Gamereactor UK reports
Back when Sony and Microsoft revealed their seventh generation consoles, the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, they were in a war of who could shove the most bullet points onto their spec sheets.
That war [...] probably [...] played a part in the fact that you could install and run the Linux operating system on early models of the PS3.
Sony later removed the Linux option with a software update, as hackers had discovered that they could use it to circumvent anti-piracy functions on the console. But removing the Linux features--which Sony had advertised in the marketing of the console--pissed off a bunch of people.
Ars Technica continues
After six years of litigation, Sony is now agreeing to pay the price for its 2010 firmware update that removed support for the Linux operating system in the PlayStation 3.
Sony and lawyers representing as many as 10 million console owners reached the deal on [June 24]. Under the terms of the accord, (PDF) which has not been approved by a California federal judge yet, gamers are eligible to receive $55 if they used Linux on the console. The proposed settlement, which will be vetted by a judge next month, also provides $9 to each console owner that bought a PS3 based on Sony's claims about "Other OS" functionality.
[...] To get the $55, a gamer "must attest under oath to their purchase of the product and installation of Linux, provide proof of their purchase or serial number and PlayStation Network Sign-in ID, and submit some proof of their use of the Other OS functionality".
To get the $9, PS3 owners must submit a claim that, at the time they bought their console, they "knew about the Other OS, relied upon the Other OS functionality, and intended to use the Other OS functionality".
Previous:
PlayStation 4 Hacked to Run Linux
Sony BMG Rootkit Scandal: 10 Years Later
Related Stories
Hackers really have had their way with Sony over the past year, taking down its Playstation Network last Christmas Day and creating an international incident by exposing confidential data from Sony Pictures Entertainment in response to The Interview comedy about a planned assassination on North Korea's leader. Some say all this is karmic payback for what's become known as a seminal moment in malware history: Sony BMG sneaking rootkits into music CDs 10 years ago in the name of digital rights management. "In a sense, it was the first thing Sony did that made hackers love to hate them," says Bruce Schneier, CTO for incident response platform provider Resilient Systems in Cambridge, Mass.
Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer at F-Secure, the Helsinki-based security company that was an early critic of Sony's actions, adds: "Because of stunts like the music rootkit and suing Playstation jailbreakers and emulator makers, Sony is an easy company to hate for many. I guess one lesson here is that you really don't want to make yourself a target.
[...] Noted tech activist Cory Doctorow, writing for Boing Boing earlier this month, explains that some vendors had their reasons for not exposing the Sony rootkit right away. "Russinovich was not the first researcher to discover the Sony Rootkit, just the first researcher to blow the whistle on it. The other researchers were advised by their lawyers that any report on the rootkit would violate section 1201 of the DMCA, a 1998 law that prohibits removing 'copyright protection' software. The gap between discovery and reporting gave the infection a long time to spread."
[...] The non-profit Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) has been calling attention to the Sony BMG rootkit's 10th anniversary, urging the masses to "Make some noise and write about this fiasco" involving DRM. The FSFE, seeing DRM as an anti-competitive practice, refers to the words behind the acronym as digital restriction management rather than the more common digital rights management. In a blog post on FSFE's website, the group states: "Despite the fallout of Sony's rootkit experiment, 10 years later restrictions on users' personal property are more prevalent than ever. Restrictions are commonly found in legitimately purchased ebooks, video game hardware, and all manner of proprietary software. It has even found ways into our cars and coffee machines."
Liliputing reports
Hacker group fail0verflow recently showed off a PlayStation 4 running Linux[1] at the Console Hacking 2015 conference, marking the first time someone has managed to install a full-blown, desktop operating system on the game console.
Although others have tinkered with the PS4 in the past, including a Brazilian hacker group that used a Raspberry Pi to break into Sony's Orbis operating system, fail0verflow is the first group to successfully install a full version of Linux on the PS4.
Sony's flagship gaming console has had a tumultuous relationship with the DIY community. The third-generation PlayStation came stock with "OtherOS", which was a feature that allowed users to upload Linux to the operating system, which the company eventually removed.
The PS4 has been much less hacker-friendly in the 2 years since the console launched... at least until now. Fail0verflow took advantage of an exploit found by another hacker earlier this year, which allowed them to get around Sony's content protections.
They fiddled with a WebKit bug discovered by the programmer to trick the browser into freeing the processes from the core of the operating system. This hack essentially turns the PS4 into a fully operational PC.
[...] The group noted that some of the differences between the PS4 operating system and a PC are "crazy" and some are "batshit crazy". Oh, and the Marvell Tech engineers that designed the PS4's southbridge chip were "smoking some really good stuff".
[1] The nugget is an embedded video in an iframe, apparently. Link to the video
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday June 28 2016, @04:37PM
"some proof of their use of the Other OS functionality"
Sony's update destroyed the functionality? So - it's hard to "prove" that it was ever there, right? Is it necessary for me to show the tatters of a wrecked file system? What constitutes "proof"?
(Score: 2) by Scruffy Beard 2 on Tuesday June 28 2016, @05:06PM
My understanding is that the firmware update did not reclaim disk space used by the OtherOS feature.
Although, I have seen some comments on this story (forget where) saying they long sold the machine.
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Tuesday June 28 2016, @08:20PM
My understanding is that the PS3 on which I installed OtherOS functionality YLODed some time about a year after the 2010 update forced me to get rid of my OtherOS installation. Now, five years later, the lawyers set a burden of proof on the ex-owners so high as to be laughable.
Sony knows who owned PS3s during that time period, they have all of our CC information of file from their online store. Although they'll never admit it, they also have "maintenance data" from our consoles telling who installed OtherOS... Now, whether they managed to "lose" that data in the intervening 6 years....
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 2) by Bot on Tuesday June 28 2016, @07:00PM
Ask NSA for connection logs. 27.5$ to them, 27.5$ to you, which will eventually end up to them too once they look at your porn history.
Account abandoned.
(Score: 2) by Capt. Obvious on Tuesday June 28 2016, @09:38PM
I assume any online post, email to a friend, or even testimony from a friend that they saw it running Linux would be acceptable. A question on a message board while getting it working. Or bragging. Or actual stuff left behind on the PS3.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 28 2016, @04:39PM
If only we could make the government more like a corporation, where they too would actually be held liable for what they promise.
(Score: 2, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 28 2016, @07:14PM
If only we could make the government more like a corporation, where they too would actually be held liable for what they promise.
Yeah. We could set up something like a bi-annual job review where people could examine the promises politicians have made and then judge whether they should be allowed to continue their job or not. It's kind of complicated and it effects everybody, so the judges should probably be pretty much the entire adult population. And if the majority of those judges thought the politician was bad then they could cast a vote to cut them from the government, like on a reality TV show, and then select a replacement who could fix the previous bad laws and policies.
Hmm... but the more I think about it that is a bit slow. If there were a really big error, like crisis level, 2 years is too slow. There should also be some way to remove the person from office faster. Like if they were found guilty of a major crime, or to call the politican back from their post and be removed.
Meh... silly idea. I'm sure it would never catch on. Never mind. Carry on.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 28 2016, @10:48PM
Yeah . . . if only there were some way people could hold elected officials accountable. It wouldn't even have to be that complicated. Maybe just have them spend a half hour or so ever two years to go somewhere to register their feelings. I mean, really, who couldn't be bothered to give up such a small amount of time for such a noble purpose?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 28 2016, @04:42PM
submit some proof of their use of the Other OS functionality
How can you prove that you used the "other OS functionality" if they removed it? Do you happen to have a screen shot?
Is this an intentional obstacle to ensure very very few (or even no one) can claim their $55?
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 28 2016, @04:46PM
There will be logs and other shit left on the system to be able to identify a previous installation. Step by step guides will be coming on how to get your 55 dollarydoos. If you were running linux on your ps3 you are probably sharp enough to be able to follow a guide or figure it out.
(Score: 2) by JNCF on Tuesday June 28 2016, @06:28PM
Step by step guides will be coming on how to get your 55 dollarydoos. If you were running linux on your ps3 you are probably sharp enough to be able to follow a guide or figure it out.
Will Sony reimburse you for your time? If so, at what rate? Any unreimbursed requirement beyond a proof-of-purchase is asking the victims to bare the burden of proof even though Sony is the one that broke their promise (resulting in retroactive false advertising). I'm just pointing this out, assumptions about my general position based on this comment will probably be wrong.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 28 2016, @07:10PM
I am not aware of any company the will reimburse you for your time, you're lucky enough to get your money back. Also the value of time is relative.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 29 2016, @09:20AM
Will Sony reimburse you for your time? If so, at what rate?
I think they told you. If you can't be arsed to spend some time for $55, then I guess you value your time more.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 28 2016, @10:25PM
Not sure how I will get it. I formatted that drive LONG ago and replaced it with a bigger faster one.
I did have it installed. Just not sure I can prove it at all.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by physicsmajor on Tuesday June 28 2016, @04:59PM
I don't want a pittance. I want to be able to use the hardware I own in any manner I see fit.
Sony should be forced not only to compensate users, but also to restore the functionality they knowingly and maliciously destroyed.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Scruffy Beard 2 on Tuesday June 28 2016, @05:12PM
I refuse to buy any Sony products until they restore OtherOS on the PS3.. as a sign of good faith.
I was tempted to get a PS3 myself, but the fact that "OtherOS" was confined to a VM gave me pause. I did not expect my paranoia to be proven correct.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by edIII on Tuesday June 28 2016, @09:24PM
I've gone a little bit further than that.
- I refuse to buy anything that has blobs/binaries, where I am also trying to implement *base* security.
- I refuse to buy anything in which peaceful enjoyment is impossible, via mass surveillance, or co-ownership of my digital libraries.
- I refuse to buy anything that is really a surveillance device in disguise allowing the corporation to see me at all times and profit from it.
- I refuse to buy anything that is nothing more than a glorified targeted marketing platform.
- I refuse to buy anything where my purchase itself is not respected, the first sale doctrine is thrown out the window, and the corporation uses it resources for political/regulatory capture.
So far the above precludes all interactions with Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Sony, and Steam. Video games, on a console at least, are just something from my youth that were destroyed by greed and control.
There is only a single place left where I can game in true freedom. The PC, and specifically Linux.
Technically, lunchtime is at any moment. It's just a wave function.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by The Mighty Buzzard on Wednesday June 29 2016, @12:57AM
So you won't be using Intel or AMD processors made later than say four years ago anymore then either eh?
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 1) by nastufa on Wednesday June 29 2016, @06:24AM
On a semi-related note; this past Christmas I purchased a Kuerig Kold as a present. Kuerig is discontinuing the production of pods for the Kold, and have offered a full refund. Receipt and serial number is all that is required. Some companies still do good.
(Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 28 2016, @05:51PM
Here you go [rebug.me], just note that you have to have firmware 3.55 or less to install. If your console was released before 2011 or so then there are ways to downgrade it, but if it was released after that it won't support OFW 3.55 no matter what, meaning no CFW.
(Score: 2) by Adamsjas on Tuesday June 28 2016, @05:03PM
Some lady won $10,000 from a settlement with Microsoft for a forced Windows 10 upgrade the other day. It was an out of court settlement because Microsoft wanted to avoid legal fees - or so they said. As such it set no legal precedent.
This case does set a precedent. But the penalty was set too low, IMHO.
Still it should prevent anyone selling a general purpose computer with an unreasonable OS specific Lock in.
Which should put Microsoft in an uncomfortable situation.
And perhaps others?
- uefi only machines?
-some Macs?
-systemd ??
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 28 2016, @05:37PM
While proving that you ran Linux on your PS3 may or may not be difficult long after the fact in the future if anything like this happens people may consider this precedent and try to muster up a lot of proof ahead of time in the event that something like this happens.
Someone wrote
"There will be logs and other shit left on the system to be able to identify a previous installation. Step by step guides will be coming on how to get your 55 dollarydoos. If you were running linux on your ps3 you are probably sharp enough to be able to follow a guide or figure it out."
But someone could possibly write fake logs and Sony can claim that this proof isn't substantive enough because those logs could be fake?
Then again, for $55 it's probably not worth the headache. May not even be worth the headache of going through the procedure to prove that you did in fact have Linux even if you did. If you're smart enough to put Linux on your computer you probably have a decent job and the time it would take you to go through this potentially long procedure and prove it to Sony isn't worth the $55 you would make.
(Score: 2) by tangomargarine on Tuesday June 28 2016, @05:52PM
If you're smart enough to put Linux on your computer you probably have a decent job and the time it would take you to go through this potentially long procedure and prove it to Sony isn't worth the $55 you would make.
It isn't about being worth it to us, it's about punishing Sony for what they did.
"Is that really true?" "I just spent the last hour telling you to think for yourself! Didn't you hear anything I said?"
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 28 2016, @10:55PM
That is unreasonable. They got in trouble because they advertised it capable of running Linux, then took away that capability after people bought it. That is reasonable. What wouldn't be reasonable is if they never advertised it and then took that capability away. It isn't for you to decide what their product should or shouldn't be capable of then punishing them for not living up to your expectations.
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Wednesday June 29 2016, @12:58AM
It wasn't a settlement from what I read, just a flat win that MS chose not to appeal.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 2, Funny) by Bot on Tuesday June 28 2016, @05:06PM
Don't forget to pay your $55 damage fee, you c?ck-smoking teabaggers!
Account abandoned.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 28 2016, @06:34PM
"Spent 800 dollars for a launch PS3 so you could install Linux on it? Well sony owes you 55 bucks, if you can prove it."
Well, I guess the US Government will be getting a hefty $110k back from where it bought 2000 PS3s so it could use Linux to create a "cheap" supercomputer. Of course it cost taxpayers 1.6 million for them to buy them originally.
For the rest of us, I doubt anyone kept receipts, still have the old PS3 phats that died years ago, etc, to be able to prove they're eligible.
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 28 2016, @06:42PM
No pithy dept. line. 8-( [soylentnews.org]
-- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 28 2016, @09:39PM
If you're going to delete the suggested dept. line, don't forget to insert something even more awesome.
-- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 28 2016, @10:50PM
Great. Thanks. How generous.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 29 2016, @07:06AM
There's nothing generous about a person (or corporation) being forced to pay (by a third party) for the damage they've done.