John Carmack Pushes Out Unlocked OS For Defunct Oculus Go Headset (arstechnica.com) 20
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: Oculus may have officially discontinued its low-end Oculus Go headset last year, but the company has one more "official" update to help future-proof the hardware. On Thursday, Oculus released an unlocked build of the Oculus Go operating system, allowing for "full root access" on more than 2 million existing units. Oculus "Consulting CTO" (and former id Software co-founder) John Carmack announced his plans for this update last month, saying it was something he had "been pushing on for years." In part, the unlocking is an attempt to guarantee that Go hardware will continue to be fully functional well into the future, allowing for "a randomly discovered shrink wrapped headset twenty years from now [to] be able to update to the final software version, long after over-the-air update servers have been shut down," Carmack wrote.
Before that, though, the update will allow tinkerers to "repurpose the hardware for more things today," as Carmack puts it. Go hardware running the unlocked OS will no longer check for a Facebook signature at the kernel level, meaning developers can create new versions of low-level system software for the entire Android-based OS. That could allow for custom versions of low-level features like the app launcher and the removal of otherwise locked system apps. The update also allows for easy sideloading of apps outside of Go's store interface, though this was already possible on older OS versions.
Before that, though, the update will allow tinkerers to "repurpose the hardware for more things today," as Carmack puts it. Go hardware running the unlocked OS will no longer check for a Facebook signature at the kernel level, meaning developers can create new versions of low-level system software for the entire Android-based OS. That could allow for custom versions of low-level features like the app launcher and the removal of otherwise locked system apps. The update also allows for easy sideloading of apps outside of Go's store interface, though this was already possible on older OS versions.
Doing us a favor, yeah right (Score:2)
Hardware and software should be separate anyway. People should have enough self control to not buy into closed ecosystems/walled gardens in the first place.
Re: (Score:3)
It seems like enlightened self-interest. If you want people to pay to get into your walled garden, you don't want the example of others who were trapped inside the last one to dissuade new customers.
Like many acts of enlightened self-interest, it may be a no-brainer on paper but when it's your own company it suddenly becomes a lot harder for most managers.
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I think the PR idea here is similar to jailbroken iPhones. It lets forum posters cite that some model, somehow, at some time, was let free of walled garden. The net effect will be more people buying tickets into the garden.
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"People should have enough self control to not buy into closed ecosystems/walled gardens in the first place."
Have you met us? Half of us have an IQ of under 100.
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Hardware and software should be separate anyway. People should have enough self control to not buy into closed ecosystems/walled gardens in the first place.
In that case, you guys should be supporting the Lynx R1 Kickstarter [kickstarter.com], the bunch who are creating an affordable mixed AR/VR headset with no walled garden, no mandatory login and an open development platform.
I wonder why this isn't getting a lot more traction on a site that itself claims to be news for nerds.
So conflicted (Score:2)
I want to say this is awesome but knowing fully well that the result would actually praise Facebook and I just can't bring myself to do that.
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lol. I hear ya. But I'm glad my little Oculus Go is at least fully untethered now!
Re:So conflicted (Score:5, Interesting)
Thank Carmack, not Fecesbook. Per his words, he bothered his bosses for many years to be allowed to do this, and he's a freaking CTO of the unit. And even then, Facebook relenting is not because of having a shred of goodness in their black hearts but because it allows escaping customer backlash and fears that people's expensive shiny gear becomes doorstops, which makes them reluctant to buy the newest shiniest version.
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I don't care too much for the reasons, unlocking defunct software or hardware is a boss move, and all vendors need to do it.
I'd love to play some UT on my computer. The OS will run it. But the obfuscated licensing step is broken so I can't enter the SN th activate it. (as long as it was supported, everytime there was a new os release they had to release a patch JUST for the serializer, because they were doing the usual shady crap in their licenser to fight the pirates, and the code was never future-proof
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Thank Carmack, not Fecesbook. Per his words, he bothered his bosses for many years to be allowed to do this, and he's a freaking CTO of the unit.
What's that tell you about how much power Facebook ultimately wields over this. Yeah obviously thank Carmack, but he's not a decision maker here.
Facebook relenting is not because of having a shred of goodness in their black hearts but because it allows escaping customer backlash and fears that people's expensive shiny gear becomes doorstops
Sorry but Facebook literally does not care about this. There are plenty of examples of them leaving customers high and dry from the CV1 cable not being available *at all in any way* even for customers still within the warranty period forcing upgrades to the Rift S, to the refusal to crossport features for two devices literally released at the same time, to mandator
Nice move! (Score:2)
I hope others follow suit!
Re: (Score:3)
They only required Facebook logins starting Oct 2020 and the headset discontinued sales on Dec 2020. That means the vast majority of owners were grandfathered in to not requiring their Oculus accounts be linked until Jan 1 2023.
That being said this update gives you root access to the hardware. So if Oculus does start to force you to use a Facebook account on Jan 1st you are free to do what you want with the hardware. I doubt they will though as they probably never bothered to add any of that functionality t
lol now that they've milked it... (Score:1)
Yes, bravely freeing a product whose marginal retail value is now under $1 per unit! Lick up that gruel, serfs! Such idealism!
How much are they paying you to deepthroat the Zuck, John? I bet it's the inverse square root of your integrity.
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"Hooray we finally have root on on the oculus."
who fucking cares? you can get an open-to-begin-with platform with better specs for a few hundred dollars. this is basically dumpster diving for nerds.
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Possible Re-purposing of the Go (Score:2)
Having the Go open sourced and hackable could result in some really interesting re-purposing of this device. I'm looking forward to what might come out of this. It is a neat device, but I have mostly used it for watching movies.
"former id-software co-founder" (Score:2)
makes no sense.
If he co-founded id software, he will forever remain an id-software co-founder. One can't cease to be a co-founder.