I used to have a Nexus device where unlocking the boot loader and flashing a custom ROM is easiest. It took me several tries and reading of several tutorials, that were all omitting different crucial steps or assuming domain specific knowledge.
If you have an HTC phone and to worry about S-On and stuff like that it's even harder.
The forums (especially xda) are full of voodoo (wipe cache three times!!!11!) and ridiculous claims (so fast! much battery life! very scheduler!). It's really hard to get at the useful information.
Let me outline the general steps to installing Cyanogen.
1. Unlock bootloader (this involves downloading at least one piece of software)
2. Flash custom bootloader
3. Flash custom ROM
4. Wipe and start over
Once you have managed to install Cyanogenmod, it's a really nice experience.
Using Cyanogen with only free software is a pain for die hard RMS fans and other masochists. It makes your phone a lot less useful and a lot more high maintenance. Central app installation and automatic updating? Not really.
If you want a fully Open Source or Google free phone there two several alternatives: Jolla, Firefox OS.
If you don't need the latest and greatest check out the N800, N900 and N9 Nokia phones.
The forums (especially xda) are full of voodoo (wipe cache three times!!!11!) and ridiculous claims (so fast! much battery life! very scheduler!). It's really hard to get at the useful information.
Let me outline the general steps to installing Cyanogen.
1. Unlock bootloader (this involves downloading at least one piece of software) 2. Flash custom bootloader 3. Flash custom ROM 4. Wipe and start over
Once you have managed to install Cyanogenmod, it's a really nice experience.
Using Cyanogen with only free software is a pain for die hard RMS fans and other masochists. It makes your phone a lot less useful and a lot more high maintenance. Central app installation and automatic updating? Not really.
If you want a fully Open Source or Google free phone there two several alternatives: Jolla, Firefox OS. If you don't need the latest and greatest check out the N800, N900 and N9 Nokia phones.