It's obviously personal choice, but why root at the moment when the ICS update is imminent?
Simple, because the impending ICS OTA will likely patch the current root exploit that jcase & viperboy recently discovered & implemented with NachoRoot http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=21023156&postcount=1 rendering all who update unable to root, or re-root after accepting the OTA to ICS.
It is personal choice, absolutely, but this device is so much more enjoyable (for me at least) rooted, OC'd, & tweaked out than it ever was stock. This has been the case for me with ALL of my rooted Android devices: HTC EVO 4G, Samsung Epic 4G Touch, HTC Sprint HeroC, B&N Nook Color, and my Asus Eee Pad Transformer TF101G.
Root access simply gives you total control over your device, the benefits far out weigh the concerns, IMO. Better battery life, over & under clocking, undervolting, bloat ware removal, optimized file systems, increased SD card read speeds, optimized Sysctl Config (kernel) tweaks, better I/O scedulers, etc, etc. The list of benefits to root access is long & I could go on forever.
The concerns... Yeah it voids your warranty, if you're foolish enough to try & send a rooted unit in for repair. Root access is reversible on most devices now, so that really isn't a concern for most people, myself included. As long as you understand the risk(s) involved, & can read & follow instructions, gaining root access on most devices is a walk in the park, & easily reversible.
I've had my EVO 4G rooted for over a year now, I rooted it using a guide I found here written by Matlock. I've learned a tremendous amount about Android in the last 14 months since rooting the EVO. The one thing I've come to realize in the last few months is that with Android most devices are the same when it comes down to how the OS operates, what works, & what doesn't. Perhaps it's because the EVO 4G is probably the most widely rooted, hacked, & tweaked Android device to date, but it has provided me with an avenue on which to learn how Android works, & have total control over my devices & how they run.
If you want a device that's shiny & just *works* go get yourself an Apple iDevice. If you want a device that you can tinker with, & truly make it your own then Android is for you.
There is a reason that in the last two years Android powered devices have become the #1 OS in the mobile device world, surpassing both iOS, & RIM devices, not to mention Palm/HP's now defunct WebOS.
"I *am* Android hear me roar"
