![Exactly a week after the 3.21 PS3 firmware (which disabled the “OtherOS” feature) was release, GeoHot, the hacker behind the original reason why the feature was disabled in the first [...]](http://www.voidtrance.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/ps_no_linux-620x250.jpg "“OtherOS” restored on PS3′s running 3.21")
Exactly a week after the 3.21 PS3 firmware (which disabled the “OtherOS” feature) was release, GeoHot, the hacker behind the original reason why the feature was disabled in the first place, announced on his blog that he has restored it on a system running 3.21. He also has a video posted on YouTube showing off the feature available on the firmware.
One week! It took him one week to put something together!
I have read a lot of articles and comments on the topic since it hit the news and I can definitely see both sides of the coin.
I was extremely unhappy about what Sony did, most on principle (I don’t use the “OtherOS” feature and I don’t have one installed). I was very disappointed in Sony as a company for removing a feature that they advertised and used to help them sell the PS3. How would people feel if at some point your TV manufacturer “forced” a firmware update that disabled HD because you used it to watch copied movies? After all, you can still watch all your programs in digital SD.
On the other hand, I can also see the reason why Sony chose to do it. It is, after all, a business and it needs to protect its investment and profits, especially considering that the PS3 systems are subsidized by Sony in lieu of the chunk they get from every title sold.
I have to admit that I am a bit torn about these news. I am glad that someone had the guts to stand up to Sony and “take back” what they paid for, although, I am not entirely happy about the route they took. Continuing to hack on the PS3 is something that was going to go on regardless of what Sony did to stop it. However, going around and bringing back a feature that Sony explicitly wanted to remove is just asking for more trouble. We all know what that is going to be… an over-the-top, completely unwarranted, overly-draconian response. If this thing keeps going on for much longer, I won’t be surprised if they change the PS3 in such a way that a Sony technician would need to come to your house just to turn your PS3 on.
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