[ILUG] sony issues

[Stephen Holmes]

On Thu, 2006-05-11 at 08:35 +0000, Kae Verens  wrote:
> Chris Woods wrote:
> > I don't understand, why do you have the 'beef' with Sony ?
> > I've heard that they've been pretty good, their PS2/PS3 sdk's are all L=
inux
> > based, and even their PS3 will ship with a version of linux preinstalle=
d.
> > Although at =E2=82=AC599 / =E2=82=AC499 I think might give it a miss.
>=20

Well, it's really down to proprietary interfaces that cost a fortune to
access.   If Linux is pre-installed, that's good, because GPL will
require them to publish the code and interfaces (ref: The Linksys Router
debacle a few years back)

>=20
> this is probably totally off topic (doesn't concern CD players), but I=20
> personally despise Sony for their Sonic Stage debacle (who ever heard of =
an=20
> MP3 player that can't play MP3s??), but also like them for their Vaio ser=
ies=20
> (which I've been lusting after since they first came out - one of these d=
ays,=20
> my precious...).
>=20
I have a Sony 30GB NW Walkman that takes MP3's (as well as Sony's
proprietary AAC format) - yes, real MP3's!   The real issue however is
the requirement to use their (Windows-only) software and that they've
published nothing to help it interface openly with linux or anything
else for that matter.

> The MP3 player issue is pretty annoying. Basically, even though I have a=20
> little USB stick which Sony call an MP3 player, you cannot simply put MP3=
s=20
> onto them and expect them to play. Apparently, the MP3s must first be=20
> announced in a proprietary-format playlist (which has been reverse-engine=
ered=20
> already), and also converted using something like a caeser-shift cryptogr=
aphy=20
> to something that cannot really be called MP3 - otherwise the "MP3" playe=
r=20
> cannot play the MP3s.
>=20
> That cryptography algorithm hasn't been cracked yet, although an older ve=
rsion=20
> was cracked (was a simple XOR on a 16 bit pattern, iirc).
>=20
> Sony don't really give a damn about their Linux buyers. At the moment, I'=
m=20
> shopping for an MP3 player for my wife, and the only criteria I have apar=
t=20
> from >1GB, is "not Sony".
>=20

Given their last 2 quarters results, they'll have to change or die.
Also bear in mind that Linux "consumer-level" community < 2 or 3% so
there's not really push of a kick back for them.

Of course, that's why I switched to an even more proprietary iPod (that
just happens to work with Linux and Banshee/GtkPod etc) ;-)  Unless
someone wants to buy my Sony, I guess it'll make a super backup USB
drive :-)


=20

> Kae
--=20

S t e p h e n   H o l m e s
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