[Advantage X7500, MDA Ameo General] mackaby007:
Let's prepare for the forthcoming ROMs.

Hi all. I don't know all the details, but I know this much;

Midget has been working on the Dopod u1000 version ROM, but has changed to be a default European ROM (last I spoke to him) and has made optimized it for speed and reliability, getting rid of unnecessary ****e etc.

He was already very close to completion a few weeks back before his PC died on him. So he had to put most of the ROM back together from memory alone, plus the usual setbacks of life.

Expect a new thread for the new 'Cooked ROM' when it arrives. It will be tweaked with some apps included that should be standard in all ROMs.

For those who are new to ROMs and cooked ROMs, look at it like a software container for the Operating system and specially chosen 3rd party apps etc. Once you flash any ROM with a different one, you completely loose all your previous data, except what you have on the MicroDrive (MD).

Now is a good time to get all your favourite .cab files and exe's (for which you need to use Active sync to install them) ready, as you can't use back-ups from apps like Spb Backup or sprite, to restore your old backups onto a new ROM. Well you can, but you'll have lots of corrupted software and may be putting back what was thoughtfully removed from the cooked ROM.

So a cooked ROM is something made up by an individual to replace the default ROM you get from the seller/manufacturer of the device (all THEIR customized crap).

A base ROM is like the absolute essential parts only, i.e. the WM6 ROM and those apps needed to retain the original functionality of the device as when you bought it....like a stripped down version. Then the developer adds what he thinks will make a fast and stable ROM. In this instance the developer Midget_1990 is doing this for the Athena Project, which was formed and funded by many members of Xda developers and some others from other forums and parts of the world, as this is not the common device for most PPC owners to have and we needed help in getting it unlocked (SIM free and capable of having any HTC Athena ROM being flashed to it, without bricking it).

Olipro (Developer 1 and top notch low-level programmer) has already fulfilled his obligation to the project, by developing and releasing the unlocking tools for the Athena and also made our devices virtually unbrickable due to his clever method of Hard SPL patching the Athena. Thanks Olipro.

Midget_1990 (Dev 2, VGA ROM Cooker) is to use his specialist knowledge of the VGA Universal (he's made some great ROMs!) to make an VGA WM6 based cooked ROM which will enhance and improve the basic functionality of the box-standard WM5 Athenas we originally bought. This is somewhat more time consuming, especially as 'WE' the project contributors and community here, have rather varied requests in what we would like to have in this first ROM. So finding the balance of what works best and doing the actual work and in some cases conversions (i.e. TrueVGA compatibility) is what Midget is up against.

As an incentive both developers were given an Athena each for themselves with an understanding between them and the contributors, that this 2 fold objective could be realized.

We're more than half way there with Olipro's Athena Unlocker and we'll soon have completed our objectives once Midget has released the first Cooked ROM...soon amigos.:)

So....let's be patient just a little longer and continue to play nice, after all, we will still need Midget to support this or future ROMs for the Athena if it still needs tweaking or amending e.g. Athena Project ROM v0.1 or 1.0, if you follow my drift.;)

Also it was clearly stated that the devs not be hassled or pressured by anyone, but that has already happened...let's hope no more.

Don't get me wrong friends, if any one is unduly rude or derogative towards you, you have every right to retaliate...only it's not in any ones best interest to argue on these types of forums.

Word to the wise; when this or any other developer releases a ROM in the future, we'd do well to read up well, before asking questions that may have been asked dozens of times before and try to point out what does not work with the ROM and why, if you know, or positive suggestions and feedback.

This is my last long post regarding this project. LoL yeah, thank God!! everyone cheers. ROFL. Seriously though, it's been a bit of a struggle but mostly rewarding and made some really cool new buddies on this forum.

Thanks to all of you in the Athena community and beyond, but most of all a big thanks should go to the financial contributors, without whom this project may never have taken off as soon as it did or even at all.

No more to say.:D

See you around in the forums.

P.S. If you have something negative to say, please PM who you are not happy with and let's keep this forum as a civilized developers forum for all interested parties.

And one more thing, if I may humbly ask all non-new members or visitors to NOT abuse newbies as they are by no means fools just because they are new to this and deserve our respect.

As others have mentioned before, if someone posts a stupid question or something that has been asked a thousand times, simply point them to the wiki or give them the right keywords to put in the search engine as the wiki is still under development.

Peace & Unity