On the heels of our talk about iTunes and software updates, Sony is announcing that it will be removing a feature from already sold PS3s. Sony will be removing a feature call “other OS’ that allows users to run GNU/Linux on their PS3s which enables them to do things like customize the software and write their own games. Not surprisingly, if PS3 owners choose not to update their PS3 (which will disable this “other OS” feature) they will lose many vital features until they update.
I think this is important news because it really highlights how copyright is making personal property less and less yours. It is outrageous to me that I can spend $300 on a PS3 only to have features removed from it that I might like and that I paid for. There needs to be more advocacy not just for copyright issues, but for consumer rights as well. If this is the type of thing I should expect from all of my consumer electronics, then products should come with a warning (like cigarettes) alerting to me the fact that my product might change.
Does anyone think that Sony has the right to do this with their copyrighted software or should consumers have more say over what companies can retroactively do to their belongings?
