That's pretty much what I've done with Victorious, removed the bloatware, deodexed to slim it down and make changes easier, added WiFi tethering app by TrevE, added Gallery4.3 (newest Android camera/gallery combo), added performance tweaks to the build.prop, swapped the internal/external sdcards to give your more storage, and added JupiterOne's uncapped kernel so your processor can go up to 1.5ghz+ (but usually stays between 384-918mhz, the advantage of being uncapped and not OC'd ).

You can do all these things yourself, Victorious just makes it easier.

The easiest way to remove Gmail (cleanly) is to use TitaniumBackup. You can freeze it or uninstall it altogether, and remove the market link so it doesn't show up in your previously installed apps list.

For WiFi tethering, see the thread in this forum, gives you the exact settings and a link to the apk to use.

 

Everything is functional, but I did remove most of the Samsung, Sprint, and Virgin Mobile apps. In the next release I am adding back in the apps required for updating the PRL and Profile, for allowing NFC beam to work (not sure if I'll add S-Beam itself back) and attempting to make Activation work as well. My end goal with Victorious is to have stock stripped mean and lean and optimized as fast as possible while retaining all functionality.

 

buzzcon - it took me like days of research and then literally 2 nights of manual labor to freeze down every dang useless thing that comes stock on the vmu victory. I am down from 219 apps/services, to not much more than 100. (ok and then the worrying every so many apps, should I do a nandroid this time or wait freezing a few more apps)

but agreed after removing the crap, it is not a bad os.

I lurve lurve lurve free apps, but some are truly worth compensating the dev. TiBU is most certainly one of them. actually I should problem kick tibu a few more bucks - paying for the 1 single license/key file has allowed me to use it on at least 3 devices.

 

Jerry I sent you a pm on activation