Thanks for the article Craigix

[Stephane Hockenhull]

just finished reading the nice article.

Do you own your games console? http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/click_online/9406690.stm

I'm tempted to reply "No, I'm still waiting for mine" :lol:


I know its coming soon, please don't get upset.


keep up the good work, I can't wait to start porting my games to it.

 

[second exodous]

This will never stop, it isn't like any company can make a system that is un-hackable. I don't even see the point in fighting it really.


When it boils down to it hacking and piracy will always be a mess, it will never end and people will just end up getting hurt all the time. I don't see how this can ever get better, it will just be legal battles for eternity. It is like the 'War on Drugs' or the 'War on Terrorism', they'll never go away, we're fighting an uphill battle. It stresses me out when I think about all these pointless things we as the human race fight against, it just will never end.


I think it is greed, people produce a product because they're greedy and consumers want those products for free because they're greedy. Maybe all these problems will persist until we get rid of the monetary system. You know, become like Star Trek and find enlightenment and the benefit of mankind over gaining material goods. I just don't want to wear spandex, can we do that without the spandex?

 

[tsh]

Did I imagine it, or was the xoom promoted as being open for developers to target their own OS builds?

 

[DavidBowman]

This will never stop, it isn't like any company can make a system that is un-hackable. I don't even see the point in fighting it really.


When it boils down to it hacking and piracy will always be a mess, it will never end and people will just end up getting hurt all the time. I don't see how this can ever get better, it will just be legal battles for eternity. It is like the 'War on Drugs' or the 'War on Terrorism', they'll never go away, we're fighting an uphill battle. It stresses me out when I think about all these pointless things we as the human race fight against, it just will never end.


I think it is greed, people produce a product because they're greedy and consumers want those products for free because they're greedy. Maybe all these problems will persist until we get rid of the monetary system. You know, become like Star Trek and find enlightenment and the benefit of mankind over gaining material goods. I just don't want to wear spandex, can we do that without the spandex?

*Chortle*. I agree with you though: this is a never-ending battle. I looked up some information on the PS3 today to see if I could regain my Netflix-watching ability on the console and it's still a no-go on custom firmware. Sony is now trying to sue the hacks out of existence. Unfortunately, money is powerful and Sony has lots of it. They may succeed in stopping the best developers, which will have a domino effect and keep other developers from joining in (and this has already happened as other PS3 developers are going "into hiding" for a while due to the recent news of Graf Chokolo being sued).


This is why I favor open software and open platforms. Let's just count our blessings that other companies have not seriously tried to sue emulators out of existence, as the ROMs that we all use with them are of questionable legality. Not that I'm going to stop using them just because of some grey-area laws.

 

[richiz]

ROM use is retarded as pretty much the only people that still play them bought the games when they were a kid (who else can remember sega master system games being priced at £40!!?).


The greed companies hold over titles is shocking. For instance I bought an ebook reader and was shocked to discover that the prices of ebooks are typically MORE expensive than the frigging paperbacks!!! Couple in it's held by some dodgy DRM shindig...so a £12 book I buy I can't even use on my phone (don't say get a kindle)


I'm all for contributing to art but when companies think they can sell a 500kb download for more than a physical copy of a book is absolutely shocking. Given that they don't need to pay the overheads of a warehouse, delivery, shipping and publication costs.


Piracy will always boil down to greed by bigger companies.

 

[Benoît E. Donnette]

Well... What sounds mostly disturbing to me is that use rules are set to secure a business plan - which is so far nowhere wrong - but this securing is made at the expense of the possibility for smaller businesses to exist (I am only speaking of legal businesses) - namely home-brew games.


Some time ago, it used to be possible to install a Linux on a PS3 and the console could be used tor home-brew dev. This was the very best idea IMHO. When Sony issued a firmware that terminated this parctice, I stopped considering the purchase of a PS3, no longer interesting to me. Ironically, I chose a different, possibly even less open, console from Japan.


The fact is that the consoles, though expensive at the beginning of their commercial life, are generally sold for less than they cost, manufacturers considering they will get the money back during the life and including the licensing fees. If you get rid of the licenses the developers pay for, the equation becomes tougher. However, this idea being none that of the customers, it really sounds weird that it should be made at their expense. But that's the way it is and that's the way most people accept. Even piracy is no more than an excuse to me.


Just as if you had to go on toll bridges or ways regularly to keep your driving license... To get back to the original comparison of the BBC article.

 

[craigix]

I watched the Click episode about this and was pretty sad to see them not even mention the gp32, gp2x, dingoo or Pandora.


They said the only way to get an open system was to buy a PC.


I know they know about the Pandora because they briefly considered doing an article on it (before totally cutting off all contact).


Licence fee indeed.

 

[gadgetoid]

I know they know about the Pandora because they briefly considered doing an article on it (before totally cutting off all contact).

This is truly sad. The Pandora deserves some mainstream coverage and a well-written article covering The Facts and detailing the birth and reasoning behind this console would be a fantastic read. I'd research and write it myself, but I'm not mainstream.


This is why I'm eager for you to write and publish a book documenting the process.

 

[Benoît E. Donnette]

Might be luckier with ARTE ?

 

[Caine]

The Pandora deserves some mainstream coverage and a well-written article covering The Facts and detailing the birth and reasoning behind this console would be a fantastic read.

I don't disagree with you, but the current website advertises that it will ship within seven days when you order.


Mainstream coverage could lead to a sudden increase in orders. I'm not convinced that production can actually handle that.