Next PS3 Firmware To Disable Linux Installs

I never used the Linux functionality but removing features from existing hardware does not make for good PR. So I guess now the PS3 can't do "everything" any longer?

No offense but a lot of you guys are missing the point. I don't care about Linux on my 1st generation PS3 either. But if this is no Aprils fools joke then Sony is taking away a feature I paid for. That means that companies like Sony, Nintendo or Microsoft could sell consoles with cool features to lure people in and later decide to remove them again. And we customer are the paying idiots and that's not on!

i know someone with Linux on his PS3, he going to be pissed.

This isn't cool. Not just because of the "they're removing features I paid for" argument, but because I was about to start coding a small game using SDL so I could start getting a grip on the Cell (it would have looked REALLY good on a resume).

I wanted to try it out but I still don't know what linux does.

"But if this is no Aprils fools joke then Sony is taking away a feature I paid for. That means that companies like Sony, Nintendo or Microsoft could sell consoles with cool features to lure people in and later decide to remove them again. And we customer are the paying idiots and that's not on!"

I installed Linux on my PS3 a week after I bought it and used it to play my old NES, SNES, Genesis, GBC, and GBA games, but that's about it. It'll suck when it's gone, but I'll live.

Although losing Linux isn't a big thing for me, I'm still sad to see Sony take a feature away in a firmware update. 
 
Seriously, it's not even a full version increase!

What will people do now without Linux?   

whatever happened to it being everything... Ken Kutaragi lied to me... AGAIN!

I guarantee you 50% of the people here complaining are Xbox fanboys sounding concerned to bash sony for 5 minutes, regardless about the article, who cares out of 13 people I personally know to own and primarily use the ps3 a big HUGE 0 use the "Other OS" feature half of them were not even aware of it existing, the console was purchased for gaming, not installing a heavily limited linux on it to browse the web.....and play ps2 pirated "backups" because that's what people did and it is why I say they did the right thing before they started pirating ps3 games too, stop being cheap and go buy the game.

Thanks hacker assholes for ruining for the rest...
 
I mean that one guy.
 
That guy is really depressed right now.

Bummer that they are taking away features, but does anyone really care? I want to play games on my PS3, not dick around with nerd shit.  
 
Oh wait.

This sucks.  I was planning on buying a second PS3 (slim... for the extra HD space and bitstream HD audio) and using my old one as a DVR for OTA HDTV.
 
My PS2 has a 120GB HD in it and it boots PS2 games like twice as fast ;)

The lack of access to the RSX under linux made this feature a joke anyway, so whatever.

That official Playstation blog is so full of NEEEERD RAAAAGE it's goddamn hilarious. "I'LL FUCKING SUE SONY!"

HA! Geohot fucked PS3 lunix users. Good job bro.

I will say this, at least they could've have lied a bit and added the usual  "...this firmware improve system stability during use of some PlayStation 3 format software..." to make us feel as though the update did something more. Then again, people hate it when that kind of update appears and brings nothing tangibly useful for the player. 

The best reasons for installing Linux is for VLC, and Firefox.

Since the PS3 avi support is pretty good, it is really a functional browser that is the big draw. My friend does without a PC at home, and does everything he needs on Linux on the PS3.

I've been thinking about this for the past year, but I find it amusing how much people want to hate on the PS3 for such insignificant things (and don't kid yourself, removal of OtherOS support on the PS3 is insignificant. It effects such a pathetically small number of people, it's not even worth noticing). People acted like the PS3 was the most broken PoS in existence when the PS3 went down for 24 hours during that leap year fiasco. It went down for 24 hours... And people go apeshit on the PS3. 
Yet people seem to gloss over the fact that the 360 is one of the most busted piece of hardware in console history. They are constantly forgiving of the RRoD. Even going so far as to just go and buy a new 360. Hell, I even know some people that have went and bought a 3rd, and even 4th Xbox 360 because of the RRoD, and act like it's no big deal.
 
Fact of the matter is, the PS3 is a really tightly built, well supported, relatively problem free console. Don't try to act like it isn't... I think this attempt to bash the PS3 every time some minor irritation arises stems from the fact that the PS3 has a lot more hype surrounding it right now than the other consoles. The PS3 was the "winner" of 2009, hands down. So now the jealous fanboys are grabbing on to any, and every attempt they can find to knock it down a notch. 
 
It's sad really, because the PS3 doesn't deserve the vocal jabbing it gets over these tiny issues (if you can even call them "issues").

Kind of stupid to take features out, but oh well, linux is pretty gimped on the ps3, so I barely use my linux installation anyway, just never feel like formatting, I see people being pissed about this though.

" @Burns098356GX said:

" Does anybody actually use Linux on the PS3? Seems weird they claim its for a security concern, didn't they have somebody try to hack it but failed? "

Did you read the article? People have been trying to figure out how to access the full power of the PS3 and trying to dig through all their code and stuff. Its dangerous because this could potentially lead to the ability to pirate PS3 games, although realistically that will never be much of a concern. I doubt many people are willing to buy a blueray burner, a stack of empty bluerays (both of which are still retardedly expensive), and then downloading a PS3 game which can be upwards of 50GB. I very much doubt that would ever catch on, at least for the next few years or so =P Maybe when we get really hardcore internet and blueray becomes the new standard. "

That's what was said about CD and DVD aswell, but I remember when CD-R's were sold at about 5-6 euro (obviously we didn't have the euro back then yet) with a proper burner for about 250-300.

I can find Blu-Ray stuff for similar prices right now and let's face it, if you can burn these for 6 euro with a drive for 260, then you could just sell them for say 15 (that's still 1/4th of the normal price), so if you sell 30 games then you would be making a profit, not to mention that you got a burner.

Obviously to make it really popular it needs to be really cheap, like with DVD's right now, or even better with FW flashing on the PSP or various cards on the NDS.

Sooner or later the ps3 is gonna get hacked, Linux or no  Linux... I guess they're just trying to prolong that from happening as much as possible

Why would you install another OS.

Well, I just bought a couple of PS1 classics ahead of this update.  I'll be taking my PS3 offline now, so I won't be buying any new games for it, but on the other hand I'll be able to do all this stuff instead:   

If I were any good at changing things like that I would be a PC gamer but seriously I would have no idea how to do it or what it would do for me.

Lame.  They are removing a feature of the system because it might be used for piracy?  Great, glad to know that all the PS3 games I've bought make me a suspect, and the .01% chance of this exploit ever catching on outweigh any use by people who actually pay for things.   

Linux on PS3 was pretty terrible, but removing features seems kind of harsh.

THis is going to earn the ire of the Linux folks, but most won't be affected by this AT ALL.
 
Honestly, it was dumb of Sony to leave such a glaring hole in an otherwise rock-solid system in the first damned place.  After all, this is what the Linux community DOES!  Linux is, and has always been, at the heart of the "information wants to be free" anarchist movement that has advanced piracy.

Why does everyone care? If you want other OSes, use a computer. Use your console for gaming. Show of hands, how many of you actually ran Linux on your PS3?

damn I was so looking forward to these hacks :D after what happend with the psp I cant blame Sony

"@cspiffo said:

 Sony needs to learn from Apple.  They are the kings of hardware/software updates.

LOL, thanks that's the best laugh I've had all day!
Clearly you've forgotten the things that Apple has removed from their systems without caring about user backlash:

• Floppy drives

• Firewire ports (they backpedaled)

• PowerPC chips

• Software support for PowerPC applications on Intel chips
  

• Software support for Intel applications not compiled in the current OSX version 
  (I have 10.5 and 10.6 systems, and many 10.4 and 10.5 apps will not work in Snow Leopard)
• The external iSight camera
• All of the open and proprietary video-out ports, before the current proprietary one
  
• Lots I don't remember because it didn't affect me personally
  

 
Apple is the king of not letting backwards compatibility slow them down. They are in LOCKSTEP with Sony.  As my bio says, my first computer was an Apple ][+. I've watched it happen for 25 years. "

It's my understanding that the feature kind of sucked anyway. The PlayStation 3 is not the platform to be running Linux operating systems on.

Nope. Not me... I bought my PS3 to play games...

I dunno....methinks an April fool's joke is at hand.....

" It's my understanding that the feature kind of sucked anyway. The PlayStation 3 is not the platform to be running Linux operating systems on. "

Whatever. Linux runs like shit on a PS3 anyway.

yeah man whats the benefit for instaslling os? can someone tell me? i never thought installing one. and whe  it pop up asking to install firmware upgrade... i jus go for it with no hestiation. better be up to date and secure better than having risk of hackers hack your shiet through os.
 
so whats the benefit for installing os or linux?

not really a big deal for me

You should see the riots at the official boards. I can't believe how many little kids who can't use proper grammar are running around crying foul and threatening to sue Sony over not being able to run Linux. Those message boards are among the worst. around.
 
I usually don't update my PS3 until several days after the firmware goes online.

I never saw the real benefit for having the PS3!! I've both Consoles (360/PS3) & PC!! but I prefer PCs

For those of you who bought the overprice ps3 at launch for both otherOS and gaming, you could probably get a partial refund if you're in europe:

http://www.playstationuniversity.com/ps3-owner-refunded-without-return-for-missing-other-os-3555/

I don't care as I don't live in europe, and I bought it for gaming at 350bucks price tag, despite the fact I did install linux and used it as a really gimp machine (so I don't have to dual boot), I rarely uses it and won't be taking advantage of it, but for those of you who cares, this might interest you.

  Most people dont know how to use linux, much less a PS3 with Linux.