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Comment by pmorici | Hacker News Reader

I saw this some place else the other day and he wasn't just modding his own game console. He was modding for others and charging them for the service ($100 a pop I think).

I don't think it's right that he's been arrested for that, but he isn't exactly the innocent youth this article makes him out to be if these charges are proven true.

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He was modifying devices that those people legally own. Implicit in owning a thing is the right to modify it. These anti-modder laws are illogical and IMO indefensible. Essentially for these laws to be passed and upheld, courts need to accept the argument that despite paying for something, you don't really own it.

Protecting someone's business model is not enough to justify abrogating the most basic property rights.

apparently you aren't familiar with corporatism. that is exactly what is justified. big businesses always hate and try to subvert the free market, competition lowers profit margins.

Of course I am familiar with it. I'm arguing against it when I say it's not justified.

i was being melodramatic, I feel the topic warrants it as I find having my interests conflict with the interests of an entity that can afford to lobby the legislature and keep a team of lawyers on retainer to be chilling.

The purpose of the modifications is to run pirated games. I don't see anything illogical or indefensible with these companies (and the government) going after people who modify hardware in order to run pirated software.

This particular modder crossed the line between hacking for fun or knowledge to facilitating a crime. I know the "criminal" aspect might not get a lot of sympathy from the pro-piracy contingent on this site, but it's still a crime. If you don't want people like this to get arrested, then call your congressmen.

Don't forget that the same regulations also prevent you (theoretically) from running homebrew code on your consoles in most cases. I have to note, however, that the Xbox 360 (not sure if that's the "Xbox" they meant in the article or not, but they also mention the Wii) mods really have no purpose other than running backups/pirated content.

"The purpose of the modifications is to run pirated games."

Or any unsigned code, so it's arguable that it could be used for legitimate reasons.

Also, since copyright infringement is already a crime, criminalising acts with _might_ lead to copyright infringement is going too far in my opinion.

"pro-piracy contingent"

You're mischaracterising the objections; it has nothing to do with supporting copyright infringement and everything to do with your rights to do what you want with what you _own_.

As an aside, I don’t _support_ copyright infringement in any way. I like to see content-creators get money when they make something I like.

a. They deserve it b. It's impetus for them to make more things I might like

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