3 ms·

Game consoles, right? Back in the day things like the Commodore were often sold as game systems and computers (the NES wasn’t but you could still run unlicensed

by easton 6y ago

Game consoles, right? Back in the day things like the Commodore were often sold as game systems and computers (the NES wasn’t but you could still run unlicensed software). Nowadays, good luck running something on your PS4/Switch that the company didn’t approve (unless you have a hackable switch I guess, but that’s extremely fiddly).

johncolanduoni 6y ago
That’s a good point, but the incentives there make more sense: game piracy has been a huge issue for publishers on every gaming platform (PC included) that didn’t put serious hardware roadblocks to it. They also sell the hardware at a loss, which means locking it down if you don’t want someone to build a supercomputer out of it on your dime.
kmeisthax 6y ago
The NES could not run unlicensed software. In fact, the NES arguably invented the App Store licensing model. Every console (save for the toploaders) has a lockout chip that resets the CPU every second or so unless it's able to exchange encrypted data with a companion lockout chip in the cartridge. Nintendo used this to "protect" the US gaming market from games they didn't approve of. Technically, the Family Computer (Famicom) could run unlicensed software. It even had a BASIC interpreter and a keyboard controller. Nintendo realized their mistake very quickly, however, which is why the NES has a lockout chip and the disk add-on for the Famicom also locked out third-party disks. (Note that part of the system was the ability to buy blank disks and pay to download games onto them via a Disk Writer kiosk, hence why the disks were proprietary, not just the games.) A number of game developers in Japan found that to be a bit of a shock, from what I've heard.
neop1x 6y ago
In my opinion there is an important difference between purpose-built entertainment devices like consoles where sometimes HW cost is donated by the manufacturer and a multi-functional generic computer like laptop/desktop and partly smartphone. I care less about locked PS4 ecosystem than smartphonrs and computers.

by easton 6y ago

johncolanduoni 6y ago

That’s a good point, but the incentives there make more sense: game piracy has been a huge issue for publishers on every gaming platform (PC included) that didn’t put serious hardware roadblocks to it. They also sell the hardware at a loss, which means locking it down if you don’t want someone to build a supercomputer out of it on your dime.

kmeisthax 6y ago

The NES could not run unlicensed software. In fact, the NES arguably invented the App Store licensing model. Every console (save for the toploaders) has a lockout chip that resets the CPU every second or so unless it's able to exchange encrypted data with a companion lockout chip in the cartridge. Nintendo used this to "protect" the US gaming market from games they didn't approve of. Technically, the Family Computer (Famicom) could run unlicensed software. It even had a BASIC interpreter and a keyboard controller. Nintendo realized their mistake very quickly, however, which is why the NES has a lockout chip and the disk add-on for the Famicom also locked out third-party disks. (Note that part of the system was the ability to buy blank disks and pay to download games onto them via a Disk Writer kiosk, hence why the disks were proprietary, not just the games.) A number of game developers in Japan found that to be a bit of a shock, from what I've heard.

neop1x 6y ago

In my opinion there is an important difference between purpose-built entertainment devices like consoles where sometimes HW cost is donated by the manufacturer and a multi-functional generic computer like laptop/desktop and partly smartphone. I care less about locked PS4 ecosystem than smartphonrs and computers.