The RROD was really crappy, for sure. But ultimately MS did do do the right thing, or at least they tried. On the other hand, Sony has never stood behind their consoles. From the PS1 cd drive wearing out prematurely [0], to the PSP's analog nub falling off[1] to PS2 disc read errors [2] to... on and on. Sony has never once helped the consumer in these situations. For most Playstation owners, buying multiple systems per generation is just part of owning a Playstation.
[0] -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_(console)#Hardware_...
[1] -- http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-9761604-1.html
[2] -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playstation_2#Disc_Read_Error_....