Linked by Thom Holwerda on Fri 6th May 2011 22:41 UTC
"It all began when a young man named George Hotz began to work on the PlayStation 3, trying to gain access to the machine in a way that made Sony uncomfortable. In response, Sony removed the OtherOS functionality of the PlayStation 3 in a mandatory update, and the hacking community was not happy with this decision, resulting in a sort of cold war. PS3 hackers have once again gained the upper hand: Linux has been returned to the PlayStation 3."
Thread beginning with comment 472092
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
Member since:2010-05-16
I used to think those console hacks were great but when we come down to it, it's really just hacking for the sake of hacking.
As it was already written:
Cell is still one of the cheapest multicore processors around, and an even better deal when you consider that it also comes with a bluray player.
You show me where I can buy an eight core computer with a bluray player for under $500.
You show me where I can buy an eight core computer with a bluray player for under $500.
And see what US Air Force do, for example:
http://www.physorg.com/news/2010-12-air-playstation-3s-supercompute...
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/345642/Air_Force_Taps_PlaySt...
http://www.google.es/search?hl=es&q=us%20air%20force%20...
RE[2]: Wonderfully uninformed
by WorknMan on Sat 7th May 2011 00:19
in reply to "RE: Wonderfully uninformed"
Member since:2005-11-13
You show me where I can buy an eight core computer with a bluray player for under $500.
Not to mention an HDMI port, a GPU you can actually play modern games on, and a form factor that fits nicely in an entertainment center.
Note: This is not a rhetorical question. I would love to get a PS3, but I don't want to jump through hoops to fully unlock it. But if I could get a real HTPC with comparable specs for about the same price, I would.
Edited 2011-05-07 00:20 UTC
RE[2]: Wonderfully uninformed
by moondevil on Sat 7th May 2011 01:45
in reply to "RE: Wonderfully uninformed"
Member since:2005-07-08
Member since:2006-01-26
I guess putting linux on the PS3 is like climbing a high mountain. You put a lot of effort into it and you're really happy once you're on top but then all you can do is sit for a minute, take a picture and come back down.
And then you can download homebrew games, emulators, etc. and actually *use* the hardware you bought for lots of other things that Sony didn't let you do to begin with.
My mod'd original XBOX can do all sorts of neat-o things, including play a DVD, watch countless videos and listen to my entire music collection off the NAS in my office. It also happens to emulate just about any retro console I would want it to.
Edit: Oh, and the console was free, modchip was < $50
Edited 2011-05-07 00:12 UTC
Member since:2007-09-22
I think security research is important, like when they attacked the MD5-hash of a SSL/TLS Certificate Authority Root Certificate and created a rogue certificate:
http://lwn.net/Articles/314997/
Member since:2005-06-29
Member since:2007-03-26
I used to think those console hacks were great but when we come down to it, it's really just hacking for the sake of hacking. I mean, who will jump through all the hoops just to run linux on a PS3 as their everyday box?
With the variety that today's PCs offer in performance and form factor, it's become so easy to find something that fits one's needs. It's also easier to get drivers for such hardware and get on with your productive day.
I guess putting linux on the PS3 is like climbing a high mountain. You put a lot of effort into it and you're really happy once you're on top but then all you can do is sit for a minute, take a picture and come back down.
With the variety that today's PCs offer in performance and form factor, it's become so easy to find something that fits one's needs. It's also easier to get drivers for such hardware and get on with your productive day.
I guess putting linux on the PS3 is like climbing a high mountain. You put a lot of effort into it and you're really happy once you're on top but then all you can do is sit for a minute, take a picture and come back down.
If this was a new console that was hacked, then I might agree with you that it's a largely pointless exercises that's engaged for purely hobbiest (is that a word?) reasons.
However the PS3 did previously support Linux and Sony forcefully removed that feature post sale. So in reality all these hackers are do is returned advertised features to a devices that a purchased with it.
It really is a sad state of affairs when you have to hack a device just to retain functionality, let alone enhance it.
RE[2]: Wonderfully useless
by WereCatf on Sat 7th May 2011 13:45
in reply to "RE: Wonderfully useless"
Member since:2006-02-15
Member since:2005-08-09
Member since:2011-01-28
Ventajou,
It may be useless to you, but so what? Instead of building a large server out of bulky consumer components, we can re-provision something which is compact and more suitable.
If people can benefit from homebrew software when devices aren't locked down by the manufacturer, who are you to tell them it's useless?
Hacks can extend the functionality, productivity, and lifetime of devices. Consider how much interest there is in custom firmwares for routers and nas devices.
Features
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 05/20/13 11:29 UTC
The day has finally come! Jolla has finally announced the launch device for its Sailfish operating system - and by god this is a looker. It's decidedly different from other phones out there, but it has good specifications and carries a relatively reasonably price tag - EUR 399, and it's up for pre-order today, shipping in the fourth quarter of this year.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 05/18/13 21:33 UTC
Why does Google get so much credit in the technology industry? Why, despite the company's many obvious failings, do many geeks and enthusiasts still hold a somewhat positive view on the all-knowing technology giant? A specific talk at Google I/O this week provides the answer.
Linked by David Adams on 05/16/13 4:23 UTC
OSNews is a sponsor of this year's O'Reilly OSCON in Portland, Oregon, USA. A lucky OSNews reader will win a free three-day pass, including two tutorials days. To win the pass, post a comment on this story saying something about Open Source Software or OSCON. We'll pick a winner at random next week. If you don't have an OSNews account, you may email us your entry. Part of the conference is the 9th annual Open Source Awards, and today the 16th is the deadline for nominations. If you'd like to nominate an outstanding open source contributor, do it here. Read on for more information about OSCON. Update: The 20% discount code for OSNews readers is "OSN."
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 05/11/13 21:41 UTC
"Windows is indeed slower than other operating systems in many scenarios, and the gap is worsening." That's one way to start an insider explanation of why Windows' performance isn't up to snuff. Written by someone who actually contributes code to the Windows NT kernel, the comment on Hacker News, later deleted but reposted with permission on Marc Bevand's blog, paints a very dreary picture of the state of Windows development. The root issue? Think of how Linux is developed, and you'll know the answer.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 05/08/13 14:22 UTC
This is one of those news items that's fun to write, fun to read, fun to comment on, and where no one will be able to say anything unkind. It's all just one big ball of awesome fluffiness. TuneTracker, the BeOS radio automation software, has just released something very special: TuneTracker System 5, the first version designed entirely and specifically for Haiku. In fact, it actually includes Haiku in the software package. Better yet, TuneTracker also unveiled several system-in-a-box products - which have Haiku and TuneTracker pre-installed.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 05/02/13 15:28 UTC
Exactly twenty years ago, a document was published that played a huge role in establishing the web as we know it today. Twenty years later, and this simple and straightforward document is proof of an irrefutable fact: while closed technologies can change markets, open technologies can change the world.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 04/29/13 21:06 UTC
Oh multitasking. That staple of computing that got thrown out the window with many modern smartphones. We got some rudimentary thing in its place - but even as multitasking on phone and tablets improves, its user-visible side remains cumbersome. Windows 8 has a neat implementation, and now it's time Android follows in it footsteps.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 04/24/13 22:24 UTC
They're here! Whether that excites you or not remains to be seen, but the Galaxy S4, which will most likely become the best selling Android smartphone of the year by a huge margin, has been reviewed by all the major sites, and there's lots of interesting conclusions in there - although I think most of you will get the gist.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 04/18/13 11:21 UTC
Nokia has posted its quarterly results for the first quarter of 2013, and just like the quarters that came before, there's not a whole lot of good news in there. The rise in Lumia sales still can't even dream of making up for the sales drop in Symbian phones, and when broken down in versions, the sales figures for Windows Phone 8 Lumias in particular are very disappointing. In North America, Nokia is getting slaughtered.
Linked by Thom Holwerda on 04/16/13 9:29 UTC
The day has finally come: Google has started shipping Google Glass to the lucky few early adopters. Now that it's shipping, Google has also unveiled a lot more about the API and the specifications of the device itself. While the company had already given out substantial details at earlier occasions, there are still a few surprises here.More Features »
Sponsored Links
Member since:
2006-10-31
I used to think those console hacks were great but when we come down to it, it's really just hacking for the sake of hacking. I mean, who will jump through all the hoops just to run linux on a PS3 as their everyday box?
With the variety that today's PCs offer in performance and form factor, it's become so easy to find something that fits one's needs. It's also easier to get drivers for such hardware and get on with your productive day.
I guess putting linux on the PS3 is like climbing a high mountain. You put a lot of effort into it and you're really happy once you're on top but then all you can do is sit for a minute, take a picture and come back down.