Bad News for Hackers and Researchers, Worse News for Hotz
Today, a day when many PS3 owners learned with some unpleasantness the latest Playstation 3 firmware prohibits a hard drive upgrade on some models, was also a day Sony was granted its temporary restraining order and impoundment order in the ongoing Geohot Jailbreak case.
The ruling held that Sony can keep the case active in San Francisco. George Hotz, the principal defendant in the case, resides in New Jersey. He will now have to turn over all devices that hold that jailbreak code, including computers and hard drives, to a magistrate in Trenton at Sony counsel’s discretion. All other named and unnamed defendants must preserve related materials for the case. Sony posted a $10,000 security bond for the issuance of the orders.
In making her ruling, US District Judge Susan Illston found that an injunction, citing case law, “is in the public interest.”
The next step for both Sony and Hotz’s counsel is to schedule a hearing date on both Sony’s motion for a preliminary injunction that would permanently bar Hotz from distributing the jailbreak devices, and Hotz’s motion to dismiss. A hearing date will be scheduled by February 1st. We will keep tabs on this evolving case, as it stands to not only change the course of general hacking legalities, but even hacking in the name of research.
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Hmm latest firmware prohibits hard drive upgrades? WTF? ummm what is gained by prohibiting people from having a larger hard drive? Sheesh can’t we have things the way we want them after paying a tiny fortune for these devices??? Um yes some people do live on what is known as a budget SONY! Not everyone makes a high end 5 figure salary let alone all those who make 6 figure salaries LOL. Ya often wonder why people tweak things? Now I do see why.
Fuck you, Sony. Fuck you to hell and back.
If this arrogant punk’s actions ruin the online experience for games like Little Big Planet then I hope Sony does whatever they can they make this guy pay for it, this has been a long time coming.
I don’t give a shit about hacking a system to play old roms anymore, it’s boring and it’s not worth making every multiplayer a hacked up shithole.
that’s what the hackers get for cheating for the wrong reasons.
ruin the fun for everyone.
Note to the ignorant: this has absolutely nothing to do with in-game “hackers” and cheaters. Seriously, stfu.
@ChaoticFox: You do know hacking is illegal right? That’s. enough reason for sony to take someone to court. Supporting illegal activities seems pretty ignorant to me. Besides why would they want someone to mess around with something they worked on? You see
My bad that last part was a typo.
Why do people even I’ve to jailbreak the thing? I mean it’s a PS3, Let it be what it is, or what you bought it for, ps3 can already do alot of things, I don’t understand why people even have to go beyond the limit and do illegal things.
Wait, tell me more about this firmware update. It seriously stops you from installing a larger hard drive? Lol, why does the PS3 constantly LOSE features? Sony, the kings of ‘saw-yo-ass-comin’.’ Returning some of these features is a worthy enough venture for hacking if you ask me.
Show me what law says you are not allowed to learn about, modify, and simplify the use of your OWN PROPERTY to suit your own personal interests rather than that of the company who sold it to you. Jailbreaking a PS3 is no different from building your own creation out of Legos, rather than following the instructions in the booklet. Jailbreaking a PS3 is no different than taking apart your computer and building a robot out of the circuitry.
This case is about Sony telling us what we are and are not allowed to do with our own property, and you assholes are SUPPORTING them simply because you have a negative stigma attached to the word “hacking”. Your ignorance is staggering and it very nearly makes me sick.
Some of you guys are so dumb it makes my head spin. Pull your heads out of your asses before you start commenting, for the love of God.
@ChaoticFox: Dude you need to chill. You sound more ignorant than the people who take Sony’s side. None of them like the idea of hacking but no ones cursing at you because of you opinion. I don’t see why people can’t post their opinions without being cursed out and insulted.
Geohotz enabled homebrew and disabled backups.
Other people who took his code to enable piracy.
He’s pretty much guilty of nothing.
ChaoticFox is correct.
Chaotic Fox and Mike pretty much said what I would have. Do you have any idea how badly this could effect us? It’s like telling all companies out there that it’s suddenly okay for them to have full control over what we can and can’t do with our own stuff. I Don’t condone piracy, but if I want to play (just as an example) Cave Story or SRB2 on my PS3, why shouldn’t I be able to? Just because Sony doesin’t think I should? Next thing you know, computers will be locked down and it’l be app store or bust.
Yeah, ChaoticFox is absolutely correct.
Hacking isn’t the same as cheating (which isn’t illegal anyway, just poor sportsmanship), nor is it the same as piracy. It’s not like he stole anything, broke anything, or took anything away from you.
If you associate hacking with these shadier activities, then it’s time you stopped. I’m rooting for Geohotz. Even with a jailbroken PS3, I wouldn’t steal games.
SJMaster, go look up the definition of the word ignorant. Nowhere in there will you find “foul-mouthed and passionate”. Insulting people doesn’t make me ignorant, it makes me mean.
Perhaps no one is cursing me specifically, but I’ve seen several people now either cursing the hacker, or saying he’s getting his just desserts despite doing literally nothing wrong. Therein lies the ignorance.
Maybe I should chill out. But regardless, you should probably learn to use a dictionary.
“Let it be what it is, or what you bought it for, ps3 can already do alot of things, I don’t understand why people even have to go beyond the limit”
But the PS3 only does EVERYTHING, right? I really liked what the PS3 stood for, but Sony is now taking things downhill and making asses of themselves for trying to tell people what they can’t do with their systems. Stopping piracy is understandable (although Sony encourages it with PSP Go, sadly) but when they outta their way to bark up the wrong tree, that’s just stupid.
And which PS3 models don’t get HDD upgrade options? That’s seriously messed up on so many levels.
So this guy is getting into heaploads of trouble just by doing things that will void the warranty of his PS3 console.
Wow.
@Yamashi
While I agree with you on hacking in general. I’m pretty sure in-game hacks are illegal, you changing the codes and all. Or maybe it just voids your warranty? Hmm, anyone know where I can find more information other than companies’ EULA’s?
What does this tell you people? You all want to hack your consoles? Sony doesn’t want you hacking their consoles? They don’t have your best interests as consumers in mind. Quit buying their products. They will get the message.
@Skai Cyan
Typically, hacking is only illegal if you use it to steal something, such as games or pieces of code. In-game hacks aren’t illegal (although a precedent could be set), but it’s not in-game hacking that Geohotz is doing anyway. He’s just making it possible for others to run code that wasn’t necessarily approved by Sony. And, on that note, Sony seems intent on closing out everything except what you pay them for (how they removed OtherOS, for example).
As far as legal precedents regarding hacking, I don’t know of any off the top of my head, but I’m sure they’re out there. I’ll poke around the internets and post here if I discover anything interesting.
@Yamishi
First, sorry I got your name wrong before. But yeah, I knew Geohotz wasn’t doing any in game hacks, I was just commenting about that because you mentioned it. Thanks a lot for even bothering to look that information though, I really appreciate it, regardless of if you manage ton find it or not.