What incentive do we have to NOT hack the ps3?

[GonzoGamer]

I'll admit that this is a sketchy issue and so I don't want to go into heavy detail on the pros and cons of hacking the ps3.
However, after reading Befuggly's post:
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.282868-Poll-Playstation-Network-Down-Indefinitely
and the blog inside:
http://i-luv-games.com/?p=578
I can't help but wonder what incentive Sony has given us to NOT hack the ps3. Besides the (now more than obvious) horrendous support the ps3 gets, it seems to have lost functions and not gained any really good ones.

It should be something that they are considering as sure as there are many ps3 owners now considering the benefits of hacking as opposed to that of keeping it legit.

I should make it clear that I do not want to encourage people to hack their console or that I intend to do so myself, it just seems that (by their practices toward their legit consumers) Sony is doing little to hold on to their dwindling legitimate consumer base.

 

[Iwata]

Well, it feels weird telling this to someone with an Optimus Prime avatar, but... isn't it illegal?

 

[nukethetuna]

Possible jail time, for one.

 

[Dogstile]

Well, it feels weird telling this to someone with an Optimus Prime avatar, but... isn't it illegal?

Nope, it 'tis not, but Sony seems to think it is.

In fact, the only thing they can do legally is block your console from their online service citing that you might hack games. That and take you into a court battle in which they just drain your funds. But i'm pretty sure they only did that to Geohot because he was the one who posted it and they wanted to "make an example"...

Tools.

 

[Drakos.Amatras]

Legality issues aside, I don't think anybody can stop you if you ever decided to tweak your own electronics. It is, of course, wise to be aware of the consequences it might potentially bring. Overly sensitive pro-copyright mega-corporations, for example.

 

[MysticToast]

Pretty sure you're allowed to hack it as long as the hacked PS3 doesn't connect to PSN. At least that's how it should be.

Mind you, I'm not jumping on the "let's all hate Sony" bandwagon here...

 

[mireko]

You'll get banned if you access the PSN with a modded console. That's pretty much it.

 

[Johnnyallstar]

Sony will try to unleash hell to rain down upon your poor soul.


Or they'll sue. Maybe Kevin Butler will be the prosecutor. Hell if KB was the prosecutor, that's more of a reason TO hack it.

 

[Layzor]

It screws over lots of people like me that just want to play their games.

 

[Elamdri]

It screws over lots of people like me that just want to play their games.

He's talking about jailbreaking the system, not hacking PSN.

 

[Atmos Duality]

From a practical standpoint: It's possible that future firmware updates or checks could get you banned from PSN. Apart from that, nothing.
From a legal standpoint: Sony might sue you if they find out, but as far as I know, it isn't a crime.

Sony is deathly afraid of their system becoming more like the PC, and thus (in their minds) they won't have that control or authority over their customers that they want (for whatever reason it might be). It could be because of piracy. It could be because of simple competition. It could be because they get off on watching their customers sit around for bullshit firmware updates that do nothing other than sweep for "illicit" software.
It could be because of some business logic that equates control with profits.

I think we're approaching the age where software and hardware simply self-destructs if it detects anything amiss. The 3DS is going to do it. We already have DRM that does this with limited installs.

Is it fair? No, not really. But most people will buy it anyway because it hasn't bit them hard enough yet.

 

[FalloutJack]

Well, it feels weird telling this to someone with an Optimus Prime avatar, but... isn't it illegal?

So, you're saying to him it's a trap, right?

*Rimshot*

Seriously, though, folks. Hacking is bad. It makes you lose your computer, money, and even freedom.

 

[GonzoGamer]

Well, it feels weird telling this to someone with an Optimus Prime avatar, but... isn't it illegal?

That's President Optimus Prime.
I'm actually leaving out of my part of the discussion the illegal things you can do With a hacked console.
However it seems that the legitimate users of the ps3 really don?t get very much in return for their loyalty. Since I?ve bought it, the features have been shrinking more than growing either by intentionally being taken out like other OS or just not getting the support they need to function properly like the web browser. The psn outage is really just the latest disappointment in a series of disappointments with the console.

Once again, I don?t want to encourage anyone to do anything illegal but the future for playstation looks bleak. I?ve already seen a few friends decide not to replace their broken ps3s and I have to say that at this point, if mine goes, I don?t think I?ll replace it either. It?s too bad. The thing had a lot of potential.