Sony's move to disable Linux on the PlayStation 3 is being met by a proposed class-action lawsuit accusing the company of unjustly enriching itself at the expense of its customers.

Citing "security concerns," Sony announced in March it was no longer supporting the so-called "Other OS" feature on the game console. This, after the company had repeatedly promoted the $500 device as one to "play games, watch movies, view photos, listen to music and run a full-featured Linux operating system that transforms your PS3 into a home computer," according to a lawsuit,

The PlayStation 3 had emerged as a favorite among researchers looking to create homebrew supercomputers on the cheap. When clustered, the PS3's Cell processor – developed by Sony, IBM and Toshiba – can rival the power of a supercomputer, researchers say.

The suit, filed in San Francisco federal court Tuesday, seeks class action status.

"Sony has been unjustly enriched at the expense of plaintiff and the class (.pdf) and is required, in equity and good conscience, to compensate plaintiff and the class for harm suffered as a result of its actions," according to the filing.

The suit was brought on behalf of a California man who paid $500 for his PS3 in July 2007, and chose to pay the hefty price because of the Linux feature, the suit says. But on March 28, the company announced software updates would not longer support that.

To retain the feature, however, consoles could not be updated. Failing to update means PS3 players lose the ability to sign into the online PlayStation network, chat or play Blu-ray discs, according to the suit.

Sony declined comment.

Photo: William Hook/Flickr

See Also: