Sony Explains Reasoning Behind Ditching OtherOS Support on PS3 Slim
by eXophase Mirror on Aug.28, 2009 at 2:24 pm, under Gaming, PlayStation 3 | Thread ID: 5512
The PS3 Slim comes at a reduced price point but in a blow to aspiring homebrew developers, also does away OtherOS support, the ability to run operating systems such as Linux. This feature came standard on all PS3 models prior to the slim revision and while not widely used, was a nice thing to have.
Why was it removed? Sarah Ewen of SCEE’s technology group explains:
The reasons are simple: The PS3 Slim is a major cost reduction involving many changes to hardware components in the PS3 design. In order to offer the OtherOS install, SCE would need to continue to maintain the OtherOS hypervisor drivers for any significant hardware changes – this costs SCE. One of our key objectives with the new model is to pass on cost savings to the consumer with a lower retail price. Unfortunately in this case the cost of OtherOS install did not fit with the wider objective to offer a lower cost PS3.
In short: While the hardware itself is still capable, OtherOS was axed as a result of Sony wanting to save on software maintenance costs.
Sony Explains Reasoning Behind Ditching OtherOS Support On PS3 Slim - [eXophase.com]
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August 28th, 2009 at 8:10 pm
seems reasonable enough... you don't wanna pay for the full thing then we axe a few not so used features
August 28th, 2009 at 8:53 pm
Crap! This is a cheap excuse!
Sony didn't want to have Linux on the PS3 in the first place, they did it to save tax fees - now they don't need that anymore and can savely scrap the unwanted "feature"....
August 29th, 2009 at 1:59 am
Do you have a source hellcat?
August 29th, 2009 at 2:50 am
Yah! Mah brain CELLs :D
I don't say this is rock solid unable to prove wrong sure fact, but it makes sense IMHO.
It's sort of an open secret that Sony - despite the fact they paid one full time dev to maintain it - wasn't actually dancing out of joy for having Linux on board.
It's also a fact that with Linux on board you can/could import/export the console as "computer device" instead of "gaming console" => saves a lot of money depending on the country you're shipping to.
1 and 1 is 11 then.... :argh: