If you care, I explain how a bug like this can occur on the next page of comments. It is mostly likely a simple range overflow error, where multiples of some number (most likely 4GB) are treated as 0 because the size of the integer used to hold the free space isn't large enough to hold the whole disk space.
Yes it would be checked by a simple if/else statement. However, what I was mentioning is why that check would widely fail.
For Example.
unsigned int freeBytes; //32bit int (standard size of ints)
freeBytes = disk.getFreeSpace();
if (freeBytes >= 500000000) { install game } else { error }
This would have a bug if actual free space was a multiple of 4GB. This is because an unsigned int can only represent (4 -1 ) different values. A simple fix would be to add or subtract 500MB such that something other then an even multiple of 4GB.
Contrary to what most people on this forum want to believe this is not a show stopping bug. I mean I know of three people with a PS3 and none had this problem (we all bought the game).
While checking for disk size (which is OS dependant) is typically a very easy piece of code it can also be screwed up very easily.
For example consider a system with a standard word size of 32 bits. and someone does the following to check for disk space
unsigned int free_space; free_space = disk.getNumFreeBytes();
free_space can only hold 32 bits, thus anything that is an even multiple of Four GBs will show up as zero being stored in free_space.
Thus, to get around this you would need to add or subtract some number (such as 500MB) such that the disk space size is is no longer an even multiple of 4GB and thus 3.5GB will be returned in the free space.
So you are right, while this is a simple thing to do, it is also a simple thing to get wrong and not notice.
It's because MS doesn't want the windows on-line gaming to be free either. It is just much harder to do because not everyone has to use their stuff if they want to provide online gaming.
My understanding is that the 80GB and 60GB European BC has always been 100% software based. Only the NA and Japanese 60/20GB models had the EE engine.
If you got a model with a EE engine you got near 100% computability. If you got one that is 100% software BG then the number of compatible PS2 games dropped a significant amount.
While it may not make sense from a technological standpoint about not including the BC software, it does make business sense. I mean if they left it included would there be any reason to buy the European 60GB (which only had software compatibility that partially works).
If BC is so important to some people that are waiting then find a NA or Japanese PS3 60GB that has the EE chip. These have very good BC if not 100% (Personally I haven't had a problem with it).
I mean at the price reduction you can buy a PS2 if you really want BC, or you can pay a little more and get a model that has the capability built in.
I really do feel that for some people it really doesn't matter what sony does people are going to complain.
Ratchet & Clank Future glitch may halt play
Oct 24th 2007 10:09AM (Joystiq)If you care, I explain how a bug like this can occur on the next page of comments. It is mostly likely a simple range overflow error, where multiples of some number (most likely 4GB) are treated as 0 because the size of the integer used to hold the free space isn't large enough to hold the whole disk space.
Ratchet & Clank Future glitch may halt play
Oct 24th 2007 8:42AM (Joystiq)Yes it would be checked by a simple if/else statement. However, what I was mentioning is why that check would widely fail.
For Example.
unsigned int freeBytes; //32bit int (standard size of ints)
freeBytes = disk.getFreeSpace();
if (freeBytes >= 500000000) {
install game
} else {
error
}
This would have a bug if actual free space was a multiple of 4GB. This is because an unsigned int can only represent (4 -1 ) different values. A simple fix would be to add or subtract 500MB such that something other then an even multiple of 4GB.
Contrary to what most people on this forum want to believe this is not a show stopping bug. I mean I know of three people with a PS3 and none had this problem (we all bought the game).
Ratchet & Clank Future glitch may halt play
Oct 23rd 2007 9:33PM (Joystiq)For example consider a system with a standard word size of 32 bits. and someone does the following to check for disk space
unsigned int free_space;
free_space = disk.getNumFreeBytes();
free_space can only hold 32 bits, thus anything that is an even multiple of Four GBs will show up as zero being stored in free_space.
Thus, to get around this you would need to add or subtract some number (such as 500MB) such that the disk space size is is no longer an even multiple of 4GB and thus 3.5GB will be returned in the free space.
So you are right, while this is a simple thing to do, it is also a simple thing to get wrong and not notice.
Major Nelson asks gamers, 'Sup?
Oct 5th 2007 2:40PM (Joystiq)40GB PS3 official for Europe -- no backwards compatibility, at all
Oct 5th 2007 2:04PM (Joystiq)My understanding is that the 80GB and 60GB European BC has always been 100% software based. Only the NA and Japanese 60/20GB models had the EE engine.
If you got a model with a EE engine you got near 100% computability. If you got one that is 100% software BG then the number of compatible PS2 games dropped a significant amount.
40GB PS3 official for Europe -- no backwards compatibility, at all
Oct 5th 2007 2:00PM (Joystiq)If BC is so important to some people that are waiting then find a NA or Japanese PS3 60GB that has the EE chip. These have very good BC if not 100% (Personally I haven't had a problem with it).
I mean at the price reduction you can buy a PS2 if you really want BC, or you can pay a little more and get a model that has the capability built in.
I really do feel that for some people it really doesn't matter what sony does people are going to complain.