It surprises me that the AF can’t either get access to the code for the firmware, or simply engineer their own from the ground up, so they can load whatever they want. I have to assume that, given access to the architecture, the AF couldn’t eliminate parts of the code that control areas of the game system that are unnecessary, freeing up resources for number crunching.
This is very misleading. I have a lot of personal experience with both the PS3 as a gaming device (one of my unwinding aids) and as a computing platform. I still have a maintained PS3 running Linux.
What the firmware update did (v3.21) was remove support for the “Other OS” option within the PS3’s XMB, which allows you to use, logically, another operating system. It did not affect those units already running Linux. In fact, every single of Sony’s updates have been to affect the functionality of the PS3’s functionality as a gaming console, which is totally independent of its use as a computing platform. I should know because I don’t even have a clue what PS3 firmware I’m running on the one that runs Linux. There’s no need to really ever go back into the PS3 operating system.
Other articles have correctly pointed out that the only real problem would come if the system needed to be serviced or replaced for some reason as a new unit would come with a version of the firmware that does not allow Linux. It’s also worth noting that Sony is being sued for this decision, which they claim was based on security.
It seems to me that the USAF has the capability to make them an offer they really can't refuse. :=)
Uhhm, So don't install the update? Problem solved?