Air Force PS3 Supercomputer Screwed By Sony Killing Off Linux Support
from the don't-mess-with-the-air-force dept
Back in March, we wrote about Sony's bizarre decision to delete a feature on PS3's, that would let you install other operating systems. This was an advertised feature that, while not used by most PS3 buyers, was used pretty widely and creatively. In fact, we noted in that post that the US military had used PS3s to build a supercomputer. While Sony has now been sued for this form of bait-and-switch, Ars Technica checked in on the Air Force folks who built that PS3 supercomputer, and found out that they're not particularly happy about this development. While it doesn't immediately impact them (since their PS3s aren't connected to the network and don't need the upgraded firmware that will break the Linux support), it does mean that if machines break down and replacements are needed, the Air Force could be in trouble:"We will have to continue to use the systems we already have in hand," the lab told Ars, but "this will make it difficult to replace systems that break or fail. The refurbished PS3s also have the problem that when they come back from Sony, they have the firmware (gameOS) and it will not allow Other OS, which seems wrong. We are aware of class-action lawsuits against Sony for taking away this option on systems that use to have it."The article also details how this wasn't just a gimmick by the Air Force, but it really was a cheap and effective way of building a supercomputer -- significantly cheaper than other options. After comparing a bunch of different solutions, they found that there were only two options for the kind of performance they wanted: the PS3 option or a Xeon-based multithreaded system. But in comparing the cost, the Xeon system would be "more than an order of magnitude greater than the PS3 technology."
You would think that Sony would know better than to piss off the US Air Force.
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Odd
They should have been a bit more proactive on this...
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Nonetheless, I believe Sony is in the wrong here and I hope the bad publicity will blow up in their face and cost them enough to make them reconsider before pulling something like this another time.
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selling hardware at a loss is a stupid business decision. companies would engender much more goodwill if they ended this stupid practice.
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Re: Re: The PS3 is not sold at a loss anymore
They used to be, but the cost of manufacturing them has come down significantly since then. They now make a profit on each console, and have been for at least a year (Estimated cost to manufacture was $240 as of July 2009).
Once more, to reiterate:
The PS3 is not sold at a loss
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Quit claiming the subsidized the hardware
little mikee m always talks about these values, and I would have to guess that since your afraid to put your name behind your opinion your another one of little mikee m's worshipers, so you MUST actually see that value...
Sony ADVERTISED these consoles as having this ability from the beginning, many of us purchased them for this function. I for one have NEVER played a single game on either of the three PS3's I own, but now for me to access the LEGITIMATE use of Linux on these consoles I am not forced to choose between future BluRay Releases or to Linux, and when I purchased these consoles I was promised BOTH options.
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Re: Quit claiming the subsidized the hardware
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over protection of current market cuts off diversified market
http://www.unh.edu/news/cj_nr/2008/june/ds17space.cfm
Sony may have thought the needs of a few modders was not worth the effort to be more careful with their upgrade, but in the process they may have cut off a new secondary market for their hardware that was just beginning to develop. And was potentially much larger than a few hobbyists.
Perhaps there is an opportunity here from some enterprising folks to provide the refurbs and unit service to the Air Force and universities that Sony is not interested in.
By trying to exercise firmer control over the end uses of their hardware, Sony may have turned it's back on an interesting marketing campaign opportunity. "PS3 - Powerful enough for the Air Force - powerful enough for you." The use in a cluster arrangement may have been unintended by Sony, but it could have been played to their advantage.
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One of the first concepts you have to learn in business is that "cheap" isn't necessarily "cheap" if it can't be supported.
The tech graveyard is littered with well meaning "cheap" solutions.
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Cheap
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Clusters
The source article author (Alejandro Martinez-Cabrera) - a stringer - even 'uncovered' the dark secret that newer technologies are 10X faster than the cell.
Could be that the lab failed to note the lessons of previous supercomputer generations - "Don't write software to fit the hardware - because it's going to be obsolete long before the software works!" There MIGHT be a story there!
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Oooo Low blow there...
Kinda distasteful.
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Re: Oooo Low blow there...
Maybe a little Fat Man or some Little Boy is just what Sony needs. LOL
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Destruction of government property?
I would think the risk of criminal sanctions would cause Sony to make an exception for government owned PS3s.
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Don't nerf me, bro!
I did buy a Sony TV a few years ago, but back then TV's were basically a dumb box. Now I see any Sony product that can be hooked up to the Internet as something that may someday be nerfed. They think that they still own the stuff you bought from them, and that by nerfing the product they will somehow increase their profits. I would call them clueless, but I don't think that word is strong enough to explain this stupid decision.
Any company could do this kind of thing, but Sony now has a strong track record firmly set in my mind now.
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eh?
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Re: eh?
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Sony's strategy relies on losing money on PS3 sales and hoping to regain it and more through game sales.
Entities using the PS3 as a computer and not as a game system are harmful to them.
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But then, Sony's not been known for the best business decisions.
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and this is one of the problems in this country. The cost of fraud is less than the benefits one receives from fraud.
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The Air Force didn't take advantage of anything. Sony sold a product at a price that people would pay for it. Sony could have sold it for more, but then no one would have bought it. Sony's intentions & hopes on what happens after that sale are irrelevant. There is no good faith clause in a sales contract that says the buyer agrees that they will spend $X on games to help Sony out.
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anyone who knows the story knows that the 2.789 ps3 systems that were supplied to the air force were a $17.9 million contract with an added $8.9 million for future modified consoles..
do you really think that they interviewed the air force in regards to the ps3 knowing how many things are going on in the military? wow stop the articles..
MODIFIED UNITS built for the air force and another unmentioned military branch..they don't update like ours do they only get the stability updates wich are mandatory.
the air force wouldn't be so easy going if sony really broke a $26 million contract..they would really stick to them..
my brother is a Researcher in the air force he can't say much about what goes on with (radar/Algorithmic research) but what he can say is..why is the so called "interview" only provided by ars?
this was just another faux article to get people going..
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PS3 are no longer sold at a loss
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anyone have an issue wiht public funds buying game machines ot be used this way
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Re: anyone have an issue wiht public funds buying game machines ot be used this way
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Dang IT
General : "Care to explain, Sergeant?"
Sergeant : "Well, Sony released an update over the internet that took away Linux, the software we were using on the supercomputer. Now all they're good for is playing games. Which we don't do here".
General : "Dang it! What was the supercomputer used for anyway?"
Sergeant : "Simulating the after-effects of nuclear war, sir, on Asian countries".
General : "So now we can't simulate, am I right?"
Sergeant : "Yes sir"
General : "Well, then nuke Sony headquarters. That'll do two things, it'll give us the research data we need, and teach those corporate b*st*rds that when you sell a product, you can't take features away". Don't worry about the media, I think the world will understand they had it coming."
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Com o Tv Digital no PC você terá 452 canais á sua inteira disposição 24horas
www.tvdigitalnopc.com.br
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Sure, you'll lose the PSNetwork ability by not giving up your Other OS option, but. . .
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Anyone using the PS3 for the purposes on a supercomputer have absolutely NO NEED to update their PSN. They will keep their Linux capabilities.
You're an idiot.
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"We will have to continue to use the systems we already have in hand," the lab told Ars, but "this will make it difficult to replace systems that break or fail. The refurbished PS3s also have the problem that when they come back from Sony, they have the firmware (gameOS) and it will not allow Other OS, which seems wrong. We are aware of class-action lawsuits against Sony for taking away this option on systems that use to have it."
We all know even if Sony made a exception to not upgrade the firmware for the Air Force, the refurbished systems have an extremly high failure rate. This is because they only fix the systems but don't take any steps to improve their reliability. You may receive a unit that only had its blu ray drive replaced and your ticking YLOD time bomb may go at any minute.
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Yes Im Late
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