Comment by lxgr

At least some of these efforts were supposedly related to Sony's attempts at getting various Playstation models classified as computers instead of video game consoles for import tariff or tax reasons.

While the tariff classification plot never seems to have worked out, Sony did also around the same time apparently succeed in creating a perception of the PS2 as being so dangerously fast as to needing export controls as a munition(!): https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-pixel-9-pro-xl-vs-samsu...

With the PS3, both attempts eventually succeeded, but in a way that backfired at Sony gloriously: The US Navy actually did end up using the PS3 as a supercomputer! https://phys.org/news/2010-12-air-playstation-3s-supercomput...

The only problem: They were selling the console as a loss leader, making money only via games and game licenses. Once somebody had finally taken them up on their "it's a computer, not just a game console!", they were very quick to remove the "Other OS" boot capability in a firmware retroactively.