Hi,
I would like to request a feature which I think would be real help either on XDA-developers.com or wiki.xda-developers.com[
There is an excellent matrix of differences between the different HTC models & the names different phone providers give them.
I've tried using searching terms like 'comparison' or 'differences' (between XDA's) to find it, but the search engine does not seem to be speaking my language.
1.
I think having a better main page hotlink to such a comparison Matrix would be REALLy helpful, PARTICULARLY as the matrix is (hopefully) updated regularly and has lots of hotlinks to the various models.
2.
The second request is to somehow display details in a list of phones as they are released so that I can see whether the XDA I'm waiting for (or similar) has been released.
Thanks for an EXCELLENT site
Hi
I was wondering if you could make available a completely seperate forum group whose entire purpose would be a download repository.
i.e, when people upload software they have made or have found to be really really great then they can post it there?
would be great to have all the downloads in one place. (and not have to hunt through the FTP which only tends to include larger files (roms and the like)
thanx
I agree. searching rarely yeilds the intended target- especially when the software is for the general OS and not a specific device. simply have it in "pro/touchscreen/pocketpc" and "standard/non-touchscreen/smartphone" flavors.
Yes this would be a great thing, searching is really not that good for finding specific software/files here IMO
It can be quite confusing trying to get a feeling for how stable a rom is when combining 3-4 different roms in the same thread.
It can be hard to see what rom-version the bug is reported from, is it the premium one, the one with manilla or not, the Xtralight?
I can imagine many people that for example are looking for a stable standard VM 6.5-rom would be turned off by all the reported bugs in a thread, even though the bugs are related to a rom with manilla cooked into it.
A popular rom-thread can turn into a big mess really.
A function like subthreads would be awesome, a small thread-tree if you will.
One mainthread and one separate subthread for every different version of the ROM.
It would make things very easy to follow.
Ok, I read the rules, and there seems nothing about necroposting but at least I'm adhering to "1. Search before posting." xD
And this one was the closest I found.
I think now, we don't have the problem so much with combining 3-4 different roms in the same thread atm
but now single threads become just far too big to have an overview (e.g. the big ones like lineageos, etc).
Now single threads contain the conversation since start of the rom until the current state. So there are probably many bugs and posts, which are solved. Also most posts which could be classified for a FAQ are somewhere in between.
I'd say the forum structure is good for the "high level" stuff, distinguishing between models, different sections, and the individual roms.
But inside the rom threads I'd pick up the subthreads proposal
or some form if stack exchange structure,
or at least an optional tree structure.
Especially like @nizzon said, a separate subthread for every different version of the ROM and I'd propose a separate subthread for "rom-specific" FAQ.
What do you think ?
Not really much of a point as you look, at the date of the rom and then go to the first post around that time. No point in having other threads about the older versions of the rom as the dev no longer supports it and all talks about older versions are left out of the thread.
This is a short summary of some important general points for posting new ROM's.
It should be considered as an optional "add-on" to the general thread:
"Galaxy S I9000 Android Development **STICKY THREAD** Read here first!"
The number of man hours spent working and developing new custom ROMs are astronomical! So why then, is it that so few new ROMs are successful? Basically because of lack of information and poor public visibility/involvement of the developers themselves. It's just like in any other successful business, you have to make your product or service stand out from the rest. Either by making an amazing product or by being a great inspiration for others to follow. Here I will try to explain and list some fundamental ideas, in order to make your ROM better and more popular.
When a would be ROM flasher is looking around for a new ROM, he searches the web and the XDA-forums for threads, usually beginning with the text "[ROM]". Next he/she look at the FIRST page where the developer (and his/her team) is presenting the various features of their new design. What is presented there will often be a decision maker for whether or not someone wants to try it out.
There are a few things that consistently differs between "good" ROMs and "bad/poor" ROM's. These things are often and naturally related to the amount of information available around the ROM in question. Someone who have put down enough mind, sweat and hart into the production (cooking) of a ROM, would also like to share his/her effort in the best possible way, not minding writing a detailed and useful description about their product. The items found below are part of some of these things that do MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
- Primary Purpose:
Essentially a description why you want to provide this ROM and why you think it is needed. What are the main features and driving forces for providing this ROM?
- Ultimate Gaming Experience
- Super stability
- Super Compatibility
- Great Battery Duration
- Minimalistic User Interface (UI)
- Simple to use functionality
- Latest and coolest never seen before interface behavior
- Fully loaded with ultimate editions of absolutely everything
- Mobile Penetration Testing Platform
- or perhaps just for educational or experimental purposes etc...
- Up-to-date Maintenance:
That means an active developer (or group of) who are readily available to answer questions from users of all levels, new or advanced! Often that they should be inhumanly available at all times of the day & night!
- Up-to-date Firmware Release:
That means the the source of your ROM is preferably based on the latest, but publicly available code/firmware. Not on some hidden leaks or old hacked code. When I say "hidden leaks" here, I mean the kind where the origin of the code (compiled or not) cannot be verified or downloaded. (BMW doesn't make car/sales advertisements using 2 year old engines from unknown/secret sources!)
- Detailed CHANGE-LOG:
People want to know that what they flash on their phones, is as close as possible to what they would like to see and use. Also from a paranoia perspective most of us would like to know that it doesn't contain 3rd party or other strange applications that we will never use, or which will give us trouble when we want to add/update applications, at a later time. A description of the various applications is also very useful. Most people would wonder what the "DarkBotSendHelper.apk" is doing on a phone.
A change-log would ideally consist of a list with:
- Title: Change Date and the custom ROM Version the changes apply to
- Full application name
- Full application version
- Short application description
- Link to application source-code, if available
- Link to application on "Android Market"
- Reference to what hacks has been made, if any
- Reason for why the hack is needed
- Unresolved BUG-LOG:
A brief log of bugs and unresolved issues that affects the current release. It is hard to explain without cussing how annoying it is to flash a new ROM, just to find out that some WiFi issue has not yet been resolved, which was posted on page 456/1200! If people post bugs/issues, that cannot be immediately resolved, please add those issues to the BUG-LOG, on the front page.
- Screen Shots! Updated Screen Shots!
The importance of good screen shots can never be enough emphasized! Many ROMs are updated continuously and if the screen-shots doesn't match what the user installs, he's gonna go WTF!, and will start to peppering your support threads with questions about how to install this and that, and how to get the same themes you are using in those screenshots, or from another different ROM altogether! You wouldn't be able to sell a new BMW with a picture of an old Volvo, would you? So why do you think a ROM would be any different? Also include a brief caption about the essential feature(s) shown, for each picture.
- Detailed Installation Instructions
This hardly need more explanation apart for making sure you also say something about:
- WIPE/No-WIPE
- Bootloader Requirements
- Recommended Procedure
- Detailed Device Compatibility List
Yes, the same gross model name/number of a particular device, may very well have some minor variations that can render the device completely incompatible with software from it's apparent twin-brother. Or even certain Firmwares may not be compatible to slight manufacturing variation. See for example the "Samsung Galaxy S" with their sub-models GT-I9000(B/M/T), and to complicate things further, even within the same model there may be slight differences, like in the PCB of the USB-port of the SGS2 GT-I9100.
- Detailed Language Compatibility
What do people use their phones for? Communication! Sure, some use them as a game pad, but after all it is primarily a browsing and communication device. So if you can't use your primary languages with your device, it is useless! Although some network operators are only beginning to understand that most of the connected world is at least bi-lingual and often much more. Thus it is of essence that your phone's keyboard, screen-reader and web-browser can read, display and understand most characters and alphabets around. (I.e. I still fail to understand why it is virtually impossible to find a phone with Russian, English, Spanish and Norwegian keyboard layouts/character sets or at least let me select these my self!) In addition it is very confusing for a first-time ROM flasher to understand the need for all the various PDA/PHONE and CSC region settings, which are often modified and re-packaged for a well cooked ROM, and thus no longer adhere to the original regional code.
So when you cook your ROM, please provide as much information as possible regarding how the user can adapt their phone to his/her own languages. This information includes at least:
- What languages are available for basic operation (the operating system)
- What languages are available for the keyboard mappings
- What keyboard applications can use these languages (Swype, Samsung Keyboard etc.)
- Simple instructions how to include, use and set the phone languages
- List of Technical Terms and Definitions that describe the ROM
The world of mobile device development is packed by technical jargon and abbreviated terms. Many times they are also abbreviated and used in the wrong context, although some the community know what it means. Simplify your vocabulary and clearly define your terms and stay with community standard ones!
- General Presentation
Like any other business presentation, please skip the HUGE fonts in a zillion colors. Most of us are neither blind nor illiterate, but you may risk to come across as being both, with those type of fonts. Remember "KISS"? - Keep It Simple Stupid.
- SPELL CHECK!!
It's embarrassing and very annoying to read descriptions of how great, professional and how well maintained a particular ROM is, when the text is riddled with misspellings, wrong words and childish grammatical errors. Although most of us are very understanding that we are living in a multicultural and multilingual society, sometimes all I think about is, how a person who doesn't know how to spell check, could ever be able to cook a mobile phone ROM. Most text editors feature at least some basic spell checking, bloody hell, USE IT!
- CREDITS
Most of the Android development community is completely driven by voluntary and open source work. Make sure to include the correct credits to those persons who have contributed to the various info/hacks/software that you include in your ROM. Use a separate list for the credits, that include the name (handle) and how/what he/she did to contribute.
2 Good Examples:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1350763
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1155776
Final Words:
It is very likely I have missed something here, or that you (as a developer or moderator) disagree on something I have written here, if so, please provide your constructive comments how I can improve this list and post.
In Great Expectations and Hope for Many New Amazing ROMs!
- E:V:A -
PS. This was posted in the "Developer Section" as it applies only to new ROM development threads, and I wouldn't consider this neither as "Q/A" nor "General". But if OP/MOD know of a better suited place, please just move it there...
Also I am not aware of a similar post to this one, even after searching XDA quite a lot. So if it already exists, it is not easy to find and should be reposted or stickied!
<Reserved>
@E:V:A
The only thing that I missed so far is a thread like yours.
Agree on all requirements of released software.
Sometimes I wonder how some "devs" priorities are stacked regarding quality control vs. early delivery on pay-per-download sites.
Not sure what is best place for this thread. Counting # of posts in General asking Q already answered in stickies, it's kind of accepted to skip reading what's there. :-\
Perhaps keep it alive as hottest thread here?
Tapatalked - There's a Thanks button somewhere
I like this
One thing you must add while promoting your ROM.. That is CREDITS.
Rahulrulez said:
I like this
One thing you must add while promoting your ROM.. That is CREDITS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
YES! Not giving credit where due is horrible, basically just forgetting all the hard work another individual has put in to the "feature" of your ROM. Also, this should probably be in general.
So as the title states, I'm not only new to the forum, but to the whole world of stock/custom ROMs, and about 95% of the vernacular that appears in your typical conversations.
Before opening this thread, I did read a few others on the subject of Open Mobile users successfully using customized ROMs of other carriers, but with the loss of 3G and/or MMS. (By the way, the feature that shows similar threads under the title box- genius.) I, too, have fallen into that unfortunate category, but with a stock ROM belonging to Metro PCS. It was completely unintentional, the changeover.
After the first 10 minutes of freaking the out, I got my act together and found this forum, among others with not a single solution to my problem, or that of other users with a situation similar to mine.
I would simply like to know if anyone has been able to fix this problem.
As proof I've check other threads,
-This one is for an HTC Hero and in page 2, post #11, someone offers a possible solution, but the person referred to doesn't respond. And I can't really understand what it says.
-This one offers three posts of nothingness.
-This oneseems to have a user inventing a Battleship/Bingo hybrid with all them numbers and less-than-average use of periods.
I appreciate any help anyone offers. And if I posted this in the wrong section, feel free to move it as needed.
Again, thanks.
As a follow-up, today I realized that I could access the Play Store by using 3G only. I could also browse/download apps and use apps that require internet/data connections, such as Words with Friends and Draw Something.
Basically, all I lack now it internet access (I was able to download another browser even just to make sure it wasn't the original one that was FUBAR) and MMS capability (I can receive pictures, but not 100%; more like 90%).
Any thoughts or suggestions?