With a new 'haircut', 'Facebook' as past history, 'Geohot' looks to the future, and gives an interview with 'Wired'
It seems 'Geohot' is missing the drama of the 'scene' after being banned from touching a Sony product again,
but the world-famous hacker sees hope of his great return due the on-going DMCA Jailbreaking deliberations!
As most of you know by now, 'Geohot' is famous for being the first 'iPhone' Jailbreaker, and then later on the 'PS3' Jailbreaker, only to stop his warpath against evil corp. after being forced to settle out of court with Sony, and part of that large still sealed agreement with them was to never touch a Sony product again, but he thinks there might be a way out for him to be able to return to the 'scene' with all its drama and problems, as remember he donated the remaining funds from his 'defense fund' to EFF and they are now busy fighting the big lobby groups this year in regard to DMCA exceptions that currently are under review, which for now only allow iPhone Jailbreak'ing but not 'Video Gaming Consoles', so being fresh out of a job after quitting Facebook, and sporting a new 'hairdo', Mr. George Hotz, (aka) Geohot, has given a recent interview with the Wired mag, where he stated:
he's awaiting for a decision by federal copyright regulators that, for the first time ever, could legalize videogame-console jailbreaking...
That, Geohot thinks, might let him “jailbreak” the PlayStation again, freeing it for the world of tinkerers to use as they wish, the same way that a decision in 2010 to allow mobile phone users to liberate their smartphones to run whatever programs they like bolstered a vibrant alternative to the tightly constrained and capriciously run Apple App Store.
“I would really like to get back into that scene,” Hotz said in a recent telephone interview.
As you may know, copyright regulators decreed that it was finally legal to “jailbreak” smartphones so, iPhone users can now install apps that Apple didn’t approve.
Today, there are more than 1 million jailbroken iPhones using a third-party app store called Cydia, and Apple has incorporated into its mobile operating system many of the same tweaks that came out of a freedom it said would doom its business model. Those promised cyberattacks never came and, clearly, Apple’s mobile business is thriving, helping push the company’s stock to stratospheric levels
However, under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, it’s still unlawful to hack a gaming console or a tablet like the iPad.
That might soon change under proposed exemptions offered by the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
“It doesn’t make any sense,” Geohot says, “why iPhone jailbreaking is OK, but not for video games.”
Enought with the talk, give us something already as anybody who can fire things up, it certainly is this man.
I just fear with where he has been, getting trust in the scene will be a bigger challenge for him than jail breaking.
Wish him all the best as I remain somewhat optimistic.
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Not sure why so many people were pissed at him, I do think he did want to fight it to the end but his lawyers made him see differently if he didn't want to get screwed. Like with everyone else they sued, it cost them tons of money for doing something that was completely legal (reverse engineering.etc). When you've got a hail of bullets one can only stand outside so long.
That being said even if hacking the PS3 becomes legal that won't exempt Geo from that legal binding that he is in, at least i'm pretty sure anyways.
Not sure why so many people were pissed at him, I do think he did want to fight it to the end but his lawyers made him see differently if he didn't want to get screwed. Like with everyone else they sued, it cost them tons of money for doing something that was completely legal (reverse engineering.etc). When you've got a hail of bullets one can only stand outside so long.
That being said even if hacking the PS3 becomes legal that won't exempt Geo from that legal binding that he is in, at least i'm pretty sure anyways.
There was a time I was kind of mad at him. I think it was because I was comparing him to graf. Graf fought to what I presume was the end, yet he got almost no support when it came down to it in my eyes. And here was Geohot, he boasted that he was going to defeat Sony, got almost unanimous support from the scene, yet he settled. It felt like he squandered our trust.
A few months ago though I decided to let it go. There wasn't much anger there to begin with after so long anyway, but I felt nothing would be gained from hating somebody I didn't even know to begin with. I don't think he meant any ill when he settled. Like you said, he settled out of fear. A very plausible fear. A fear most people would succumb to, yet seems so unreal when you aren't in the hot seat.
Anyway. From what I gather, Geohot during his settlement with Sony, made a deal, a contract. If videogame jailbreaking becomes legal, he is still under obligation to uphold his end of the contract. If he breaks his end, there be a civil case against him for breaking contract, or Sony might just try to sue him over the cfw issue again which is doubtful. There may be a legal way to nullify the contract he could pursue.
I hope someone told the EFF that the ps3 is a computer, according to $ony and the EU (import authority).
Yeah, a Computer with 'Other OS' feature removed.
Sony long time ago, to get around the Japan Import problems add the letter C to their name, making it Sony Computer Entertainment, as 'computers' are in a different import duty/tax bracket then other forms of electronics.
Funny thing is you are allow to open up your computer, change around parts, remove stuff, format the os, change the os, add your own parts, change the case, get rid of the case totally if you so wish. -- But a Sony Computer (aka) PS3 belongs to them and is own by them, and controlled by them.
Lawyers have tried this line of defense, and it failed with the "Other OS" removal lawsuits.
Geohot wants to return to the 'Scene'
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Originally Posted by Dark Scyth
