El Cosmico here, in disbelief over the latest news from the Kyodo news agency in Japan. It turns out that the Japanese government has decided that the graphics processing unit of Sony's new Playstation 2 game console is so powerful that it needs to be put on Japan's list of export-restricted devices-because it could conceivably be used as a missile guidance system. Purchasers are now limited to taking one unit out of the country at a time, or seek the Trade Ministry's approval first.
Wow. I knew the PS2 was going to kick ass, but I never thought it would kick THIS MUCH ass. Thankfully, Sony says that they don't expect the restrictions to affect the US release. Here's another tidbit about the Playstation 2...it's already sold 1.4 million units in Japan alone. Anyway, this whole thing reminds me of when Apple first released the G4 and the US government slapped export controls on it, again because of its processing strength. Here's just another example of a very serious problem technology manufacturers are going to face with increasing frequency.
They're going to keep making more powerful devices, and each time, their respective governments are going to have to slowly accept reality, and change their laws to accomodate progress. Either that, or they're going to have to try to put a ceiling on computing power for public consumption. This relates to encryption, weapons systems, you name it.
So, will governments accept change, or will they start stifling technology when it hits a certain ceiling? Even more importantly, will the Playstation 2 debut in the US on schedule?
-El Cosmico
mailto: elcosmico@austin.rr.com
