Why Other OS Isn’t Worth Bringing Back (Much Less Stealing Credit Cards Over)

Warp Zoned writes:

"As the PlayStation Network is set to recover from the worst outage in the history of the service, there’s been a lot of talk about the feature this whole debacle started over. In the early days, one of the distinctive features Sony touted of the PlayStation 3 was its Other OS option, the ability to install operating systems such as Linux on your system. With the advent of the PS3 Slim, Sony removed this functionality, setting off a terrible chain reaction. First, the homebrew community managed to bring it back, which almost immediately opened the floodgates for hackers to destroy public matches on the PlayStation Network. Thereafter, Sony pursued litigation against modders looking to jailbreak PS3s, which led hacking groups like Anonymous to launch even more attacks on the PSN. It’s a complicated debate with valid points on both sides, but there’s no end in sight for gamers who have been written off as “collateral damage” by Anonymous. Given how few people actually ran Linux on PS3, it seems most don’t know what the feature they’re arguing about actually did. This installment of the G-Spot chronicles this ultimate irony: that one of the most lamentedly lost features on the PlayStation 3 wasn’t even worth keeping around to begin with."

[Warprincess116]

Omg that was a great read. Basically Linux on the ps3 was horrible. If all of that is true, it really useless. So now I'm starting to think that people complaining about other os are either trolls or you don't have a working PC because Im really not seeing any other reason why you would be using this. If you disagree with me, then please list your reasons why because me and most of the people on N4G really would like to know.

[thereapersson]

Most people complained because they lost something. People have a way of making a stink over something they lose, even if they never use it. I've always said that, while it was a nice option to have, Linux on the PS3 was always a half-baked experience. You can build a PC as cheap or cheaper than the PS3 and make a good Linux box out of it. Unlike with Windows PC's or a Mac, in most cases you don't have to factor the cost of the OS into building your system when utilizing Linux.

It's funny how in the whole time OtherOS existed on the PS3, there really was nothing of significant importance done with it by the home user. Suddenly when Sony removes it, people come up with all these homebrew ideas and state all the "potential" PS3 Linux has. The companies that DID use Linux for something significant still have the opportunity to use Linux as they aren't using the PS3 for anything other than its computing power. That means no PSN, firmware upgrades, etc.

Excuses, excuses.

In fact the more I think about it, even BC wasn't as good as the PS2's version because the PS2 smooths out PS1 games better. It was nice to have BC in the PS3 because I liked not having to have my PS2 hooked up to my TV (less clutter), but the entire time I owned my fatty PS3 I never once got rid of my PS2.

[gamingdroid]

It was never about the feature, as minimal amount of people use it. The issue was that now it was set a precedent that is fine to remove features after a piece of hardware is sold.

Technically speaking, normal consumers didn't have a choice in the matter... That is not a future I would like for all products I buy that contain software.

Just about anything in the future will have some sort of software embedded.

[thereapersson]

Companies own the software you buy or utilize. It is the same with your OS in your computer. It's why you aren't allowed to install Windows on XXX number of computers unless you buy a corporate license. You read and sign a ToS / Licensing agreement before you use a piece of hardware with software pre-installed, or before you install software to your machine.

Yes, you have purchased the software, but in essence what you are really purchasing are the license rights to actually use the software at all. The PS3 is the same way. You can use the PS3 all you want for whatever purpose you want. But don't expect for a minute that Sony will let you use the PSN if you decide to mod the OS or hardware in any way that breaches the contract you enter into when you accept the Terms of Service.

[gamingdroid]

I don't expect Sony to allow me to connect to PSN after I modded my console either in software or hardware.

However, the issue is more akin to MS Windows allowing you to install iTunes, but later decide you can't install iTunes (OtherOS) or you loose the ability to install and use new software (PS3 games or Blu-Ray movies).

These two features are orthogonal and has nothing to do with each other. One day you might just find MS remove wireless internet on the Xbox 360 because it represents a security breach just like how Sony removed OtherOS on previously sold machines. If you prefer replace Xbox 360 with PS3.

You don't have an option, if your only two options are one of the two:

a) OtherOS

b) ability to play all new games and movies plus the ability to connect to PSN.

Takin a) your significantly screwed, selecting b) you are marginally screwd.

The more fair choice would have been:

a) OtherOS and ability to play all new games and movies

b) loss of OtherOS, but access to PSN and play new games and movies.

That is because PSN is a service and can be revoked at any time. OtherOS is a feature.

[sam2236]

@Warprincess:

"Omg that was a great read."
"If all of that is true, it really useless."

How could it be a 'great read' if you don't know what Linux is like on the PS3?!

HURRRRRRR!!!!

[Cajun Chicken]

I'm a 60GB EU owner and bravo, I don't miss other OS at all. All this is just a huge fight over not letting piracy happen.

[joeorc]

"Sony removed this functionality"

you cannot remove it if it never came pre-installed in the first place.

The end user Had to install Linux, the fact that Linux never came from Sony pre-installed should be people's first clue How can they take away something that never came pre-installed in the first place?

OH you mean the function inside the XMB?

which who owns the right's to the XMB on your PS3..you or Sony?

For that matter who owns the right's to the Copy of windows OS on your PC?

yea ...bingo there you go.

Sony did not out right strip out Linux from People's PS3...because Sony removed it out of the XMB that Sony own's the rights to. Before the slim came out on the Market, Sony removed "install other OS" out of the XMB. thus it never had it in the first place.

an thus Hotz an Other hackers complained about that?

as for the Playstation 3 phat. Once again Sony did not sell you a system with Linux pre-installed.

they had an update that removed not linux.

It removed "intall other os out of the XMB"

who own's the right's to Other OS FUNCTIONALITY BUTTON IN THE XMB..or for that matter WHO OWNS THE RIGHTS TO THE XMB?

people can claim you own the PS3 WHILE That is Quite true for the Hardware but not the Operating system on the Machines, that is How it is..you get a Licence to use it.

Hackers just chose to ignore the rule but it does not matter Sony never supported Open Source OS's anyway

right?

[Baccra]

Just because it wasn't useful to the author doesn't mean others saw it the same way. a lot of people found it useful for research and other areas where having a supercomputer would be useful/important.

And of course it was worth something, if it wasn't Sony wouldn't have gotten itself in this mess in the first place.
The fact that people were pissed off by having other OS taken from them proves its worth.

[joeorc]

"The fact that people were pissed off by having other OS taken from them proves its worth. "

How the hell was it taken from the Consumer?

I just proved my point..Linux Was never Sold to you pre-installed on the machine when you bought the PS3 in the first place.

the XMB had "install other OS" as an OPTION.

YOU AS THE END USER COULD Keep it but you were told if you updated the Firmware of the PS3 that function would be removed out of the XMB. once again the XMB belongs to Sony the enduser cannot claim ownership rights to the operating system of the PS3.

that goes for the Windows OS, IOS..

While OPEN SOURCE is less enforcing in that reguards, embedded systems such as the PS3 an Wii, an the Xbox360's OS's their GUI's belong to the companies that made it. you just get a licence to use it.

it's common sense

[InLaLaLand]

I thought the people that were pissed were the usual people that complain about the store updates. Although I never used it, I do feel for some legitimate users who used it.

I heard Graf was actually bringing back the Other OS (I'm not promoting or provoking hacking).

[Rocket Sauce]

Has any other console ever lost features over time?

[saumer]

Yes, Microsoft has turned off multiplayer servers for old games, Halo 2 for example. People bought the games and the console. By turning off the servers Microsoft took away the functionality for those games.

[sorceror171]

Wait - the author says, "Presumably in response to the lawsuits Sony has initiated in response to the custom firmwares allowing Other OS, the PlayStation Network is currently under siege by a group which has gone as far as taken our credit card information."

Is there even a shred of evidence that the credit-card-stealer(s) are in any way related to the people who were doing the DOS attacks? The article sure doesn't present any evidence...