Root Noob Question: Why Use a Custom ROM?

[hnk]

Hi everybody. I recently rooted my Incredible, and I've been looking around at custom roms. I can't really see what the advantage a custom rom has over the default sense UI other than it has a different layout. When I look at their change logs, they mostly seem to be fixing problems with the rom and not adding much new. I figure I must be missing something, since everyone's using one. If anyone could shed some light on this, that would be great.

Also, if you have a custom rom, why did you pick the one you use?

Thanks a bunch!

 

[lennie paz]

If you have to ask that question, then you shouldn't use one.

 

[hnk]

If you have to ask that question, then you shouldn't use one.

This isn't very helpful, but I figure you know that. Did you even bother reading my post, or did you just read the title of the thread? I want to know the reasons people have for using custom roms, because I don't really know what they're for. If you think me asking "Why should I use a custom rom?" means that I shouldn't use custom roms, an explanation would be nice.

 

[rsarno]

I agree, that was a lame response.

Theres a few ways to answer that.

Some people flash different roms to get a specific look & feel that they like, that isnt present on stock.

some people flash custom roms out of boredom. For example i get very bored with gadgets quickly, but by flashing a new rom i essentially get a new toy, and it is saving me a lot of money because im content with my phone and not out buying stuff hehe

usually though, custom roms will offer an experience the stock rom doesnt. For example MIUI rom's give sort of an iphone type of feel.

You can generally tell by visiting XDA forums for a specific rom, and viewing some of the screenshots for it ... you will immediately notice the difference.

 

[rsarno]

BTW my 2 current fav's are Skyraider 3.3.3 and Nils Leaked Business Sense

Try them out, or at least look at the threads. Stable as hell, and bring some pretty awesome stuff to the table.

 

[superstretch]

Hi everybody. I recently rooted my Incredible, and I've been looking around at custom roms. I can't really see what the advantage a custom rom has over the default sense UI other than it has a different layout. When I look at their change logs, they mostly seem to be fixing problems with the rom and not adding much new. I figure I must be missing something, since everyone's using one. If anyone could shed some light on this, that would be great.

Also, if you have a custom rom, why did you pick the one you use?

Thanks a bunch!

I'll give you some back story as to why I just installed a custom rom.

I've had my Inc since it came out in April. I started with 2.1 and made the OTA upgrade to 2.2. Wow, I thought, this is awesome, but I would like to do more to my phone (wireless tether, backups, etc)- so I wanted for unrevoked 3.whatever to get root control. I'm very pleased at the extra 4 or so hours of battery life, wireless tethering when I'm out camping, and all-around feeling that I'm now in control of my phone.

Flash to Nov 2010. A new OTA that is supposed to fix the slow charge times and some other things. Gosh-darnit, I wish I could get that update, but I don't feel like wiping back to 2.2 stock (unrooted) or do the RUU and then restore apps and user data.

Solution: Install Virtuous. Some of my friends recommended it because of the minimal UI improvements (so far, all I've seen is a new battery meter, but you can see more here)

It seems that the Virtuous philosophy is to not require the wipe every time a new update is available or require a crazy root/unroot strategy. Simply download the latest update and use ROM manager to do the work.

Please note that I'm not affiliated with Virtuous at all-- and because of that, I might be completely off-base with what I've said. Just read their docs and see for yourself.

And as for the above commenter.. If you're going to take a minute to comment, but constructive. Getting into rooting and roms and all is daunting because of the people who a) give fragments of info and not the whole picture and b) tell people if they don't know what they're doing, don't do it. People want to learn, that's why they're asking. Rooting/romming isn't some privilege that is granted to a select few by only those who have done it already.

As for the OP, best of luck

 

[lennie paz]

I'll give you some back story as to why I just installed a custom rom.

I've had my Inc since it came out in April. I started with 2.1 and made the OTA upgrade to 2.2. Wow, I thought, this is awesome, but I would like to do more to my phone (wireless tether, backups, etc)- so I wanted for unrevoked 3.whatever to get root control. I'm very pleased at the extra 4 or so hours of battery life, wireless tethering when I'm out camping, and all-around feeling that I'm now in control of my phone.

Flash to Nov 2010. A new OTA that is supposed to fix the slow charge times and some other things. Gosh-darnit, I wish I could get that update, but I don't feel like wiping back to 2.2 stock (unrooted) or do the RUU and then restore apps and user data.

Solution: Install Virtuous. Some of my friends recommended it because of the minimal UI improvements (so far, all I've seen is a new battery meter, but you can see more here)

It seems that the Virtuous philosophy is to not require the wipe every time a new update is available or require a crazy root/unroot strategy. Simply download the latest update and use ROM manager to do the work.

Please note that I'm not affiliated with Virtuous at all-- and because of that, I might be completely off-base with what I've said. Just read their docs and see for yourself.

And as for the above commenter.. If you're going to take a minute to comment, but constructive. Getting into rooting and roms and all is daunting because of the people who a) give fragments of info and not the whole picture and b) tell people if they don't know what they're doing, don't do it. People want to learn, that's why they're asking. Rooting/romming isn't some privilege that is granted to a select few by only those who have done it already.

As for the OP, best of luck

Sorry I'm not a fan of spoon feeding. There are pages and pages of info on this site that supply plenty of info to the OP. A little bit of reading would have kept him from posting that question. Common sense is an amazing thing and the first thing I did when I got here, was go to each individual ROM thread and look through them to see the comments that users were saying about the ROM. It's not rocket science folks, but if you want to continue to spoon feed, go right ahead.

 

[rsarno]

Sorry I'm not a fan of spoon feeding. There are pages and pages of info on this site that supply plenty of info to the OP. A little bit of reading would have kept him from posting that question. Common sense is an amazing thing and the first thing I did when I got here, was go to each individual ROM thread and look through them to see the comments that users were saying about the ROM. It's not rocket science folks, but if you want to continue to spoon feed, go right ahead.

then you shouldn't have replied.

some of us don't mind helping others, even if some might feel the question requires spoon feeding

 

[lennie paz]

then you shouldn't have replied.

some of us don't mind helping others, even if some might feel the question requires spoon feeding

Cool, I'll remember that next time.

 

[dragonsamus]

I use a custom rom because I like tinkering. I wanted to try out vanilla Android so I loaded cyanogenmod. I was so used to sense that cyanogenmod seemed boring so now I'm running virtuous with a custom kernel and have the incredible revolution theme installed. I'm loving my phone even more now.

 

[hnk]

Thanks rsarno and superstretch! I had been looking around at the different roms, but wasn't able to find much in the way of pros and cons. You guys helped out a lot. I decided to try out Skyraider 3.3.3 first, and so far I'm loving it. I'm definitely gonna check out Virtuous and Nils after playing with Skyraider a bit.
Thanks again!

 

[rsarno]

Thanks rsarno and superstretch! I had been looking around at the different roms, but wasn't able to find much in the way of pros and cons. You guys helped out a lot. I decided to try out Skyraider 3.3.3 first, and so far I'm loving it. I'm definitely gonna check out Virtuous and Nils after playing with Skyraider a bit.
Thanks again!

Those are all sense based. Really wanna blow your mind? Load up MIUI

it completely changes the entire UI of the phone

personally, its not for me. But it proves the possibilities are there!

 

[hnk]

Holy wowww. That's crazy. It'd be like you have a completely different phone! I'm totally gonna try that out too! Soooo many roms. Thanks again!

 

[hover]

I agree with the OP, and I've kind of been waiting for a recent thread like this. I've tried a few different ROMs, but I usually end up going back to the stock Sense, modded the way I have it. Up until this OTA, I had no problems with it at all, but I don't feel like going backwards just to receive an OTA update that I don't really need or want anyway. With the phone rooted and themed with Launcher Pro, I'm actually very happy with the UI of the phone, and the layout of it.

But, like I said, this OTA update irks me, so I'll either be just getting rid of the nag, or booting straight into one of the custom ROMs that are on my sd card already.