AfterDawn: News

Sony wins the first Other OS case

Sony calmly informed last March that it'll be removing the Other OS feature from PlayStation 3. The feature that allows users to install additional operating systems to their PS3 was removed by a firmware update in April. Users who use their game console as a Linux computer were not amused, to say the least. Actually, after the removal of the feature consumers filed lawsuits against Sony in the US and Australia.

Now according to News.com.au, the first Other OS class action suit has come to a conclusion. Mr. Michael Trebilcock from Adelaide, Australia wanted 800 AUD in compensation for the removal of an important feature. He said it was one of the reasons he bought the PS3 and won't be able to use it as a computer anymore.



The Holden Hill Magistrates Court dismissed Trebilcock's claim. The court was told by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission that Sony did nothing wrong when they released the firmware update.

Sony will continue fighting in court over their game console. On upcoming Friday, there will be a court hearing in a case concerning the thumbdrive mod called PSJailBreak where modchip sellers OzModChips, Mod Supplier and Quantronics take on Sony.

Written by: Matti Robinson @ 1 Sep 2010 9:21

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• 12 comments

• Mysttic

  Let us keep in mind this was the battle won in AU, not US, where there are more persons suing Sony for loss of damages, so will have a higher impact on court decisions.
  
  Also I expect Sony to win their case over the thumb drives because it was advertised on youtube and the net what it could do. Once again you advertise piracy and it will get penalized. Thank you for those that couldn't keep it quiet, but at least its given others a chance to distribute a different source more quietly.
  
  Which goes to the next point, the new USB exploits can work on any PS3 regardless of other OS feature. It doesn't use it at all, so therefor Sony prime reasoning for removing it should be considered invalid. Though they will try to state it was because of OtherOS that users were able to exploit PS3, but that has little credibility considering Linux is on PCs, would they try to ban that next? lol good luck with that.

  1.9.2010 10:25 #1

• Zealousi

  linux OS was the only reason i would buy it and now, HA i poo on your PS3.
  
  Sony should give it back, if people are going to exploit their console through linux someone will find another way with the new USB stick floating around. No corporation can win, the community outnumbers all
  

  1.9.2010 10:25 #2

• bam431

  I really hope Sony loses the next one.
  

  This could be anywhere This could be everywhere
  Xbox Live: war dog431 - PSN: bam431 - IGN: bam431
  Youtube: electrowaffle - Twitter: bam431
  My site: Work in progress.

  1.9.2010 11:21 #3

• biglo30

  Is that whole court room on drugs? Thats like selling a bluray player with the ability to play DVD's and then just updating it and telling to customer that they can only play bluray from now on.

  1.9.2010 13:04 #4

• llongtheD

  This is a reverse "bait and switch." I thought bait and switch was considered fraud and illegal in this country. It would be very bad for consumers if corporations can sell something, and then strip it of features after purchase. However Sony tries to explain it, its going to create mistrust of their business practices.
  

  If your fish seems sick, put it back in the water.

  1.9.2010 19:55 #5

• ST2006

  Yes to the above comments,
  
  but I STILL hate Apple more.
  

  SmokeThis2006

  2.9.2010 09:23 #6

• pmshah

  They use other methods too!
  
  For instance the model number of their BluRay player is absolutely the same for BOTH Canada and US. BUT the units sold in Canada WILL play DivX files while the ones sold in US won't.
  
  They very conveniently claim that it can play MKV files. Yes technically it is true BUT only if you have it on a Fat32 format file system which limits the file size to around 2 gb!. It can't read from an NTFS partition. Yes it will play MKV from a DVD but you have to waste a dvd and limit the size to 4.5 gb!

  9.9.2010 23:41 #7

• JMThomas

  I just love bagels!
  
  So when I went toaster shopping, I decided to buy a Sony toaster because it had wide slots that could toast bagels and pop-tarts, unlike the other toasters in the store.
  
  When I got home, I discovered that Sony would sent send a toaster service person to my house at undetermined times to service my toaster. They said they'd fix problems (which could avoid having to recall my toaster), and possibly add new features (like a "frozen toast" setting).
  
  One morning I found that the toaster service person had been by and that I couldn't toast my bagels any more because the serviced toaster now had narrow slots.
  
  Since I love bagels, I complained that their service broke my toaster. They replied that for business reasons, Sony toasters would now only toast bread and that bagels or pop tarts would no longer be allowed.
  
  Further, Sony wouldn't put my toaster back the way it was, and I was just out of luck because I let the toaster service person work on my toaster.
  
  So I went to court and ask the judge to have Sony return the money I paid for the toaster since it couldn't toast my morning bagel any more.
  
  The judge ask the consumer product safety commission if Sony had done anything wrong when they disabled the bagel/pop-tart feature.
  
  The CPSC replied that Sony could start manufacturing a different kind of toaster any time they wanted to and that the new narrow slot toaster was just as safe as the wide slot one. As far as they were concerned, Sony didn't do anything wrong.
  
  The judge told me that since the CPSC said that Sony didn't done anything wrong, my suit was dismissed.
  
  Now if only I could have stopped the toaster service person from working on my toaster! But that's pretty hard to do when the toaster service person gets into my toaster through the internet and won't tell me exactly what the service will do my toaster...
  

  10.9.2010 02:45 #8

• ddp

  pmshah, fat32 cannot read a single file over 4gigs in size which is why ntfs was brought about.
  

  10.9.2010 12:42 #9

• Zealousi

  That's a Kool fact.
  
  Agree with ST2006.......LOL
  Originally posted by ST2006: Yes to the above comments,
  
  but I STILL hate Apple more.
  

  10.9.2010 14:05 #10

• llongtheD

  Try reading the article before you post, it was about sony's playstation 3. I see that you've fixed it.
  

  If your fish seems sick, put it back in the water.

  10.9.2010 17:08 #11

• JMThomas

  Originally posted by llongtheD:
  
  Try reading the article before you post, it was about sony's playstation 3.
  
  
  Fixed. You want to unquote/requote the revised version?
  

  10.9.2010 17:18 #12