The problem is that there are hoardes of, well not fools - but not exactly now best placed, shall we say, who are clogging up the fitting works with NEO4 installs. So I can't get two PS2s fitted with origaChip!

I'm not surprised that NEO4 might have problems with Sony because it won't play import originals - which OrigaChip and Messiah do - so there are potentially different issues for the NEO4 to face in legal terms.

I suppose that Sony are entitled to protect their own code and if Messiah and Origa can show that they have not used any portion of Sony protected property and if Neo4 can show that it is reasonable for people to make backups of their originals and imports, then they'll come out of it all right.

If Sony take injunctive action, then it could be beyond the financial means of some modchip developers to fight it through and they'd have to stop trading. Sony do have the financial muscle to work in this way, but they have to convince the courts that an injunction is warranted and if they subsequently lose in the full hearing, they'd have to pay out millions. Sony might not be afraid of this because they might fancy their chances of breaking their opponents financially before they could win in a full hearing.