I think they realize their efforts are better spent fleshing out the console rather than discouraging the people that support it the most.
I don't pirate, I simply have homebrew for hacking custom things in it. Even if I never use it, it's comforting knowing I could.

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"Do you think Sony finally realizes the importance of the homebrew community?"

I honestly don't believe that there *is* an importance to the homebrew community on any level but goodwill. Pirated games and Emulators (using mostly pirated ROM's) are the primary uses - and neither one supports Sony in either way.

I think rather that Sony has done some math with their attach rates and seen that while piracy is there, sales of games are doing quite well, and the ill-will generated by constantly looking anti-consumer is worse than the extra piracy resultant from not killing OE firmware with each new patch.

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I don't see Sony ever fully embracing homebrew simply because there is such a short jump from custom firmware to piracy. What I think Sony should do however is provide a legal avenue for some of these homebrew applications; however I have yet to see anything in the homebrew scene that was worth risking bricking my system to try custom firmware. Most of the apps are simple ugly unpolished OSs with fewer features, programs that do something the current firmware already does more stably, or simply stuff that sounds cool but looks hideous.

While homebrew has the potential to do some nice things, for the most part is "oh cool" and mostly lacks the polish of official sony firmware. Not to mention that homebrew games are horribly simple.

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This is not news... Next we will see a post on: "Detailed installation of mod chips in all Playstation hardware - get it here!"

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@4: LOL, you speak the truth.

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While it is true that piracy is only a short jump from the home brew scene, let's not discredit the legitimacy of home brew or having more control of a system that is rightfully owned by the user.

In OE's, the firmware remains the same with the exception of being with less restrictions. Although, there are many unpolished home brew programs available. There are many that are quite nice and unique. It is ultimately up the user to decide what he or she finds useful and appealing. No one else can judge that for another person.

Surely a company can decide to release a product as they wish. A good company will make available goods and services that match the consumers needs and wants with quality and innovation. With OE and home brew the consumer is adding the value they want to their systems. It's not a fight, but rather a dialogue between PSP fan boys and girls and Sony. The "scene" can definately be embraced.

You are not a criminal for simply having home brew or modifying your system. When copyrighted material is pirated then the legal line has been crossed.

There are many useful things that can be done with an open system. For example there have been study aides such as flash card apps, PDA like apps, a chess program was written under the GNU General Public License before there was one released on UMD, and etc...

The PSP can be and is more than a gaming device to many. I love my PSP because all of the wonderful things it can do and I can see how it can even be better. This is why I am a PSP fanboy.

I have a few of the applications I discussed available for download on my website: http://dougiewong.com.

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So... the ability to downgrade a higher firmware is gone?

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I don'y think Sony thinks of PSP users who hack their hardware as "criminals". But they don't really, and when they sell the machine, they are free to state the terms in which they sell it, just like we are all free not to buy it. The terms of the end use agreement are pretty clear, if you modify the PSP for uses that deviate too much from those for which it was originally designed, you void your warranty. It sounds reasonable if you ask me. They are, after all, after profit first and foremost, their business is not charity.

I hacked mine, so I if anything goes wrong, I certainly won't be crying over it if Sony says they don't support any more, I made my choice.

A lot people expect Sony to just support everything, and that is going a bit too far.

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"I've bought about 10 PS1 games since.so, it makes sense for Sony (me buying games) and it makes sense for me."

I'm guessing you meant used PS1 games. In which case sony or any publisher doesnt get a cent from that.

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I think every twit demonising this act as a proxy to criminal activity needs to be locked up.

My friend recently got a PSP instead of the GP2X. One reason: PSone emulation. Yeah, sure he paid like what upwards of a hundred quid of the PSP - that means nothing to Sony. They haven't sold anything, right?

I am all for reasonable debate, and even polarised arguments. But like the two spanks (5 and 4), I think certain people just need a good kick between the legs.

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"I'm guessing you meant used PS1 games. In which case sony or any publisher doesnt get a cent from that."

Oh! Oh! Oh! I was just waiting for the day when we start getting comments that'll become a prelude to an even sicker era - "YOU NO BUY NEW GAME! BAAAH!"

Hey, at least he bought 'em! And Sony/Devs did ALREADY get the cash for that game - the ownership was transferred. Sheesh! I'm just loving these topics [heavy sarcasm with frothing venom].

Of course Sony will never support this movement, but they might not exhaust much effort in curbing the movement. It isn't just one way or the other! Seriously, it's like I want to side with one party, but I just can't get over some of the distortions of truth.

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Good to hear people bashing the nitwits on here; I'm thinking of a PSP and generally the rabid Sony defenders here have tended to turn me off the idea.

Sony makes no money from the used market either. If compromising Sony's ability to make a profit off of the use of their product after they've already sold it to you is the sole question of legality, does that make Gamestop a criminal?

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The only place I have seen some playstation games was in Wal-Mart's bargin bin(really a self by the electronics check-out).

@4 & 5:
Take that shit to Kotaku where it flies, not here.

I don't think we'll see an OE version of this update, primarily because it adds nothing for PSP owners.

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Bored (#9), I agree with you. Sure, if you modify your bought item beyond what the manufacturer or seller allows under warranty that said warranty becomes void.

I believe that it is important that we have that choice. This is why I praise those who are innovative and intelligent enough to create. They are also open minded and kind enough to help the rest of us share in the choice.

Please do not misconstrue me. I also praise and respect commercial developers who work hard to provide a great system and software to work with. We should also support their good efforts.

Vote with your money. If you really like something help support those who created it. So, that we can see more great things happen.

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Homebrew community? Everyone I know who has an OE firmware uses it to pirate games! Maybe everyone I know who uses OE is just a stealing jerk but still...

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Jitty,
There is 'no still'. If I start claiming that every pro-sony-***** I know is a Nazi when it comes to piracy, and equates the act to baby-eating, then I that's my misfortune - no 'but stills!'

Friggin' hell!

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This update allows global remote play but you need to go throughPSN network. If this has been decrypted does that mean a hacked PSP can connect through PSN and utilize gloabl remote play? Isn't this the type of functionality that Sony can control regardless of how the physical PSP may have been hacked? Or am I missing something?

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Well actually me personally i think sony keep upgrading the PSP. Duh. i like the fact that they keep coming out wit newer features. Actuaaly they need to hurrl the hell up with the camera. And of course the hackers need to keep doing their thing too. i got 3 psp's 1 is normal and tha other 2 play nintendo. Mann ive waited years for a portable game system to have all my old games on it. its the best. psp is the ultimate portable game system no one can beat it!!!
BESIDES EVERYONE IVE SHOWED MY PSP OFF TO NOW THAT I CAN PLAY EMULATORS AINT NO ONE EVEN HEARD OF IT!!!!!!!! EVEN IF THEY DID THEY PROBABLY WOULDNT EVEN TAKE THE TIME TO LEARN AND READ UP ON THE INTERNET ON HOW TO DO THIS STUFF. ITS EITHER A MAGAZINE OR THE INTERNET. THATS HOW YOU FIND OUT HOW TO DO THIS STUFF.
BUT OHH WORDS RUNNING SHORT SO OMMM I RECOMEND EVERYONE AND I MEAN EVERYONE BUY A PSP!!!!!! LOL DAMN ITS THE GREATEST THING EVER :) :) :)

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Look guys about comment #2 there is a bonus since hacking psp the sales went skyrocketing, so sony does get a benifit

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