thanks for taking the time to explain all of this, good info but ......does that mean that pete is lying about BBv0.4 lol
For a laugh, read post #4.
Pete's Bugless Beast v0.4 (FRF84B)
Damnit not the thread I was looking for .... still checking.
Here we go ....
froyo or CM - CyanogenMod Forum - Page 2
That's the laugh one.
On the one hand, yes, I see that a ROM like BB is really just the stock system with some things removed, some things added, some things tweaked, some scripts changed/added...
But isn't that what ALL ROMS are, really?
Even the compiled-from-source ones - unless the source is changed drastically, you effectively end up with software that is the same as what's running on a stock system, with minor tweaks added in. The process of compiling source code into a rom is just a process, much like the process of repackaging a binary-based rom.
There's actually a benefit to running a "modified stock" rom over a "compiled-from-source" rom - a modified stock will be mostly IDENTICAL to a stock system. No chance for a slight difference in the build environment causing problems, you're running the exact same app that the motorola and verizon testers were running. It will run just like stock except for where changes are specifically made.
Of course, compiled-from-source has advantages, too - you can make changes more elegantly than you ever could in a modified stock rom, and you should have less compatibility issues between apps and system.
I've run BB for awhile, and I just recently installed Sapphire. They both have their merits, and really, ROMs don't really provide all that much over the stock system - stock Android already does a LOT. I wish the ROM makers would all be more clear about whether they are compiled from source or piecewise-assembled, and where their pieces come from.
I want to address some of the comments about people who say BB runs faster than stock - yes, it is running the same binaries for the most part, but the small little tweaks DO make a difference in end-user perception. It's not placebo. The BB startup scripts kill off some system tasks, which makes it a little snappier (but breaks some stuff). The virtual memory and task killer settings are tweaked, which may make some difference. Really anything you do can make a difference, it doesn't take much on a system like this.
This reminds me a lot of the binary-package vs compiled-source linux distribution argument. I run Gentoo, but sometimes I am a little jealous that Ubuntu "just works".