[Moto X Q&A] KidJoe:
Ok, let me back up then...

Let me start by saying if your expectations of what is possible is based solely on your nexus experiences, then you need to understand the way nexus phones work is only one way. The way Moto, Samsung, HTC and others work, is different. And having worked with devices from Moto, Samsung and HTC, but not nexus, I can tell you it can get confusing switching between them. Even the process to unlock the bootloader for the Dev Edition X is different than the Moto Xoom!! (Xoom you can just fastboot oem unlock, Dev X you need to get code from Moto web site and use it as part of the fastboot oem unlock command). Maybe your experience with the way Nexus devices work is making it difficult for you to follow what I've been saying?

Now, let me recap a little of what I've been trying to say, and hopefully say it a little more clearly..

The GSM Dev X image downloadable from Motorola can also be flashed on the T-Mobile branded (carrier edition if you will) Moto X, and vice versa. This using either RSDLite to flash the full image, or the Motorola modified fastboot which can handle the bigger files to flash in the individual files to the phone.

The Verizon Dev X image downloadable from Moto can also be flashed onto the Verizon branded (carrier edition if you will) Moto X, and vice versa. Again, using RSDLite to flash the full image, or the Motorola modified fastboot which can handle the bigger files to flash in the individual files to the phone.

The Verizon Dev X image downloadable from Moto is the EXACT same SBF as the "carrier edition" rom at sbf.droid-developers.com site. (see previous post suggesting you download them and compare them) The same with the GSM Dev X image being the same as the T-Mobile "carrier edition" rom. Infact, requesting download of the GSM Dev X rom from moto gives you a link to a file named... TMO_RETAIL_XT1053_4.4-13.11.1Q2.X-69-3_MR2_1FF.xml.zip

Using the modified Motorola FASTBOOT, you can flash system, and the other parts of a motorola SIGNED image to locked boot loader phones. When you use RSDLite to flash the full rom you need to be careful you are using the right ROM file for your model phone because you'd be flashing modems and other items which might not be compatible with your hardware.

You *MUST* use the modified Motorola FASTBOOT.EXE to flash the X, and some of the more recent Moto Android phones (like the Verizon Droid Maxx, M, etc). It was made to handle larger SYSTEM.IMG and other files. Using the fastboot.exe which comes down via the Android SDK/Platform Tools, the Mini-ADB packs which are floating around, etc... will FAIL and give various errors when trying to FASTBOOT FLASH XXXX something, or look like the flashed successfully but really haven't!!

You can flash (using fastboot or RSDLite) if the boot loader is locked OR unlocked. As long as they are images which are properly signed by motorola, you can flash them. To flash unsigned images (like CWM or TWRP recoveries, custom roms, etc), you MUST have an unlocked boot loader.

Flashing with RSDLite is like doing a "batch mode" of fastboot commands, except it has a gui interface. What RSDLite is dictated by what is in the rom's XML file. You can edit that XML to add/remove lines (so it can erase data or cache.. or not erase them)...

Not having to have a locked bootloader before using fastboot to flash a moto is not new to the X. The Moto Xoom tablets for the USA (MZ600, MZ602 and MZ604) also had this ability. Once you unlock the boot loader, you could fastboot flash away either custom or stock roms and components. If you left the Xoom's bootloader locked, you could only fastboot flash the stock Motorola roms and parts.

As for the files at that web site "being OTA's." Again, they are ALL full factory images, call them SBF or FXZ. At least every one I've downloaded (Verizon, ATT, T-Mobile) has been. The only questionable one is the Claro Brazil due to its size... However I'd have to download it and open it to confirm, it maybe that its an older OS with no bloat or added on applications and that is why its so small.

The Moto OTA's have a different structure inside, and different files are included.

To illustrate my point, I challange you to download any from http://sbf.droid-developers.org/ghost/list.php unzip, or at least view the contents.. Then find one of the OTA's to download and open (see if the link in this post still works -> http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=47628026&postcount=83 ). Compare them side by side. Notice the OTA update does NOT include boot.img, motoboot.img, recovery.img, system.img or .XML file, The OTA does include patch, system and other sub folders with individual files and folders under them which are NOT present in the FULL SBF/FXZ files hosed on that sbf.droid-developers site.

In the Non-Nexus world, there are "leaks" of pre-release as well as release ROMS, SBFs, FXZ, OTAs, and other "stuff" this is unlike the Nexus world where as soon as its ready, Google posts it. In the moto, samsung, htc world, (except when it comes to "Google Play Edition" HTC and Samsung), we don't usually get access to roms, SBFs, etc. Some kind soul working for these companies LEAKS the files and the tools (RSDLite, Oden, RUU, etc). The files at sbf.droid-developers.org represents a collection of these leaks. (not sure why moto hasn't shut it down yet, but I'm not going to complain!!). While moto may not have directly posted them, they made it out "into the wild." To be honest, they have been helpful. They have allowed users to get back to stock if they messed up their phones for whatever reason, and in some cases have fixed problems that would have other wise turned into someone trying to play dumb and replace their phone under warranty. (I know, not the right thing to do, but you'd be surprised how many times people post in these forums they are going to do that!!)

That being said, I hope you can understand why I don't understand what you're trying to say/explain about these not being FULL FACTORY IMAGES. Then again, after reading what I just typed here, I'm starting to think maybe you are saying these are not FULL FACTORY IMAGES because Moto didn't post them or host them on a real Motorola site like Google does with the nexus images?

One last point... I might have muddied the waters a little bit in this thread, but i have said the OP could flash PARTS of Roms meant for other moto X models with a locked boot loader (i.e. flash system.img from Dev X rom onto ATT X). I stand by it, as I was able to do so with my X before unlocking its boot loader. That being said, if you choose to disagree with me on that point, I will just say OK. I know what I did, if you can't replicate it, so be it. Maybe I misremembered when i unlocked my boot loader vs flashing Non-VZW X Rom parts? But I'm pretty sure because I was waiting to unlock my bootloader to make sure my X was ok. (When I got mine, unlocking the boot loader still voided the warranty on Developer Editions, so I was making sure mine was ok before I voided the warranty).