I have actually thought that. =D

But to the thread; I think that user is totally responsible what happens to their device, not the developer. Removing modified kernels from main repo is pointless. If user is stupid enough to brick their devices despite the warnings, so be it. You have been warned.

I think the appearance of discrediting overclocking was unintentional but it is a valid point non the less and one of my pet peeves regarding thread titles.

If I'm reading this correctly the OP's intentions were to help minimize some of the help required because of apps like this.

My intention in asking the warranty question was to avoid any particular app and come up with a guidance that can apply to all applications and widgets found in our repo's.

If we step back a bit and look at more of the picture the valid argument could be (and one with which I agree) is that all of us have often repeated the same line. And that is...

I mean; how many times have you seen that^ ?

The implication then is that the "maemo.org" repo is safe(er) to use.

Now do we want that^ to be a general statement too. Because if we do, we would be stretching the truth a wee bit, eh?

The reality is that apparently even if an app is designed to cause anal bleeding or has a nasty habit of making your phone explode or suttin', if it has enough votes it gets promoted to the "safe" repo regardless.

Titans efforts in the design and implementation of this app were well, titanic. An extra ordinary amount of thought went into this distribution so that nothing is implied and that whatever outcome arises from this apps use, it is without question the result of the users doing.

However this also has some downsides. Because of the seemingly endless config combinations (has anybody figured out the total possible number BTW) the WiKi and threads contain a lot of information that needs to be digested. This again is something I thought the "maemo.org" repo was designed to minimize. I thought that its intent was to provide a store, if you will, that a user could connect to on the fly to download a useful app as a new need arises.

Saying that "well for some, you really should read the full WiKi or the 432 page talk.maemo.org thread first" kind of defeats that purpose and adds an element of "Russian Roulette" (no offense HellFlyer ) to the whole process.

You and I witnessed and participated in the monumental effort that GA and the council undertook to prepare for the N900's release. Yet, look at the mess the forum is in because we didn't account for the amount of confusion and chaos that the apparent lack of etiquette in only a very small percentage of the total new membership could bring down upon our innocent and naive behinds.

Regardless of whatever, if anything, is done; people are still going to do stupid shyt... myself included.

The real strength of the N900 over other devices that you have this level of access to (by whatever means) is that no matter how badly you screw it up, in 20 minutes or less you can bring it back from the dead.

The dang Lazarus phone.

just be prepared to re-flash..

test and learn yea

I disagree with warnings that suggest that this is restricted to power users. I think of myself as a power user, even if I'm unfamiliar with Linux. I can read documentation, I DO read documentation and have a grasp of how a system works.

Power users already know what this does. Suggesting an app is power-user oriented gives the idea it's command line, has manual configs, lacks UI or similar. It does not suggest it changes the core system component from Nokia with one compiled by one man (no offense intended).

I suggest that the description begin with: "WARNING: CUSTOM KERNEL". In any being that has the least amount of self-censorship this would lead to a trip to Google or Wikipedia and a short crash course on what a kernel is. If doesn't deter you from installing, nothing will.

The purpose of the power-user kernel is to provide experienced users with a convenient package that implements several popular features the Nokia kernel lacks (e.g., iptables, IPv6, PPTP, file system). This way they don't need to compile, patch, keep it up-to-date
or track down bugs themselves but take advantage of the community.

By default, the kernel should behave exactly like the Nokia kernel (except for bugfixes and speed improvements), so that a normal user could hardly tell which of the two kernel s/he is running. Only experts or users willing to read documentation would know how to active those extra features and by doing so they are aware that they could shoot themselves into the foot.

The current stable kernel contains a warning in the description and the title "Enhanced kernel for power-users" should scare off noobs that do not consider themselves as power users.
Anyway, the latest kernel in extras-testing, waiting to be evaluated by testers for the promotion to extras, already contains many important improvements:

* before installation it displays a dialog with all warnings and links and ask the user whether s/he really wants to install the kernel. If the user declines the installation is aborted.
* a menu item for the simple deinstallation of the kernel (again with dialog) in installed. Therefore the stock kernel is only two clicks away…
* In the worst case (experimental versions?) the user can reflash
the kernel from the firmware image and boot with the original kernel.

Unfortunately there is a bug in the maemo.org interface that display the description
of the latest devel package for the stable version on
http://maemo.org/downloads/product/M...power-flasher/
So some warnings are no longer visible.

If you want to have more warnings before the installation then please
help testing the kernel in extras-testing
http://maemo.org/packages/package_in....6.28-maemo34/
by following http://wiki.maemo.org/Help_testing_software

PS: installing this kernel does NOT void your warranty. Even with the stock kernel there are several ways to shoot yourself into the foot
(cf. rootsh) and to lose your warranty. You are safe if you only do things you understand. In case of doubt, don't do it. very simple...