PS3 Linux Support Severed by Firmware Update
Sony have announced that through the most recent 3.21 firmware update, PS3 models predating the Slim revision will lose native support for running alternative operating systems. Citing “security concerns”, the press release, as ever, casts the feature’s absence with a sugar coating, claiming that it “will help ensure that PS3 owners will continue to have access to the broad range of gaming and entertainment content from SCE and its content partners on a more secure system”. Hobbyists previously were able to install Linux as an alternative to Sony’s XMB, running basic applications and software without serious issue.
While Sony are no doubt rattled after the PS3 was allegedly cracked by iPhone hacker George Hotz, it’s upsetting for any users who did genuinely appreciate the option of installing a third party operating system to find that a firmware update actually removes existing features. However, as many continue to play Unchartered 2 and Heavy Rain oblivious to Sony’s coming April 1st omission, some may argue as to the real significance of a largely unused feature being dropped, when it’s already absent in a current and widespread hardware revision.
Via: Joystiq
News Tags: firmware, Linux, Piracy, PS3, Sony
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Big far meh. I had an urge to do it once, but I really can’t be bothered and frankly I don’t see the point of it. If I had designed the system I would have not included this feature.
The only people this effects are the people doing cool things with the console. Backwards step Sony.
@wardrox: Didn’t a branch of the US military buy a couple of hundred PS3s for supercomputing? I wonder how this will affect them, I presume they have modded them significantly.
@gcndavidmn: quite a few research people have PS3s (when they came out they were rather cheap compared to alternative Cell based computers). I assume now they’ll either not upgrade the firmware, or have moved on to a more powerful super computer.
I can understand why they’re doing it, but I’d rather they not get rid of it. However, I’ve had my PS3 since not long after launch and I’ve yet to install Linux, so I probably never would anyway.