I Love You Guys

[Apanzee]

I used to manage a computer help/repair site at www.computers4dummies.com but the site has since gone under. I spent quite a while looking for a new place to pour my knowledge. Low and behold, I've joined Tom's.

Most of my efforts have been going into the Cell Phones & Smartphones category, since as of late I've been doing alot of ADB and Android modding/programming. Infact, I contributed so much I was the top contributor this past month.

The guys on this site seem pretty cool, and the moderators do a good job. Every thread I've reported for not following code of conduct has been taken down within a half hour. This seems like a good place to be, and I'll be here for a long time yet.

Cheers.

 

[Saga Lout]

Welcome, apanzee, and may you continue to make your valuable contributions.

 

[Apanzee]

Thank you. I was actually awarded the bronze badge for being selected as the best answer in Cell Phones & Smartphones right after posting this.

 

[randomizer]

Glad to see that you're enjoying yourself around here!

 

[Apanzee]

Glad to see that you're enjoying yourself around here!

I am, I am. I just hope I'm not harassing the mods too much with the amount of threads I report. It's actually quite ridiculous how many people blatantly ignore the rules and ask for help unlocking/modding their phones anyways..

I do try to help as much as possible with the threads that actually contribute to discussion - but at least 1/5 seems to be just people wanting their phones unlocked/rooted. I've been directing them all to the XDA forums and reporting the threads.

 

[jpishgar]

Prolific posting! We're glad to have you with us, apanzee!

 

[randomizer]

I am, I am. I just hope I'm not harassing the mods too much with the amount of threads I report.

Not at all. Real reports are welcome. It's only when people report posts that they simply don't agree with that it gets annoying.

 

[Apanzee]

Not at all. Real reports are welcome. It's only when people report posts that they simply don't agree with that it gets annoying.

Alright. Sounds good then. I've also noticed quite a few posts I've reported get removed, then the OP comes back and posts it again. How long does it take to earn a ban with this behavior? I mean surely you guys message them when you delete their thread to explain why it was removed, right?

 

[randomizer]

That depends on how serious the issue is. Warnings and bans are normally given out on a case by case basis. Many people don't read their PMs and so don't read warnings, which might also be why you see them reposting.

 

[Saga Lout]

I passed through that sub-Forum a few months back and found the unlocking issue was responsible for quite a few threads. I suggested putting up a Sticky Post on the subject and we established that while unblocking is illegal, unlocking is not so maybe we could have a ruling and perhaps be able to help some of these folks. In my local street market, there are around nine stalls offering the unlocking service and codes are freely available on the Net so I'm fairly certain it is a legal practice.

 

[Apanzee]

Unlocking itself is legal, yes, so long as you are not currently on a contract as that is breaching the terms of a legally binding document. Also, it's not legal if the carrier has their own version of Android installed with a copyright; by using ADB to unlock it you are committing copyright infringement by editing their software.

There are factory unlocked phones widely available, and unlocking is a form of cracking/hacking if you are not supplied the unlock code by the carrier and proceed to do it yourself at a software level.

Cracking/hacking I'm pretty sure is against the rules. Technicality maybe, but still against the rules.


I have been directing the majority of people asking for assistance with it to the XDA forums for help before reporting the threads. Here's one now actually if you would like to read some of my feedback: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/58335-36-network-unlock-code-samsung-galaxy

As long as they don't directly ask for help unlocking the phone, I have no problem giving them some information.

 

[Saga Lout]

Thanks for clarifying that. I steered clear of that sub-Forum after a while on the sole grounds of the number of thefts of mobiles. If it's only a technicality that draws the line, we're better off doing as you say and not advising on this one.

 

[Apanzee]

Yeah the theft issue is another reason why I won't help anyone do an unlock. Can't prove they own the phone and I don't feel like being an accomplice in theft lol.

Perhaps we could add unlocking explicitly to the "don'ts" of the rules thread?