Root Convince me, why is rooting "just better"

[caustic]

ALL OF WHAT YOU SAID

Now your response above all I appreciate; it's posts like those that really make me consider rooting. You say that you live for beta testing, and while I certainly don't live for it, if I had a second Droid I'd be all over all of this stuff. Sounds like you have a lot more confidence in you being able to do all of that stuff without screwing up your phone (making it so you can't do any of it).

Heh, kinda pathetic, what with me being a computer science major, but I deal with algorithm optimization, not this XD

 

[johnlgalt]

Ah, young grasshopper, then you should read this thread, especially the first post in its entirety:

http://androidforums.com/all-things-root-droid/47349-now-you-can-live-without-fear-bricking.html

Followed by this thread (especially the first post again):

http://androidforums.com/all-things-root-droid/82742-all-new-guide-all-things-root-related.html

TBH, the only thing that you can really do at this time that can knowingly screw your phone up anymore is to disconnect / let the battery die while performing the RSD steps.

After that first step, you're golden. Because recovery allows you to make a backup - which you can always restore as long as you can get into recovery. And as long as the hardware is functional, you should always be able to do the RSD Lite step to get recovery on the phone...hence, you will always be able to recover, barring a cable disconnect when performing that step, or else you destroying the hardware in any other fashion (meltdowns, physical destruction, etc.).

 

[johnlgalt]

As for me living to beta test - lol, I've been doing it for 15+ years. My first 'computer' was a TI 99-4/A. Wow. just dated myself there lol.

I've progressed, but I have always loved testing new programs and seeing how well they work (or don't). When I got the DROID, the first real phone I could actually mess with, there was no looking back.

 

[caustic]

A TI 99-4/A isn't THAT old, granted it's older than me...

I've read through both of those threads you linked to me (I've read them in the past) and this probably speaks more towards my paranoia than my lack of technological prowess, but going from OTA 2.1 to root seems to be much trickier than the simple rooting method back when we all had 2.01.

Though... I guess it isn't so much rooting that bothers me. I could root, but that wouldn't get me what I would want from rooting. I'd want a nice custom ROM with a good kernal so I could overclock it to ~1 gHz. I'd have to wipe and flash it, and I figure I'm a lot more prone to screw up that entire process than just rooting it.

 

[johnlgalt]

That's because the 2.0.1 had a vulnerability that you could exploit to gain root with ease. When Google released 2.1 they closed that vulnerability. And thus a new process was born.

TBH, the wipe and flash part is a walk in the park now, for folks like myself that have been rooted for a while, but the really good news is that you have an entire community here willing to help - and someone is almost always on here.

It is very very rare that there is not someone on here who has the skills to help you out / walk you through it / give you advice. And that is the real benefit of AF / Phandroid.

 

[caustic]

That's because the 2.0.1 had a vulnerability that you could exploit to gain root with ease. When Google released 2.1 they closed that vulnerability. And thus a new process was born.

Yea. I considered rooting back then, but didn't because I wanted access to the mysterious 2.1 update, which proved to be terribly lackluster. I was hoping that it had been optimized more for the Droid, but it seems like they took out optimization for the GPU.

I have a long drive on Monday to pick up someone from the airport, so I really shouldn't do anything to endanger my phone this weekend, but maybe I'll give it a shot after I get back. I was also waiting for the recently released Froyo source to be integrated and bug tested on some of the more popular ROMs.

And you're right, in the worst case scenario and I DO bugger up my Droid, there's a whole site full of very bright people who would try very hard to help me get it working again

Edit: Is the standard way to root still reverting your phone back to 2.01, or has something else been developed? I'm pretty sure doing that removes all my apps.

 

[cggorman]

 

[caustic]

What's that clocked to?

 

[cggorman]

Chevy Simply Stunning 4.0 (froyo rom) @ 1.2 Ghz stable

 

[OMJ]

Convince me, why is rooting "just better"

no


It is for me but might not be for you. Read about it

 

[nstallion]

Rooting is lame. Don't do it.

 

[bp328i]

Edit: Is the standard way to root still reverting your phone back to 2.01, or has something else been developed? I'm pretty sure doing that removes all my apps.

Nope, the newest way to root OTA 2.1 is to RSD SPRecovery SBF to your phone then flash this update.zip and you have stock 2.1 with root.

 

[esmith818]

DON'T ROOT!! It's like getting a tattoo; once you get past the anxiety and pain of the first one, you keep going back for more.

Having said that, I love my rooted Droid.

 

[UBRocked]

I have said before that I believe when Froyo is available in the "official" sense...rooting will be less of an issue cause it looks like 800MHz is going to be the new "stock" speed. That is a great improvement and with JIT...stock will be fast again.

Rooting needs to be your decision. Right now, I am running the new Sapphire source ROM and I have found several things that don't work quite right. I haven't been able to watch movies on my droid since Froyo was leaked.

I understand not wanting to root for people like my company's CFO that has had a droid for 2 months and still can't put a new widget on his homescreen. For tech savvy people...I don't know why they wouldn't but I like to tinker and most tech savvy people do too. Are there risks? Well yes, but they are minimal. Could you miss a call or two cause you are in recovery mode flashing a new ROM...yes.

This is going to sound pretty sad...but tinkering with my phone, beta testing, flashing new ROMs, finding compatible themes...I LOVE THAT! It is a big part of MY Droid experience.

Should you Root? Probably not. I would guess that if you were that into tinkering with your phone that much, you would have rooted it in the same amount of time (or less) than you have been on this thread talking about the "WHY"?

I'm giving this viewpoint to you NOW...Because now, I have seen what you will be getting in a stock package soon and if Froyo does come with an 800MHz clock speed...there is not as much reason to root for speed. If you are not already accustomed to the things that only a rooted phone can do (as johnagalt put so nicely above), why would you?

I'd root just to change the theme of the phone! I can't stand the white notification bar.......that's just flat out ugly IMO. Again, that is for me...you need to do whats right for you

 

[UBRocked]

One more thing...

Most of the people that have posted comments here rooted as soon as it was an available choice to do so. We didn't know what to really expect out of it...we just did it cause we could. Going back to stock...not even an option as I will NEVER unroot. Mainly, just because I can do absolutely anything on my phone that I see fit.

I usually run at 1.1GHz because that is the fastest 100% stable speed I can achieve. If I could run stable at 1.5....I would and the reason would be...JUST BECAUSE I CAN. It's a freedom thing for must of us (not speaking for anyone else...just my guess).

 

[craighwk]

Not considering the mad flexibility rooting gives you, there is one reason why i wanted to do it and continue to do it. Overclocking the Droid. Going from 550MHz to 1.1GHz is just too awesome not to take advantage of.

Otherwise, there really isn't a "MUST HAVE" feature for me. It's all about the overclocking.

DON'T ROOT!! It's like getting a tattoo; once you get past the anxiety and pain of the first one, you keep going back for more.

Except that if you get a tattoo, you're stuck with it for life. Not so with rooting. You can always change your mind if it's not working out for you.

 

[schimm]

Normally when someone wants to be convinced of something you get something in return. Why are we wasting are breath. Who cares if you root or not.

 

[johnlgalt]

Normally when someone wants to be convinced of something you get something in return. Why are we wasting are breath. Who cares if you root or not.

Because this is not a community of assholes, this is a community that takes the time to explain things and let the users make intelligent choices for themselves.

You attitude is better off with the iSheep than it is here.

 

[Gunner]

Here's another way to look at it.

It almost feels like getting a phone upgrade everytime a new Android build leaks for the Droid. It just keeps getting faster, more powerful. It's going to keep me happy until it's NE2 time again. I have no new phone envy. I'm good to go. How many phones are there that are much better 7 months down the road than they were at launch?

 

[johnlgalt]

Excellent point!

 

[schimm]

Because this is not a community of assholes, this is a community that takes the time to explain things and let the users make intelligent choices for themselves.

You attitude is better off with the iSheep than it is here.

Asshole?....I suggest you read the sticky on conduct.

Helping is one thing. So is answering questions. To come here and asked to be convinced to do something is somewhat presumptuous. You may not agree with me but it doesn't justify your cursing.

 

[keepervq]

One more thing...

Most of the people that have posted comments here rooted as soon as it was an available choice to do so. We didn't know what to really expect out of it...we just did it cause we could. Going back to stock...not even an option as I will NEVER unroot. Mainly, just because I can do absolutely anything on my phone that I see fit.

QFT +eleventytrillion

 

[snake_fist_gung_fu]

No one can convince you. You must convince yourself..... (strokes long white beard)

 

[nathan312]

Asshole?....I suggest you read the sticky on conduct.

Helping is one thing. So is answering questions. To come here and asked to be convinced to do something is somewhat presumptuous. You may not agree with me but it doesn't justify your cursing.

Don't think he was cursing AT you...or he would have said: we aren't a community of assholes, like you. I think he was getting at that NONE of us are assholes. Just a guess

 

[bp328i]

Don't think he was cursing AT you...or he would have said: we aren't a community of assholes, like you. I think he was getting at that NONE of us are assholes. Just a guess

+1