Sony Now "Officially" Maintaining The Linux PlayStation Input Driver, But Leads To Interesting Problem

[SpyroRyder]

I wonder whether perhaps the next PlayStation cloud gaming device (or even the PlayStation 5) will be Linux-based. :O

The Playstation 5 almost certainly wont. Their well tuned BSD that they base their system on does everything they need and there isnt any particular advatage to replacing it with linux. The cloud service might have a reason too but then again the BSDs are probably just as good to host that sort of infrastructure

[Lycanthropist]

Linux is free software and I believe that while commercial companies are more than welcome to contribute to the Linux kernel, they should not be allowed to control it. Everyone should have the freedom to use whatever hardware they please. The interests of a commercial company is of no value in the realm of free software in my opinion.

[Volta]

The Playstation 5 almost certainly wont. Their well tuned BSD that they base their system on does everything they need and there isnt any particular advatage to replacing it with linux. The cloud service might have a reason too but then again the BSDs are probably just as good to host that sort of infrastructure

If you're not from Sony I don't care about your opinion. You may be completely wrong.

[DrYak]

I wonder whether perhaps the next PlayStation cloud gaming device (or even the PlayStation 5) will be Linux-based. :O

You're not completely off:

They also support game streaming onto some of their Xperia line of android phones and tablets, and this DO run a Linux kernel.
That's why they make sure that hid-sony works nicely with their controllers.

[Almindor]

Of course, they have a perfectly good reason to block the patch if it were about knockoff or non-licensed PS4 controllers.

Well, no actually that'd be breaking the spirit of free software as well as possibly the GPL.

The only good reason for refusing a valid patch from pretty much any source is a technical one. The re-use of device ID here is sketchy and can probably constitute one such reason, but "Sony now officially supports this driver" is not. Hardware licensing has 0 say in FOSS. If a third party creates a knock-off and follows proper technical steps to add support to a "original" driver it should get accepted, no questions asked.

If Sony doesn't like to lose control like that they need to keep their drivers off the kernel and the GPL then, there's no other way around that.

[OneTimeShot]

Wow... there are a lot of ifs in this article.

If a patch was for PS5 era hardware. If the patch was for a non-standard controller. If Sony were the only maintainer. If Sony actually cared. If they were feeling like being idiots. If everyone else in the kernel let them do it.

The only "news" here is that a guy working from Sony pulled a HID patch, and commented that it was for a non-Sony branded controller. When nVidia are busy dangling the possibility that maybe someday that signed firmware may be available, and every once in a while drop two pages of obfuscated documentation, this feels like a waste of aluminium foil...

[computerquip]

Adding support for knockoffs isn't as great as everyone makes it out to be. These controllers tend to be dirt cheap and are ripoffs even at that price. They often come with screwed up batteries, extremely low-quality parts and often deceive people into thinking they're an official distributor for <brand> controllers. Adding software support to help with quirks introduced by these controllers only encourages such hardware which I really don't condone, even from a consumer perspective.

You really can't be supporting every piece of junk under the sun, it complicates the software and encourages bad hardware. Not a fan.

[CochainComplex]

I wonder whether perhaps the next PlayStation cloud gaming device (or even the PlayStation 5) will be Linux-based. :O

I do not think that this is going to happen. AFIAK the FreeBSD license model is way more interesting for them because they don't have to disclose the code. And it will be easier to sell retro ps4 games without modifying them too much.

[CochainComplex]

Adding support for knockoffs isn't as great as everyone makes it out to be. These controllers tend to be dirt cheap and are ripoffs even at that price. They often come with screwed up batteries, extremely low-quality parts and often deceive people into thinking they're an official distributor for <brand> controllers. Adding software support to help with quirks introduced by these controllers only encourages such hardware which I really don't condone, even from a consumer perspective.

You really can't be supporting every piece of junk under the sun, it complicates the software and encourages bad hardware. Not a fan.

First:
I agree malfunctioning Hardware should not be supported - lets drop Intel CPU support.

Second and now less satirical:
Hardware quality and software drivers in the Kernel are two separate topics. As said by others the Kernel is open, everyone can contribute and modify the code base. Sure there has to be some QA but rejecting patches based on not related License issues in another field should be condemned by the Kernel maintainers.

Such practices are the first step towards corporate control over a FOSS project. Sony has decided that their driver is in the Kernel - someone wants to modify it - corporate interests are not relevant here.

What next?
Nvidia tries to delete Nouveau?
Intel blocks x86 patches by AMD because it could potentially harm in corner cases the superior performance of intel?
NSA blocks all Russian Cryptocode because they suspect Backdoors in any code wirtten by Russians without checking it?

Everyone has his own agenda of interests ...we should not open doors for corporate ego trips

[gsedej]

Cant belive that people here support 'blocking' support of some hardware.

Example: AMD is copying intel/nvidia and hw has some quirks. Users may not sent patches to fix. lol