PlayStation 3 hacker and thorn in Sony's side George Hotz may be headed to court soon. Sony's case against the NJ native for jailbreaking its home gaming console and then leaking the information online is moving forward. In response to the pending legal battle Hotz issued a general message. He wants people that "support this cause" to donate whatever they can for his legal defense.
Mission accomplished. As of press time, the "first round of donations" is over.
Hotz's website reads more like an FAQ than a blog now. Unsurprising, since it's becoming increasingly difficult to keep track of every twist and turn in the ongoing case. Hotz maintains his innocence in opening up the PS3 for homebrew and OtherOS (a feature which was originally touted as a selling point for the system by Sony and then removed in later iterations), his main argument hinging on the question: do we really own what we buy?
Some comments tread the line between healthy bravado and cocky chest-puffing. Summarizing why he's being sued, Hotz explained, "Sony is lame, and is suing me for hacking MY OWN PS3. Help me own them in court." He also referred to last week's rap video, which found him calling Sony "fudgepackers" (amongst other things), as an "attempt at humor."
The exact amount accrued during the initial donation period has not been revealed. However, Hotz declared it's "enough to cover my legal fees for the time being."
In an ironic twist that likely isn't lost on either party, Sony is currently being sued for removing PS3 Linux support - a suit which applies the same law used as grounds in the Sony v. Hotz case, points out Ars Technica. Sony's familiar with both plaintiff and defendant boxes, but at this point one has to wonder if the company isn't kicking itself for including Linux/OtherOS support in the first place.
More on this story as it develops.
