For a techie that is a strange stand. Although i agree with you on that a product should be stable when released. For me it has been stable. Much cause i have invested some time to understand the device. I am also a long term linux user. I pretty much now how to reset if i f*** something up.

So my advice for you is to learn the device. You should have the basic knowledge for that.

You have probably installed a bunch of unstable programs from the Extras-devel. Thus thinking the phone is unstable. I bet you did not have this feeling when you first opened the box and started playing with it.

And don't be scared of flashing it. It's pretty straight forward.

Cheers!