OMG Nintendo.com

If you noticed your Wii glowing blue last night, that's because an e-mail from Nintendo about Wii Menu Update 3.4 was downloading itself to your computer. Whether or not to run this firmware update is tricky to figure out.

The main reason why you want it is is that the 3.4 Update finally fixes the Wii's really screwed up SD card drivers. Reports are floating around of huge games, hundreds of blocks in size, now being transferable to SD card in roughly thirty seconds. Disc read speeds are also significantly improved, and USB keyboard support is available in the Mii Channel.

The main reason why you don't want 3.4 is that installing it involves agreeing to a new Terms of Service agreement, and 3.4 is also designed to break homebrew. One of the things it does is look for "altered save games", (i.e., the Twilight Hack) and delete them. The new ToS also means you have to let Nintendo to download patches and firmware updates to your Wii automatically, without giving your prior consent. It's inevitable that many of those patches are going to be designed purely to break homebrew.

Reports on whether or not you can continue to use homebrew after installing 3.4 are conflicting at this point. Some people claim you can run 3.4, and even if your Twilight Hack save is obliterated, it won't remove the Homebrew Channel. So, all you have to do is transfer a fresh Twilight Hack save from SD card to get your homebrew on again.

Wii homebrew site WiiBrew is specifying that Wii Menu Update 3.4 only breaks Twilight Hack versions 0.1beta1 and below, and the PatchMii homebrew system updater utility. It also provides complete text of the new and old ToS versions. Read the ToS options and think carefully before you choose whether or not to update your system firmware. Remember that even if you do choose to update to 3.4, Nintendo's not going to be able to download anything to your console unless if you choose to turn WiiConnect 24 off.

Old ToS:

To ensure that your Wii Console is operating properly and efficiently, we may download updates, patches, upgrades and similar software to your Wii Console. In addition, we may disable unauthorized or illegal software that has been placed on your Wii Console without notifying you where necessary, in order to comply with applicable laws, assist law enforcement, protect us and our customers, and prevent the use and distribution of software obtained through improper channels.

New 3.4 ToS:

We may without notifying you, download updates, patches, upgrades and similar software to your Wii Console and may disable unauthorized or illegal software placed on your Wii Console to ensure that your Wii Console is operating properly and efficiently, comply with applicable laws, assist law enforcement, protect us and our customers, or prevent the use and distribution of software obtained through improper channels.

While I have a lot of respect and admiration for the homebrew communities of... well, all consoles, I'm probably going to run 3.4 just to get SD cards support working properly, and to cut back on the dreaded load times. I have interest in the potential of the Twilight Hack, but not enough to want to want to run it as it stands. Still, I have to wonder how many Wii users are using the mods and programs that the Twilight Hack makes possible. Obviously enough that Nintendo's willing to put a lot of effort into making you guys knock it off.

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