This was EXACTLY what came to my head after reading scuzzb494's post, I just didn't know the author. Well done!
Here's a radical thought. Rework the otheros feature so that hacking is not possible.
I can betcha this was 100% Sony America's decision. Typical American approach, closed system, closed standard, remove ps2 capability, remove linux capability, keep the costs as high as the market will bear for as long as possible.
The end result? Sony is in last place. The once impecalbe brand has fadded some.
