[General Questions and Answers] johnride:
(this post is a bit long, if you want to read it fast go directly to my questions.)

Hi everyone,

I'm about to buy a phone in order to kind of "fix" myself on a device since I have owned seven phones in the last six months.

I'm considering many devices by many constructors but I would like to have other people opinion about the one to choose.

I'll try to make it short:

To give an idea of my questions right now I will go fast over the experience I had with the main devices I onwed recently.

THE FOLLOWING IS AN UNINTERESTING PART FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS NO TIME TO LOOSE SO SKIP IT IF YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT A NOOB'S EXPERIENCE :D

Galaxy Nexus: fastboot is awesome, love the fact it is closer to Google but I was very disapointed when I learned that Samsung modifies even the Nexus's software, cm9 on it is as nice as fastboot. Screen drains to much battery and is not as beautiful as should be with such a high pixel density. Also suprisingly a bit laggy. Had to be sent to samsung it had a problem with the cpu...

Optimus 3D: the 3d is not a joke since it works but... Haven't had this device for long but I was unsatisfied with the stock rom (LG's main problem).

Motorolla Atrix: favorite device! Screen is as beautiful as GN on my opinion, with cm7 or 9 it becomes really nice on sftware too. Battery life is the best point of this device and the best I've had.

Optimus 2x: tried it for a few days, like the nvflash facility and the hardware capacity but only MIUI based on GB was a correct software for me, cm7's not too bad but cm9 is still very buggy.

Nexus S: for the hardware specs it is by far the best on software side, feels more solid than the gn. Battery is just average and speed is not really sufficient for my usage, expecially for switching apps on the stock ROM, cm9 or latest MIUI.

END OF THE UNINTERESTING PART (I hope)

So, here i am with experience from Samsung, Motorola and LG. Hardwarewise I have no problem with LG or Motorola but with Samsung it is less convincing.

Software, I would like to begin to develop for the next device I will get, I am an intermediate developper in Java and a decent Linux user. So it would be nice that the device has open drivers.

Here is my problem, I want to buy a device that I will keep for at least two years, I will try ArchlinuxARM and that kind of project with it.

My hesitation goes between the HTC Amaze 4G at 40$, the Galaxy Nexus at 50$ and the optimus 2x for free. I considered the sIII too but it will be 200$ and it is not worth it for me.

As I am not really confident with the durability of the GN, my mind is more with the Amaze for now but I only tried it in a store with, of course, the stock ROM. The 2x is like the less interesting option, I think.

>>> HERE ARE MY QUESTIONS! <<<

Am I right to think that the HTC Amaze 4G has tougher hardware?

Are the drivers open source or are they going to be soon? I read somewhere on the forum that people were asking HTC to release the sources, is it likely to happen?

What is the state of the ics based ROMs for the Amaze? Stable? Fluid? Comparated with cm9 nightlies on the GN?

Why the * is the Galaxy Nexus laggy?????????????? This device is supposed to be Google's flagship actually but, you know, it is just not as fluid as I think it should be.

The title of this topic is talking about philosophy, it is because I care about the constructor's philosophy. I mean, do you think that one of Samsung or LG or HTC is producing better hardware and/or is easier to fix at home? Do you think one of them is a bit less likely to produce with programmed obsolescence in mind?

Thank you for reading this loong post!

Thank you even more for giving me your opinion!