The end of mod-chips as we know it?

[Shibathedog]

flock the US governement, flock you for promising us freedom and not giving it to us you greedy pieces of crap, i hope someone from the government reads this, and i hope they go choke on a dick. Dirty snake in the grass bastards, eat crap and die. I can't wait to leave this country and ill never fight for your military.

 

free country my ass

 

Hey i shaved my flocking pubes last night am i going to get arrested for "customizing" my junk?

[Robert]

Source (thanks to xbox-scene for the link)

 

Console modding: Right or wrong?

Posted by Don Reisinger

 

In a recent blog on CNET News.com it was learned that modders in 16 states were brought down for allegedly selling and distributing "circumvention devices."

 

While federal agents, including U.S. Customs officials, are heralding the capture of these "criminals" as a mark of significant progress in the fight against modding, I'm not so quick to agree.

 

At its very core, what is so wrong with modding, or modifying, one's gadgets? While I admittedly don't know as much about the techniques involved, because I don't own any modded devices, I still have trouble understanding why companies (and officials) have such a hard time with people making products better.

 

Now, I'm not saying that individuals should be allowed to sell and distribute a modded Xbox 360 to the highest bidder, but I am saying they should be able to mod the system for their own benefit. Yes, I can hear DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) proponents crying out in disgust already, but to be honest, I think those folks need to get a strong lesson in logic.

 

Banning modding is nothing more than a business ploy. And although organizations like the Immigration and Customs Enforcement division of the U.S. government claims that it raises our prices and maintains an unhealthy business environment, I'm not sure where John Doe, modding his PlayStation in the comfort of his home so he can play overseas games, is contributing to the "facilitation of multiple other layers of criminality, such as smuggling, software piracy and money laundering."

 

Isn't John Doe buying that software from an American importer? And isn't that American importer paying taxes on the profit it makes at the end of the year, which, in case you were wondering, comes from guys like John Doe?

 

I am strongly against the sale and distribution of modded video game consoles, but I can't help but be a proponent of modding video game consoles for your own pleasure, as long as you use it for the benefit of those who hold the software copyright. In other words: buy the legal software, not the pirated stuff.

 

But what makes modding so awful? Is it because you agreed to an implied contract upon breaking the shrink wrap that you wouldn't own the rights to the system, no matter how much you paid for it? If so, that's a bunch of garbage. If I paid my hard-earned money for a game system, then I should have the legal right to open it up and make it do whatever I want. And if that means that my American Xbox 360 will be able to play a Japanese Xbox 360 game, then so be it.

 

The never-ending copyright protection that can be found on just about every kind of media today is simply outrageous. Does it serve the purpose of protecting the copyright holder's material? Obviously not. If it did, we wouldn't have pirating that, according to the Entertainment Software Association, costs the video game industry billions of dollars each year.

 

In fact, you might be surprised to know that pirated material typically sells better than something that isn't pirated. You know why? Nobody wants the stuff that isn't pirated. Besides that, I believe that most people are honest and want to have both copies.

 

Maybe it's just me, but I believe that the DMCA and government officials at home and abroad underestimate our ability to be pillars of society. If you read the DMCA, you will find a law that protects businesses and abandons all trust in the average citizen--it's sad, to say the least.

 

Sorry ESA, Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony; I trust people. Maybe you should too--it might help your bottom line.

Well said. It includes my basic tenets of a purchase.

 

I legally buy it, all rights come to me and are no longer with anyone else. It's mine, I do whatever I want with it.

 

If you don't get all rights, then it's not a purchase, it's a rental. That should be made clear at the shop. You sign a rental contract, and, like any rental, you return it when you're finished with it.

 

It's about time that the meaning of rental and purchase are clearly followed.

[Mooney]

It seems that a copy of one of the search warrants has been posted online: http://consoletech.net/forum/showthread.php?p=813#post813

[ken_cinder]

When are you Americans going to stand up for your rights? I see ALOT of people making a stand, in TEXT, but no real action.

Circulate petitions and give them to your government reps in your areas/states. Write newspapers and other media sources. Hell go out into the streets and protest if you can get enough people together.

 

Here in Canada, we sit on the front lawns of our government buildings and protest, sometimes mildly violently if necessary.

[Lucandrake]

Cinder it's not that simple, most american's are blinded not only by fear, but by their own ignorance to want to avoid violence/struggle.

 

Nobody here besides students/young ones have the ability to riot, everyone's pissing in their own pants, separated in cliché's of stereo types because one Hispanic man is scared of being accepted in a white group.

 

Not to mention, that the way schools have been ran, the way things are so simplistic, I'd say a good half of America is used to the lazy life, getting off from there chair and ignoring work for one day to attempt difference is to much stress on them.

 

For the past summer I've been debating whether or not to attempt being a Lawyer and attempt difference, or to just be simplistic and attempt a doctors degree in medicine.

[Ahmad89]

"simplistic and attempt a doctors degree in medicine" thats a funny one, just kidding.

 

It's looking that emulators are going to be next. Watch and see.

[ben2dx]

RIPPP OFF NO MORE MODDING!!!

 

Did they also crackdown on nds flashcarts because they can play roms.

[Ahmad89]

You know actually they might be after any kind of piracy. They might start cracking down sites for illegal roms, or PC game hosting. It's a good thing this site is legal, unless they can find a way to bust this site. Well im no emu author or hoster, i think im safe.....i think.

[ben2dx]

your safe, but others aren't ):