You know that this is a complete cop-out, right?
You're surely aware that this is exactly what everyone meant when they said it would "brick" their phones. That as far as software goes: it if don't run, it's broke.
C'mon Chris, this is Motorola saying *exactly* what I'm upset about: that we are not allowed to install custom software on devices that we pay hundreds of dollars for. Make no mistake the average cell-phone geek upgrades their phone, on average, about every 6 months. Thus, barring the occasional social-engineering gambit, we're paying full price.
Almost every time.
So, unless Motorola *officially* provides a way to install "test" RSA keys ("dev", "engineering", etc.) so that flashing a custom ROM is safe for the end-user they've also made the process of flashing custom ROMs illegal.
Now, before you delete this email and dismiss my rantings a those of a tinfoil hat wearing lunatic, please, hear me out.
This whole fiasco revolves around a couple technical points about how these devices are set up. When Motorola says that they're encrypting things for "security" and that the bootloader just "won't boot up" without properly "signed" software. This means that when the software is put together, they use an RSA key to digitally "sign" it, proving where the software comes from. What this means for an end-user is that unless an update comes from Verizon or Motorola, it can't be installed. Sounds good, right? Except legally they've got really REALLY goood reasons for not allowing anyone but Motorola or Verizon use those RSA keys. It's been long-standing practice to hack bootloaders to accept non-signed ROMs, the WinMo folks do this, I can't remember if Droid uses an unsigned or test-signed bootloader.
The problem is that RSA encryption, breaking that is a serious crime. Not to mention that it's proven to be a very difficult standard to break. Now, do we really want to break the encryption that keeps millions of credit transactions secure and the basic security of the web just for people who want to modify their personal hardware? Hardware which they've paid for, one way or another; even when subsidized.
Hacking your personal hardware should not be a crime.
If you can't personally take the time to write passionately about this subtle, mostly meaningless issue. I understand. Engadget has a lot going on. For most people this issue isn't going to rank very highly at all, possibly even lower than whether or not there's a giant conspiracy to hide the iphone4's antenna woes. #justsaying
But please don't leave it up to the android-specific sites like Phandroid , this isn't an issue that should be brushed under the rug as just affecting android fanpeeps. It's real, and it affects our right to tinker. one which we should take very seriously as gadget geeks.
--Nate Olsen
"Gotta count the atoms! Conservation of mass...It's the Law!"
--Homer Jay Simpson
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