Why Sony Needs To Support Homebrew Software Development
November 11th, 2006
By Cody L.



For years, Pocket PCs and Palms have enjoyed open software development capabilities. Pocket PCs, in particular, offer an entire standalone compiler specifically tuned for the mobile operating system, dubbed eMbedded Visual C++. This software is basically a run-down version of their PC compiler, Visual C++. This free, open development platform connects software developers and Microsoft together, and allows for hundreds of freeware and trialware games and applications to be released online for all Pocket PCs/PDAs. To this day, Microsoft supports the development of third-party software for their mobile devices. Equipped with up to 700 MHz processors, plenty of onboard RAM, and a plethora of connectivity and storage options, Pocket PCs best the PSP in every aspect, except for graphics (don’t get me wrong, a Pocket PC can play high quality DivX movie even better than a PSP can, we’re talking about 3D processing here). Soon, however, even that will be a thing of the past as Pocket PCs start utilizing independent graphics cores developed by ATI/NVIDIA.

The question is, why can’t Sony follow in the footsteps of Microsoft’s past and offer a public SDK, compiler, and PC emulator for their handheld as Microsoft has? Kernal Windows Mobile 5.0 mode was never even asked for by Pocket PC developers, yet just recently, Microsoft released the entire source code of the kernel mode of the operating system to the public, for free. On the other hand, Sony, as we know it, is trying their utmost best to block off homebrew software development on their platform. What?!

This is just one example of a device (in the same portable league) that has open development capabilities. Lets put things in perspective. PCs have a so called open development platform; you can code software, compile software, and sell that software as you wish, given that you know the proper programming languages. Heck, pirated software is extremely easy to download and use. Sure, it's not cool to use pirated software and games, but what can we do about it? Close capabilities to code for the Windows OS? That's essentially what Sony is trying to do with the PSP's OS.

The best option for Sony, at this point, is to figure out some real encryption for their UMDs. The only problem Sony has against homebrew is the ISO usage. It hurts their profits, and hurts the morales and profits of the corporate game publishers. However, rather than fixing the root of the problem (crap encryption on UMDs, as well as internal leaks), they are attacking the entire aspect of utilizing homemade games/applications on a pseudo-PC (which is essentially what a PSP is). Bad Sony, bad.

No one cares about SNES/NES/etc. ROM usage. The games are too old, and even if Sony tries to look like 'the good guy' by attempting to rid the PSP of emulation by means of eliminating homebrew, it's really not helping the developers of the games anyways, since they've been out of retail for many, many years.

The Pocket PC has solely survived from third-party game/application development for almost ten years. If Sony fails to understand this basic principle of the post-2000 society we live in, the PSP will reach no where near the full lifetime that it deserves. People want to interact, become part of something, and engage in supporting a community of sorts, as per the grassroots of the 'Web 2.0' theory. After a few days of owning a PSP, the basic functions like listening to MP3s and watching movies become a thing of a past. It gets boring, bland. So does a Pocket PC. You want to sketch random pictures with your stylus for hours on end? I think not. Which is why Microsoft allowed for an open platform for development.

On the PS3, it seems that Sony is taking more of a proactive approach towards homebrew development. They are allowing homebrew software developers to create games and applications for the console, which is awesome, and we must commend them for that. Hopefully this approach will be applied to the PSP as well, in future updates. It really is the greatest feeling to code a game, place it on your memory stick, and tell your friends/family: "I made this. My sweat and energy went into coding this game. Ya want a copy?"

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