[nadams]

> Even if Google patches this, there's an incredible delay in getting the patch to users.

I don't think delay is the problem - not being able to get or apply the patch yourself is the problem. Ignoring the somewhat ridiculous requirements to compile Android (200GB of HD space and 16GB of RAM [1]) - you couldn't put it on your Android device due to proprietary drivers for wireless and/or video.

Assuming you can get an updated version - I have noticed that after getting root on my Nexus 6 it won't install new versions of Android. I don't know if it's a by-product of getting root/installing a new recovery or if they have an actual check. I have a legitimate reason for root because I use FreeOTP and it does not have an export feature - so I use Titanium backup to backup and restore the app. Getting the OTP QR codes for: dropbox, gmail, Microsoft account, facebook, srchub, github, paypal etc would take a very long time and considerable effort to recover (hint gitlab).

[1] https://source.android.com/source/building.html

[0xndc]

It's a check - as of Android 5.0, Google's OTA updater scripts refuse to overwrite your /system partition if its checksum isn't on the known-good list. Rooting inevitably involves writing files to it, so OTA updates will stop working with an uninformative "Error!" in recovery. Whoever came up with the idea should be fired, but that's Google for you.

See [1] for details from the author of NRT [2], which can update your phone from factory images without wiping it. The procedure is a bit more involved if you're not on Windows - IIRC, you have to download the correct archive from [3] and modify the update script so it doesn't try to flash userdata.

[1] http://www.wugfresh.com/faqs/can-i-still-take-an-ota-after-i... [2] http://www.wugfresh.com/nrt/ [3] https://developers.google.com/android/nexus/images

[NeutronBoy]

> Whoever came up with the idea should be fired, but that's Google for you.

To be fair to Google, once you've modified your /system partition, it's really case-by-case how an update will interact with it. The alternative is Google push an update that inadvertently bricks a bunch of rooted phones. Can you imagine the kneejerk reaction from the internet then?

[nadams]

> The alternative is Google push an update that inadvertently bricks a bunch of rooted phones. Can you imagine the kneejerk reaction from the internet then?

That already happens [1] on non-modified devices. So just come up with a "yes I know what I'm doing and accept that this may bork my phone". Or and even better idea - how about the ability to turn off OTA updates? Right now my phone says there is an update but I can't apply it due to being rooted.

[1] http://www.techtimes.com/articles/51525/20150508/nexus-9-and...

[jeffreyparker]

Regarding exporting OTP settings: My solution was to use Titanium Backup on the Google Authenticator app, extract secret keys from that data, use them to create GA-compatible setup QR codes for each account, and save those QR codes in KeePass.

You could likely do something similar with FreeOTP, once that's done you can easily restore your codes without root. (And from then on be sure to save any future setup QR codes you use.)

[nadams]

I backup my keys into keepass just like you - but I would have to restore about 20 OTP accounts. Not something I want to do more than once.

And this is a workaround for a lack of a feature rather than a solution.

Also - I didn't say that was the only reason why I wanted root :).

[SamReidHughes]

> I don't think delay is the problem - not being able to get or apply the patch yourself is the problem.

Almost all users would be incapable of applying patches themselves.

[nadams]

> Almost all users would be incapable of applying patches themselves.

There are currently 357,101 registered users on XDA developers. Saying "almost" every android user can't apply a patch is somewhat far fetched.

Most procedures on XDA developers have a much better step by step documentation than most SDKs I've seen - and every time I've used them it's been successful. I've only had one issue regarding flashing a radio - but that was my fault for not reading/paying attention and Motorola for not allowing a lower version of radio to be flashed...

Yes - there are grandmas and people who don't even know what Linux is would not be able to apply the patch themselves - but you are going to find that in any market.

[SamReidHughes]

> Yes - there are grandmas and people who don't even know what Linux is would not be able to apply the patch themselves

Fascinating. What proportion of Android users do you think would be left unpatched?

[nadams]

I think something got lost in translation - I'm not saying for the manufacturers NOT to release updates.

I'm advocating for the ability for people like me to be able to apply the patches manually - and thus as a result the ability to remove and tweak the underlying OS to my liking. As it stands right now I can't do that due to proprietary drivers.

> What proportion of Android users do you think would be left unpatched?

But I'll humor you. Analyzing the breakdown of Android devices [1] - I would argue at this point devices running 4.2.X and lower will never see another update (because 4.2 is almost 3 years old - if there is an upgrade available people haven't or will never upgrade). That is about 34% of Android devices who will, arguably, never see another update.

I do like how they left off Honeycomb (3.X) - I know for a fact there are still devices out there running it so that graph is a little off.

[1] http://www.droid-life.com/2015/08/03/android-distribution-au...

[SamReidHughes]

> I think something got lost in translation

Oh, I get it, so when you said you don't think the delay is the problem, while quoting a sentence talking about getting the patch to users, you were in fact talking about what you wanted, not what would be good for general users.