Genius Wanted for N00b-Proof App development. Must be willing to work with actual N00bs without killing any in the development process. Project: Develop a set of programs capable of being run by a total n00b from their Windows platform (Linux and Mac users do not qualify as actual n00bs in most cases) which will allow the installation of Custom ROMs and Recovery images, and the complete restoration of Stock ROM and Recovery, all menu driven. Extra compensation for developing a GUI interface, as most n00bs will be intimidated by a Command window. Features to include: (1) option to download and add in new Custom ROMs and Recovery images as they are developed (2) Complete backup and restore of installed apps and data (3) N00b-Lock to lock out any tampering by over-eager n00bs who decide to try to change settings. Compensation: Instant Hero status on Android Forums, the complete and total admiration of your peers, n00b appreciation and measured relief for those who currently have to protect n00bs from themselves. Just think how accomplished you'll feel the next time a n00b proudly shows off his/her Android phone successfully running the latest version of Velocity or Raptor or a yet-to-be released future ROM. The FUTURE is YOURS !! The FUTURE is NOW !! N00bs the world over need YOU !!
I consider myself a Noob when it comes to Android and I found the ROM Manager app easy to learn, use and understand and it does everything you are asking about without even needing to plug your phone into your PC (except maybe to download the ROM .zip files). It can install ROMs, backup ROMs (apps included), restore ROMs and if you are willing to pay for it, check for new ROMs automatically. The free version already offers a way to go back to a stock ROM if need be. And it's already GUI driven. I use it all the time to bounce between stock, Velocity and Raptor ROMs as I play a little bit with each changing different things to try and learn how to create my own ROM based on one of them.
The fact that you are even thinking about trying to create your own ROM makes you less noobish. OP is referring to people who have no idea what ROMs even are. Someone mentions to them that they hacked their phone, and they start looking it up. It would be nice to have someone make a PC/Mac based GUI, much like the jailbreaking for iPhones, but I'm cool without.
I feel all this has been created anyway... Universal Androot is a GUI rooting app, ROM Manager is a GUI, and it dose everything you listed... Just because you own a Mac docent make you not a N00b. Most people who own macs have them because its simple and everything was done for them..
I shouldn't have said it that way. I'm not trying to create a ROM from scratch. I'm just trying to take pieces of each ROM (mostly apps right now) that I like and make a Rom out of it that has most apps installed in the system folder by default freeing up more space for downloaded apps. Right now I got it to where I have 133mb of free internal storage. Eventually I hope to figure out how to make that transparent notification bar that Velocity has.
