Ouch, so basically any accessory made for PS3 prior to 2009 by a third party can be disabled at a moments notice by Sony?
The official license program exists before that announcement. So the relationship should extend earlier than that.
Money grubbing does not mean requiring license (In MS's case, consumers probably felt that they were overcharged). You can be open and still require certification and licensing. Many standards bodies do that. Reputable companies that sell devices for other platforms can still make common products for PS3 based on open standards.