sony continues to sell Crippleware.

 

[VedicHymn]

(Though, I suspect that they've found a bug inside their Hypervisor, which could be exploited to allow pirated content to work, and instead of trying to fix it, they are just removing the Hypervisor)

Actually, as someone mentioned above, that's pretty much what happened. Someone found some hypervisor bugs that allow full system access.

 

[Remco47]

I mostly did it simply because I'm a Linux guy and enjoy putting it on other platforms.

No offense intended, but in other words, no, there was no reason.

I'm sorry, but do you or Sony get to decide why I bought a PS3? Sony advertised that it would run Linux. If I want to run Linux on it, then Sony does not get to tell me I can't.

Oh yes, I can refrain from ever updating the device... Oh crap, my significant other just did it for me when popping in a new Bluray disc. There goes my Linux install.

 

[ad5os]

This is really only going to mainly effect moders and super computer clusters of PS3s but I am sure they just won't update their firmware anymore.

 

[mert]

I really can't fathom why you would ever want to run Linux on your PS3 aside from the novelty factor. Am I missing something?

Cell programming on-the-cheap. My work (DoD contractor) bought several of them to hone our Cell programming skills and develop algorithms for future embedded products.

 

[dagamer34]

I thought people were using Linux to rip Blu-ray movies (especially way back when it was the cheapest way to get a Bluray drive). Did Sony finally figure that one out?

 

[MoonShark]

So nobody has hacked the BIOS/firmware (whatever it uses) and installed NetBSD? That's surprising, especially given that the cell is capable hardware and has been put to use on distributed computing and other projects.

 

[Rollerdisco]

I don't have a PS3, but this makes me mad. A company should not be able to advertise a feature, to later change its mind and take that feature away. That is false advertisement and will probably turn into a lawsuit that Sony will just settle for millions. But thats what they get.

 

[mastershogo]

To add my two cents to some of the people here who can't fathom why someone would want to run Linux on the machine:

I am working on my Computer Engineering Master's degree. One of the things I really wanted to do was experiment in Cell programming. This is absolutely the only way to get a Cell for anything remotely close to "cheap". Unfortunately, I didn't actually manage to buy a PS3 until after the classes where I would have actually been able to integrate it into my work.

I actually know one person who is running a cluster of PS3s to do some heavy sim work. The Cell is actually quite powerful if you can fit your problem to the constraints of the Cell architecture, which at a hardware level really is somewhere between a CPU and a GPU. The Cell in the PS3 is certainly not the best way to use a Cell, but it certainly can be a starting point before jumping on other, more expensive solutions.

Now, I realize and agree that this isn't a market large enough to justify putting Linux support into the PS3. My problem, however, is that it was advertised and supported for a while, and now they are actually removing it. Why not just leave it there? I may never have actually used it myself to do research with (I actually bought it for the promise of GT5, which is a whole other story), but now I know, absolutely certainly, that I won't be using it. There is now practically no possibility that I will ever use a Cell unless the market for it changes. And, I truly fail to understand why they had to bother to remove it.

Whatever. The only real problem is that as time has gone on, Sony has lost more and more credibility with me. Where normally I have deep skepticism for a company, I don't believe anything Sony says at all.

 

[Thraxen]

Actually, as someone mentioned above, that's pretty much what happened. Someone found some hypervisor bugs that allow full system access.

Last I heard it had the potential to eventually allow full access, but the system was still mostly secure (i.e. no homebrew or pirated games were yet possible). So I think either Sony examined this hack and determined that there is the potential for further hacking or this is a knee jerk reaction on their part.

 

[gaosuGonglu]

Two things:
- This is a total dick-move by Sony.
- I freaking hate the "If it has a processor I must install Linux on it!!1one!1" mentality.

 

[obvio.capitao]

Microsoft can be successful with XBox because of their cash cows, Windows and Office. Those products are so profitable that Microsoft can afford to lose money until they succeed.

That's why Google decided to attack Microsoft's core business -- Windows and Office -- before Microsoft could attack back.

Sony should copy this page from Google's book, and invest in Linux gaming. That doesn't mean supporting Linux in the PS3, but putting resources into Linux itself, so people can use Linux, instead of Windows, to play games.

If people have one less reason to buy Windows, Microsoft will have less resources to support XBox.

 

[VideoGameTech]

Hope this is an April Fool's joke, but it isn't funny or outlandish, so probably not.

Sony once again with the false advertising. "It's fully backwards compatible with PS2 games!" Not anymore. "You can install Linux on it!" Not anymore. What next, take away the ability to play Blu-Ray movies because they found out it's taking away from sales of dedicated players? Anyone remember all the features they claimed when PS3 was first announced and went away? Dual HDMI out... twin gigabit adapters... Insert flashback to PSP Go...

 

[Newport]

You people are insane. Stop your bitching.

 

[Hinton]

Sony could choose to allow people to downgrade to the Linux firmware with the caveat that they'd loose access to their network.

But I guess they wont.

 

[Newport]

Hope this is an April Fool's joke, but it isn't funny or outlandish, so probably not.

Sony once again with the false advertising. "It's fully backwards compatible with PS2 games!" Not anymore. "You can install Linux on it!" Not anymore. What next, take away the ability to play Blu-Ray movies? because they found out it's taking away from sales of dedicated players? Anyone remember all the features they claimed when PS3 was first announced and went away? Dual HDMI out... twin gigabit adapters...

That's because people bitched about the price, and Sony, who desired to actually sell some systems removed that feature to help price reduction.

 

[Dave Cattran]

If someone has Linux installed on a console, and installs this "upgrade" does it then disable their existing installation, or does it just disable future installs? Either way, it sucks for the small minority of people for whom this is important, however one would be much worse than the other.

 

[WaggishWombat]

From: the Console manufacturers & software editors
To: their customers

Dear Minio ... errr, customer

You doesn't own your software, nor your hardware. We can remove features (Sony) when we want and even remotely make your system useless (Microsoft). We can also kill games be shutting down multiplayer servers (EA) and kill any content at will, selectively (Amazon) or by shutting down the DRM servers.
You cannot do anything against that, and you have no say on the process.
You have accepted DRMs and trusted platforms, you knowingly gave us you money, now you have to live with the consequences ... suckers.

Now, shut up and pay, it's your only right.

Love,

The Console manufacturers & software editors

 

[slimduck17]

so......did anybody else see the date for this patch in the article, or did you just start bashing and complaining on Sony?

It's not the best April Fools joke I've seen, that would have to go to Blizzard (and i so hated them for it) Oh Starcraft 2, you're just so far away. [ http://goo.gl/OX9L ]

But back to reality. I've never used Linux (or any "Other OS") on the PS3 before. The only reason I would do it would be to tinker and say "hey, I have Linux on my PS3".

Anyway, not sure if this is April Fool's joke or not.

 

[mstrcat]

I think there are some legal issues around this update. Sony's claim that it's voluntary fails, as there are severe economic penalties involved in not accepting the update. And if you accept the update, Sony has robbed you of significant functionality of your previously purchased equipment.

I'm inclined to take this to small claims court. I can probably win damages equal to a good portion of the games I've bought for the Sony. I think I'll structure my complaint for the costs of the games that I won't be able to play rather than the cost of the PS3, but the amounts are probably pretty similar.

I wonder if Sony would notice a wave of small claims judgements?