They are not friends of the free software world, but enemies. If they actually cared about Linux they would not be continually keeping us out of the Blu-ray world completely by their insane DRM schemes. The only reason Sony ever cared about putting user-programmable (and somewhat to highly crippled, I might add) parts on their consoles is to get tax benefits in Europe for selling a 'computer' and not a 'gaming device,' of which the European countries did not find to be a convincing line of argument. As for me, I won't be supporting a company whose policies help keep Linux crippled and out of the mainstream.