[CS-FSLUG] Ethics and the X-Box

[Nathan T.]

On 12/9/05, Clinton Evans <clinton.evans at rogers.com> wrote:
>
> Here is the dilemma: what is the morality of circumventing Microsoft's
> security to recycle some of their obsolete machines?
>

Well, you're paying for it and Linux is legal software so I don't see the
problem at all. If you really have a problem with it though I heard that the
PlayStation 2 models have 2 usb ports and can run Linux as well, but
unfortunately I don't know if Linux supports their network card (the
external one, but I think some models also have one built in). I don't think
Sony would mind you running Linux on their machines, as far as I know they
know it's happening and they haven't done anything about it whereas
Microsoft made it necessary to exploit buffer overflows to get Linux to even
boot on the XBox machines.

As far as I'm concerned if you payed for something you are allowed to do
whatever you want with it as long as it's moral, and morality in my opinion
isn't defined my Microsoft or Sony who love saying stuff like "You can run
our software and ONLY our software on these machines", or "You can play the
CD you bought on OUR terms and we can cut you off any time we want for no
reason whatsoever". Now why would you let unusual morals be dictated to you
by companies who want to force DRM (in Sony's case even through rootkits) on
you against you will, knowing full well you won't accept it so they sneak it
in on CD's and software updates. Is it moral to practise extortion on your
already paying customers who trusted you? Then how can Microsoft and Sony
tell you what is moral if they don't even know what it means, they just
exploit the concept to siphon money out of you.

Morality for me is determined by what I've read in the bible, people I who's
opinions I trust, and my own sense of ethics. And my morals tell me that as
long as you payed for that XBox you can do whatever you want with it as long
as it's legal and doesn't intentionally harm anyone, and trust me, Microsoft
won't be hurt by this one. If anything by buying the XBox you might be
helping some family buy an XBox 360 for themselves.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://ofb.biz/pipermail/christiansource_ofb.biz/attachments/20051210/40c0d90a/attachment.htm>