Official PS3 thread (Part Deux)

[Kazuya]

I am also anxious about trying out the Linux distro for the ps3.

Are you sure Sony will let you try this out? I haven't read anything about it and don't claim to know anything about it but going on past actions I highly doubt Sony wants people messing around with Linus on their PS3's. Just look at their fight with homebrew on the PSP. They know that people messing around with Linux will be able to get games to boot without the disc. That's exactly what they don't want.

Completely different... Sony doesn't like people hacking PSP but they know that's going to happen and there's little they can do about it... but they have to make every reasonable effort to stop it because they can get in trouble and be held liable for all of the emulation going on.

Linux on PS3 is a done deal. Last week Terra Soft announced Yellow Dog Linux for PS3 and it's already listed in their store... don't know if you can buy it yet though.

[Airdog]

Eventually I can see myself being a dual console owner (360/PS3) if HD-DVD/Blu-Ray player costs don't come down too quick, and if Blu-Ray does become the de facto standard.

That's a couple of major ifs though.

[wco81]

Player costs will come down. A year from now, standalone players should be under $500.

Toshiba already has HD-DVD players under $500 street price but it's not as desirable as designs to come. Essentially, it is a Pentium PC whereas future designs will have a system on a chip which should lead to lower costs/prices and probably better performance on things like boot times.

Blu-Ray has a big content advantage over HD-DVD but they are squandering it somewhat. They should have released Spiderman 2 on Blu-Ray and packed that with the PS3 rather than Talledega Knights (although if the latter has enough racing scenes, I guess it could showcase HD pretty well).

Studios seem to be holding back on releasing their big titles on the new formats. There are still DRM issues being worked out, such as the ability to legally rip to hard disk. But most of the major studios are on one format or the other, whereas during the DVD days, Disney and otheres delayed releasing on DVD, trying to push Divx.

[Dave]

Studios seem to be holding back on releasing their big titles on the new formats. There are still DRM issues being worked out, such as the ability to legally rip to hard disk. But most of the major studios are on one format or the other, whereas during the DVD days, Disney and otheres delayed releasing on DVD, trying to push Divx.

Not to take this too off topic, but I think studios aren't releasing content because there isn't much of a demand. Either Warner Bros. or Paramount blamed lack of next-gen disc sales for a recent revenue miss. Outside of serious AV folks, there just isn't much of a market for either BR or HD-DVD IMO.

It is crazy to think that the next two consoles will be launched within a month. Should be fun to see the kiosks go up in the next few weeks.

[wco81]

I'm pretty sure that releases of major titles like Star Wars boosted DVD player sales.

Blu-Ray and HD-DVD players need killer apps. or system-sellers like consoles do.

Right now, the studios are mostly releasing B-catalog stuff.

They are doing day and date releases now or starting to.

We need to see things like Pirates of the Carribean sequel come out the same day as the DVD. Or whatever was the biggest box-office winner this last year.

[Kazuya]

Blu-Ray and HD-DVD players need killer apps. or system-sellers like consoles do.

I think they need more HDTV's sold. When you've got one, it seems like old news but I think a lot of consumers still view it as a pricy luxury.

[pk500]

Blu-Ray and HD-DVD players need killer apps. or system-sellers like consoles do.

I think they need more HDTV's sold. When you've got one, it seems like old news but I think a lot of consumers still view it as a pricy luxury.

Ding-ding -- winner!

HDTV's will remain a pricey luxury until cable companies and satellite providers offer more HD channels. Right now, there just aren't enough unless you're addicted to network TV shows and ESPN.

Yes, some cable and satellite systems offer additional tiers of HD programming, but you have to pay extra for them. So consumers are asking, "Let's see here: I just dropped two large for this high-quality HDTV, and I'm supposed to pay even more to see more than four or five local network affiliate channels on it in HD?"

An increase in available, affordable HD programming will spike a corresponding increase in HDTV sales, I think.

Take care,
PK

[wco81]

The only proven HDTV programming is live sports in HDTV.

That is covered by networks, which now broadcast many major sporting events in HD, ESPN and TNT, and regional sports networks, which covers local games in HD.

Other than the Holiday buying season, the weekends leading up to the SuperBowl see spikes in HDTV sales.

Oh and by the end of this year, we should be approaching 30 million HDTVs in this country, with high double-digit sales.

There is enough of an installed base of HDTVs to drive sales of next-gen consoles and movie players. Not going to happen just this year or next.

But the analogy I would make is to online. Back in 2000 and 2001, there were a number of households with broadband but not enough to really drive online gaming.

Now, we have a clear majority of households with broadband. If online gaming doesn't get a higher penetration, it wouldn't be because there isn't enough broadband available.

There may not be a mass market adoption of high-definition movies, even for some households with HDTVs. Look how long VHS reigned when there were superior formats. To a certain extent, the market doesn't value quality as much as convenience.

[wco81]

Some details about the Playstation Network:

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6160549.html

What caught my eye is that users will be able to send each other attachments through the messaging client.

The obvious possibility is sharing rosters and other game saves, assuming this you can transfer attachments from the message box to the area from which the game saves are loaded to games.

It can't be this easy could it?

But then what other kinds of files would gamers have to send to each other on a console?

Maybe those downloads of old PS1 games for sale?

It is odd because it's been reported elsewhere that the main web browser in the XMB does not let you download and save files from websites. So that eliminates the possibility of downloading game saves from gamefaqs.com and other sites.

[DivotMaker]

What caught my eye is that users will be able to send each other attachments through the messaging client.

I think that is a neat feature if it truly exists. However, what do you do if someone unknowingly sends you a file with a virus or trojan horse attached? its not like there is an AV program on the PS3 unless the attachment would have to pass through an AV while it is going through the PS3 network....

[wco81]

Well the PS3 will let you run downloaded games but it's not clear if they will let you run any other executables.

I suppose it's possible that people create malware which when a game tries to load as a game save could corrupt the drive or something.

Then you might have to reformat the drive or you lose your game saves and downloads. But I would think the game save file formats are proprietary which aren't easy to hack.

Cell is suppose to have some security features like sandboxes of some kind. My guess is the games, whether on disc or for official downloads, are signed or have some kind of authentication going on. PS2 online games go through DNAS authentication so you can't play burned games online.

I guess if malware does materialize for the PS3, Sony will have to work with the security firms. Right now, I would guess this is an unlikely scenario.

[bdunn13]

What caught my eye is that users will be able to send each other attachments through the messaging client.

I think that is a neat feature if it truly exists. However, what do you do if someone unknowingly sends you a file with a virus or trojan horse attached? its not like there is an AV program on the PS3 unless the attachment would have to pass through an AV while it is going through the PS3 network....

Pretty simple... don't execute any code you get from an attachments. Viruses are not spread by virus makers, they are spread by idiots.

I would much rather have the freedom to screw up than no freedom at all.

[DivotMaker]

Pretty simple... don't execute any code you get from an attachments. Viruses are not spread by virus makers, they are spread by idiots.

I would much rather have the freedom to screw up than no freedom at all.

If a friend is sending you a roster file and it unknowingly is infected, how is either person supposed to know if it is infected and how does this make them an idiot? If this is indeed a feature of the PS3 network, then how does it work if people don't accept the files and execute them? Not following your logic at all.

Virus' are spread by virus makers because if they aren't making them and distributing them, then they aren't spread.....

[bdunn13]

If a friend is sending you a roster file and it unknowingly is infected, how is either person supposed to know if it is infected and how does this make them an idiot? If this is indeed a feature of the PS3 network, then how does it work if people don't accept the files and execute them? Not following your logic at all.

Virus' are spread by virus makers because if they aren't making them and distributing them, then they aren't spread.....

You don't execute roster files.

Xbox, ps2, 360 would have the same exact issue with rosters then anyways.

And virus makers code the virues, the idiots do the rest.

[Brando70]

You don't execute roster files.

Xbox, ps2, 360 would have the same exact issue with rosters then anyways.

And virus makers code the virues, the idiots do the rest.

Except that, with XBL, there's a vetting process for official downloads, and PS2 doesn't have p2p sharing. You could take a chance downloading a disguised software file and transferring it with something like AR, but at least then you're using your PC's virus software.

I think the possibility is unlikely, but certainly not impossible.

I really don't undestand the logic of blaming people opening viruses for virus problems. Yes, they should be more careful, but most folks aren't very tech savvy and are just trying to send e-mail and surf the Web without interferance from the annoying fucksticks who write these things.

[bdunn13]

You don't execute roster files.

Xbox, ps2, 360 would have the same exact issue with rosters then anyways.

And virus makers code the virues, the idiots do the rest.

Except that, with XBL, there's a vetting process for official downloads, and PS2 doesn't have p2p sharing. You could take a chance downloading a disguised software file and transferring it with something like AR, but at least then you're using your PC's virus software.

I am talking about AR type devices.. and your PC virus software is not going to detect a virus that runs on another platform.... again the ps2, xbox and the like would have the same exact problem.

either way, you are not going to get a virus from a roster file as they are not executed.

And yes, anyone clicking on iloveyou.exe is an idiot.

[pk500]

And yes, anyone clicking on iloveyou.exe is an idiot.

Double post, sorry.

[pk500]

And yes, anyone clicking on iloveyou.exe is an idiot.

Well, thank you for calling my 70-plus-year-old parents idiots.

Brando's point is very apt. You need to step outside of your vacuum-sealed IT world and realize that there are millions of people on the Internet who know how to launch their browser, click on a bookmark, access their e-mail, and THAT'S IT.

If they receive an e-mail that reads, "Click the file below and you'll see how much I love you," they're innocently going to do it. Hackers know that and prey upon it.

These are people whom if you asked them, "Have you run Disk Defragmenter, ScanDisk, Norton, Ad-Aware, Crap Cleaner and RegScrub on your machine lately?" would look at you as if you were speaking in one of the tongues of the Apocalypse.

These are not the people who browse ArsTechnica and Lifehacker for hours on end. They're not the people who argue the virtues of AMD vs. Intel. They're not the people who wonder if they have enough video RAM to run the latest Warcraft game.

They're the same people who do "The Google" on the "Internets," and there are more of them out there then you'll ever know.

Take care,
PK

[wco81]

I wasn't referring to official roster updates. More like NCAA rosters that people go to the trouble of inputting names. Or WE tune files or files with edited kits.

Those will never be provided by game makers so users will have to share them.

It's not inconceivable that if file sharing is allowed, someone will try to use game save files as a way to spread malware payloads. But what's the worst that could happen, your downloads are corrupted and you have to redownload everything?

Console is for entertainment so it's not like you will have your tax returns on the console HDD.

Really the risk is minimal but who knows, Sony could do something stupid like have you store your credit card info on the hard drive to pay for downloads or something and then hackers will try to get at that info.

The virus and spyware problem was initially a problem with the design of Windows and things like Outlook which automatically opened attachments. Those settings have been changed so nowadays, you have to explicitly open them.

There's been a lot of info. on mainstream media about not opening attachments and about things like phishing. Surely most people with computers have access to some of that info by now.

[Brando70]

Really the risk is minimal but who knows, Sony could do something stupid like have you store your credit card info on the hard drive to pay for downloads or something and then hackers will try to get at that info.

The virus and spyware problem was initially a problem with the design of Windows and things like Outlook which automatically opened attachments. Those settings have been changed so nowadays, you have to explicitly open them.

There's been a lot of info. on mainstream media about not opening attachments and about things like phishing. Surely most people with computers have access to some of that info by now.

I agree that the risk is probably very minimal and the potential for console p2p file sharing is very cool -- it's the most intriguing part of the setup for me along with direct connections for head-to-head.

People do need to be educated about what not to do with attachments, but it's because of the assholes out there who produce virus code that we have to be careful. Virus coders inhabit the same vat of Internet swill as spammers.

[Dave]

I wasn't referring to official roster updates. More like NCAA rosters that people go to the trouble of inputting names. Or WE tune files or files with edited kits.

Those will never be provided by game makers so users will have to share them.

I have a hard time believing that Sony will allow easily-shared, copyrighted material to float around on their network between users.

But if they pull it off, I hope Microsoft provides some sort of file locker your friends can access. Being a Mac user sucks when it comes to getting real names in NCAA games.

[DivotMaker]

You don't execute roster files.

And virus makers code the virues, the idiots do the rest.

You ever heard of viruses that infect a machine just by clicking on an attachment in your email inbox? I have also heard of viruses that exist in MS Word, Excel, etc... where the minute you open the file, the infection begins so viruses are NOT exclusive to executable files.

And drop the idiot schtick already...it really is not necessary. Again, if viruses were not created by numbnuts with nothing better to do, then they would not spread.

[bdunn13]

It's not inconceivable that if file sharing is allowed, someone will try to use game save files as a way to spread malware payloads. But what's the worst that could happen, your downloads are corrupted and you have to redownload everything?

Thats what I am trying to get across. Every console thats came out in the last 5 years would have the same exact issue with AR type devices. Its not a PS3 issue.

Secondly, roster type files and game saves are NOT executed. Therefore, the likely hood of them spreading even if they had a virus in them is almost nil.

[bdunn13]

You don't execute roster files.

And virus makers code the virues, the idiots do the rest.

You ever heard of viruses that infect a machine just by clicking on an attachment in your email inbox? I have also heard of viruses that exist in MS Word, Excel, etc... where the minute you open the file, the infection begins so viruses are NOT exclusive to executable files.

Those viruses are VBsript and they are executed by some Microsoft application that runs at the lowest level of security in order to prevent a non computer "user" from trying to figure out why something doesn't work right.

Most windows users run things in "Admin" mode where you have access to everything on your system at any given time.. Therefore a virus can do anything.

I can assure you consoles don't work this way, none of them.

[Brando70]

I wasn't referring to official roster updates. More like NCAA rosters that people go to the trouble of inputting names. Or WE tune files or files with edited kits.

Those will never be provided by game makers so users will have to share them.

I have a hard time believing that Sony will allow easily-shared, copyrighted material to float around on their network between users.

But if they pull it off, I hope Microsoft provides some sort of file locker your friends can access. Being a Mac user sucks when it comes to getting real names in NCAA games.

I imagine they would block certain types of files like mp3s from being transferred. But, assuming game saves or roster files and so on have a unique identifier, they could go back and forth. Something like that would be really awesome, especially for communities of users like DSP or OS.

One thing I'm kind of wondering: does it seem like there's not much buzz for the PS3 launch? Maybe I'm just not paying as much attention since I'm not getting one, but compared to the PS2 launch, it seems very quiet this close to the date.