Lots of sub-threads and thoughts among the thread. Rather than quote all of them, here are a few thoughts. Agree or not, corrections are welcome.
Human rights. I really do not think that your not being able to change icons or more easily install a custom ROM is a human rights violation issue. Lets not start talking about our issues and irks as human rights violations. It helps dillute the meaning of the words and that is dangerous.
Members like Stinky actually do know and understand well, what a human rights violation is and perhaps he (and others) take offense at making the sad comparison. Just saying, STOP with that comparison because it bespeaks of one's ignorance.
Our 'rights.' Someone asked about the manufacturer's rights. So I'll ask again. Manufacturers do have rights and one of those rights is perhaps to keep the phone "locked" to prevent people from screwing up the phone then begging for free repairs.
The contract you sign lists their rights or perhaps responsibilities and duties and it lists your rights. You have a right to expect that your phone works as advertised, connects to the web, deals with email, install apps, etc. You do not have a right to change components within the product or modify it in such a way that it might cause technical problems.
And firmware is a component even though it is software.
And let's face it, most people do not have ANY IDEA about programming, hardware, or how one small change can affect their phone. They root their device and install something not designed for their phone, like one person I read about that rooted his phone, could not find the proper ROM, so he guessed and installed a wrong one.
That foolish person deserves a bricked phone and zero warranty service.
It really does not matter what one thinks their rights should be. They signed contracts and before crying, perhaps they should take a look at their agreement. Just because we think the written agreement is bad or unfair, we must follow it, agree to it, and stop complaining. Do not like it? Well, buy a different phone.
Do you have the right to change the firmware that controls your HDD? Yes, perhaps you do. It is your drive, after all. But when you screw it up, should the manufacturer pay for your lack of knowledge and skills? I assume disk drives have firmware of some sort. OK, then your BIOS, that is upgradeable.
I am not sure there are any rights violations going on; the rights you have are written, so take a look.
I DO AGREE that bloatware is an issue. I hate it and I wish I could rid my phone of it. It likely does me no harm and if that is true, I have no case in court. I despise UNO and Midnight Bowling, too.
Removable parts were briefly mentioned. I have considerable experience in the consumer electronics manufacturing business and it is a difficult thing to make changes like going from SMT components to socketed parts. In some cases, you need additional production workers to insert the parts by hand. All it costs is more money and there is ZERO benefit.
If the consumer does it, I see disaster due to ESD issues and the like.
The PCB (Printed Circuit Board) would require redesign to accommodate sockets. Traces or connections between components do not just sit on the surface or reverse side of the board; connections between parts exist in multiple layers. And some boards can have more than five layers, so adding a socket that requires more space requires a redesign.
Sockets would require that the phone be designed that way from the beginning.
Adding a socket is hard and not only will it increase the size of the PCB, it will require a redesign and retooling of the case as well. Because it is now thicker. Sockets loosen, chips come loose, and phones stop working. More repair costs, and ultimately, higher consumer costs. So sockets will never be used in great quantities because SMT is simply cheaper.
If the consumer wants to change the IC, he or she needs to open the case. So you might end up with a costly product if the manufacturer decides that the physical ROM/IC/Flash/Whatever should be changed by the carrier /manufacturer rather than a fumble fingered consumer that has no business taking apart and disecting a complex littloe fella like an Android.
You going to send your phone in every time you see a cool new ROM or the carrier makes an upgrade? Assuming the carrier can make repairs in the first place; it might need to go to the manufacturer or a service station.
Some parts like ICs are BGA components. This is Ball Grid Array and they are designed to be soldered to the PCB. Impossible to change and tricky to socket.
So we are left with flashing which is likely how the manufacturer/carrier got the software into the product in the first place. Quite likely because updates are currently handled via OTA. And since it is "easy" to root using software, why redesign a product to use replaceable ICs, or sue a manufacturer to do something that can be cheaply done with software that only by a handful of people give two hoots about in the first place?
Law Suits: Not bloody likely. No way a class action will be certified by a judge because it is just silly. You are not harmed materially, and this is something YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED TO DO. So no reason to sue and no basis for the suit. Just wasting everyone's time for something that will never happen.
Most here likely cannot pay for a class action lawsuit anyway. Lawyers will likely take the case "For Free" only if they see a payday. Pissed off, then write a letter or start a petition.
So this is my idea: if you want to sue or whatever, start by getting the carriers to provide phones that are open and no need to root. I do not think you stand a chance in heck, but go with God, and luck to you. The last thing they want is to start seeing thousands of phones returned because the user is a fool and is playing around in areas he has no business in.
Then you can delete the crap you do not like (some people might actually like some bloatware) and be done with it. No reason to drive the costs for most of us up to satisfy the bitter views of a unmeasurable minority.
If this crap we do not seem to like does cost us money because it does this and that behind the scenes as one poster suggested, then yes... we have a case because I was not told some software I can't delete is costing me money.
Root Access: when I jail-broke my new iPad, I installed a file manager. As someone who is unclear as to the files that are needed and where the the crap-ware was buried in the file system, I asked a forum member for help. I was told that yes, you can delete the app (Apple's Game Center) but parts of that app run all through the system. So apparently I can never get rid of the thing. I simply hid the icon and was done with it.
My point is, any tech service wonk will tell you that people often delete crap that should leave the hell alone, and sometimes, it screws up their system. They simply do not know squaddle and perhaps it is good that the typical phone user be prevented from root access.
Bob Maxey
