Why is a Developer device so much work to root?

[6tr6tr]

Not being a jerk, just really wondering.

Given that the Nexus One/S are Google's official devices for developers, why is rooting them so much work? Why don't they enable something like WebOS' konami code?

(For those wondering, to root a webos device, all you do is type "upupdowndownleftrightleftrightbastart" on the device's keyboard, click the "YES" button and that's it, you have rooted access. )

That's for EVERY webos device. So why is Google's developer device not as easy to root?

 

[TehMan]

Nexus S 4G was the easiest android phones to root i've had...

 

[piaband]

Coming from a pre, I wondered the exact same thing


Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk

 

[6tr6tr]

Nexus S 4G was the easiest android phones to root i've had...

Right, but it's still not as easy as typing a word on the keyboard. Why?

 

[digitalslacker]

Rooting any device should be more complicated than simply reading something in a forum and then typing it on a keyboard.

Remember it's not just sold to developers...it should be hard enough so the average user can't/won't do it unless they have taken the time to understand what they are doing.

 

[6tr6tr]

Rooting any device should be more complicated than simply reading something in a forum and then typing it on a keyboard.

Remember it's not just sold to developers...it should be hard enough so the average user can't/won't do it unless they have taken the time to understand what they are doing.

I disagree with this. Google could at least make an app that you download from developer.google.com that you run from the command line that does it all for you in one step.

 

[2CupsWithString]

I disagree with this. Google could at least make an app that you download from developer.google.com that you run from the command line that does it all for you in one step.

Yeah but then you get the same thing, you get someone who's reading about their Nexus and wants to try this or that and heard rooting was cool, they get the app, install it easy enough and BAM they accidentally flash a Nexus One ROM to their NS, not like it's a big deal to get out of but if you don't know which way is up it can be quite a pickle.

I think the way they do it now, given the amount of access you have at the root level is totally acceptable.

I do think that the USB drivers should be a tad easier to get than grabbing the SDK.

 

[gabbott]

Well, I had a pre and while it was easier to get into developer mode on the pre, I don't believe doing that invalidated your warranty with the carrier like unlocking and rooting an android phone can.

 

[enik]

Well, I had a pre and while it was easier to get into developer mode on the pre, I don't believe doing that invalidated your warranty with the carrier like unlocking and rooting an android phone can.

I'm sure it would void your warranty because carriers are greedy! If they had their way making a phone call would void it.

 

[digitalslacker]

I disagree with this. Google could at least make an app that you download from developer.google.com that you run from the command line that does it all for you in one step.

Google could, yes but I personally believe that it's a nice safe insurance policy to make it just hard enough that you need to do your homework first. That being said, there are one click root options over at XDA but I don't believe they will unlock the bootloader. I haven't tried them though.

I do think that the USB drivers should be a tad easier to get than grabbing the SDK.

yeah, that really was the toughest part for me. beyond that it was a few command line bits and some rebooting. I thought though with the latest update to the SDK that got a little better. Haven't tried since though.

 

[6tr6tr]

With the Pre, almost no one tried this. The percentage of users who rooted their devices was tiny, easily less than 1%, way less. (At the peak, there were about 2.5-3 million WebOS users, 1% would be about 25,000-30,000 people rooting their phones and overclocking, it was more likely around 5-7,000 or so) I really think you're all overestimating the number of people who will try this.

 

[piaband]

This talk about making it easy but not too easy sounds a little ridiculous. I'll say it, Palm had it right. They should all be this easy. If you want to root, you do it. If you dont, you dont.

Then, with the webOS doctor....If you screw something up, you can restart from scratch.

 

[DeathsArrow]

There's a huge different between what you can do with developer mode on WebOS and what you can do with developer mode in Android.

 

[kalex]

Not being a jerk, just really wondering.

Given that the Nexus One/S are Google's official devices for developers, why is rooting them so much work? Why don't they enable something like WebOS' konami code?

(For those wondering, to root a webos device, all you do is type "upupdowndownleftrightleftrightbastart" on the device's keyboard, click the "YES" button and that's it, you have rooted access. )

That's for EVERY webos device. So why is Google's developer device not as easy to root?

You seem to be confusing things here.

On webos phone entering KINOMA code doesn't get you rooted. it enables developer mode.

ON NS4G - fastboot oem unlock followed by enter. Less characters to type then on webos

this also gives you unlock. Rooting is also very easy and 3 or 4 lines of code. With WebOS you have to load homebrew stuff (forgot the name of it)

 

[Shabbypenguin]

even then, there is a one click on this forum. a rooted phone can be very dangerous to someone that doesnt know what they are doing. try looking up how to root a thunderbolt or the evo3d and tell me that this is so hard.

the ns4g doesnt require an exploit just simple flashing, so many phones cant be rooted until there is a new exploit released.

 

[6tr6tr]

There's a huge different between what you can do with developer mode on WebOS and what you can do with developer mode in Android.

No, there isn't. In WebOS, people have used root/developer mode to do everything from overclocking, to new kernels, to patching the code of built in apps, enabling tethering, direct access to the GPS chip...the list goes on and on. It is FULL read/write access. (You can even use a terminal right on the device)

 

[6tr6tr]

it enables developer mode.

Which is complete root access to the device. After that, you can ssh into the device as super user and do ANYTHING.

With WebOS you have to load homebrew stuff (forgot the name of it)

LOL, you obviously have never done this. You don't need ANY homebrew stuff at all. The homebrew is stuff people have already done that works with a rooted device (patches, kernel changes, etc), like cyanogen. But you don't HAVE to use Cyanogen and you don't HAVE to use homebrew stuff.

Once you type the konami code, you can ssh into the device and you'll have full access to the entire filesystem. You can even "dd" the thing to pieces if you want.

 

[DeathsArrow]

No, there isn't. In WebOS, people have used root/developer mode to do everything from overclocking, to new kernels, to patching the code of built in apps, enabling tethering, direct access to the GPS chip...the list goes on and on. It is FULL read/write access. (You can even use a terminal right on the device)

From a basic fundamental perspective you are correct. But the functions you've mentioned barely scratch the surface of what can be done to android via roms. Wholesale changes to device functionality are possible which isn't something that can done to WebOS. See Nook Color hacking and roms as a prime example.

 

[6tr6tr]

From a basic fundamental perspective you are correct. But the functions you've mentioned barely scratch the surface of what can be done to android via roms. Wholesale changes to device functionality are possible which isn't something that can done to WebOS. See Nook Color hacking and roms as a prime example.

This is all possible with WebOS as well. Look, once you have root access to a linux filesystem (webos is on top of linux), you can change ANYTHING on it. Seriously, anything.

People haven't done a "cyanogenmod" of webOS because of LEGAL reasons only, not because they can't. Some of WebOS is proprietary and while they could change that code or decompile it, etc, they can't do so publicly as HP would have a problem with that.

I don't know if you're a programmer/sys admin or just a user of computers, but you can look it up. If you have root access, you have complete control and ability to change anything.

 

[kalex]

Which is complete root access to the device. After that, you can ssh into the device as super user and do ANYTHING.



LOL, you obviously have never done this. You don't need ANY homebrew stuff at all. The homebrew is stuff people have already done that works with a rooted device (patches, kernel changes, etc), like cyanogen. But you don't HAVE to use Cyanogen and you don't HAVE to use homebrew stuff.

Once you type the konami code, you can ssh into the device and you'll have full access to the entire filesystem. You can even "dd" the thing to pieces if you want.

Mr. Obvious - You should really look me up on precentral before making your comments. I have been on precentral since 2004 and had palm devices going back to original 650 which I transplanted from Sprint to VZW.

I had Palm pre, pixi and Pixi plus which i converted myself from vzw to sprint. By homebrew I meant Preware (which skipped my mind and I didn't feel like searching for it, but since you obviously think that I have never done this before I actually decided to login to precentral and track it down for you). Obviously you need preware to install any of your kernels, patches, etc. And do you remember what you need to do to get preware on your WebOS device? I believe its around 8 steps.

Now take a look at number of steps for Preware:
Applicationreware - WebOS Internals

and now take a look at number of steps for NS4G
http://forums.androidcentral.com/sp...61-how-unlock-install-su-custom-recovery.html

Hmm - which one is easier?