Why is it that hard to get root access?

[constellanation]

Forgive my errors.

Most people aren't familar with command lines at all these days, by the way. And typinh into that is their first glimpse into the thought process of a computer. And no it won't immediately teach people how to code a new operating system or what not you define it as, it will teach people the "secret handshake" needed to get in the door.

[daveid]

Forgive my errors.

Most people aren't familar with command lines at all these days, by the way. And typinh into that is their first glimpse into the thought process of a computer. And no it won't immediately teach people how to code a new operating system or what not you define it as, it will teach people the "secret handshake" needed to get in the door.

yeah.. sometimes I forget that I have been using PCs for 20 years now, and back then there was no GUI, it was all command line - DOS was the mainstream. Then Windows 3.1 came along, and it was a big deal... you didn't have to know all the command lines, you had a desktop with shortcuts. but it was painfully slow and unstable.
I always favored the keyboard and command line to get things done.
And I always separated using a computer (running programs - albeit through the command line or GUI), from programming on a computer. And I guess I always associated "Coding" with programming.

[SubZero]

^There were step by step instructions though lol.
It was pretty laid out as far as what to do.

If there's a step-by-step book (break changing for dummies) and I read it then yes. Easy.

those instructions are not specific enough. The steps in there just didnt work for me and alot of other people. Granted im using a Magic, i followed the steps.... then im told... "oh it will error and tell you that you havent got root but really you will!" I mean WTF! were is that in the steps???

I still cant get truely get root on my magic to run apps like tether etc.

[smasraum]

I'd say that the instructions are easy enough to follow that anyone should be able to root a G1.

SHOULD any/every one root their phones, heck no. I'd say that 99.9% of the G1s out there should stay just as they are via OTA. Most folks have a hard enough time with programming a VCR.

Heck, it's best practice for *NIX admins to not even use root unless they have to because it can be dangerous.

I've been able to do lots of things to my phone because I rooted. I'm very, very happy with the various ROMs that I've run (currently the Virtudude - Rogers V2) and the capabilities that they've afforded. I can get on my corporate wifi only because my phone is rooted (WPA-Enterprise is only available to root and is very easy to do once rooted, just edit a text file). The fact that I've been able to try a handful of extra ROMs is only because of root. I feel like the HTC software that I'm running now is far superior to the ADP based software (dialer, call log, CAMERA, native MS Exchange email support, etc...). There are also several apps that I run that will only work for folks with root including "dark keys" which is a lifesaver for anyone with a white or bronze G1. Then, there's the tinkering, adb, ddms, those are nice extras.

I'm 100% happy that I rooted, and would be very unhappy if I lost it. I also wouldn't dream of rooting my wife's G1.