yawn

They bypass certain security features like booting non-Sony, non-Microsoft discs so you can play archived copies or (gasp) bootleg games. Since you can play (gasp) bootleg games, it opens another world too, homebrew software. The easiest way to run this stuff is with a mod chip, except if you know how to do my method with the hard drives. NES,SNES,N64,Genesis, etc... emulators, Linux, Media Center Software, Archiving tools to put your games on your hard drive, Windows, Mac OS X, all this stuff has run on an XBOX before. You can't expect some stuff to run well because an Xbox is basically an old computer when you try to run Windows and Linux, but doing that on a gaming system is pretty cool to show off. Mod chips are one of those grey things that you would most likely never be able to find at your local gaming store. I've heard stories that true local gaming stores, not franchises sometimes will set you up with a mod chip if you ask for it, but there is a grey area with legalities. Mods bypass certain security measures which is sorta illegal because like DVD's you are not allowed to bypass security because of the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act).

In regards to the EFF going on the offensive againsts the DMCA.



Xbox and Ps2 are sorta the same way. But you own the machine, so just like your computer why can't you replace the hard drive, or replace some of the innerworkings, like you would do to your computer if you wanted to make it better? If I want to run Linux on my Windows box, without losing all my old information, I would get a second hard drive and run Linux off it. Illegal? No, but the Xbox, you are bypassing security measures to run this homebrew stuff, but it is yours so what gives?

There is so much information out there about this stuff. I love talking about it, ask more if you want more information.