[garstan]

I'm sure this will seem a dumb question to a lot of you but I have searched the forum and still haven't found an answer that I understand.What is the difference between "rooting" the PDN and "hacking" the PDN? I've read posts here that use both terms and some have stated that rooting and hacking are different; but they don't explain how. I've found instructions here on how to "hack" the Novel but I cannot find instructions for "rooting" it. I have seen reference to a "root_novel hack" (but not where to get it) and one poster showed exactly how he "rooted" (mount -o rw,remount -t yaffs2 /dev/block/mtdblock3 /system -- etc) but then said it didn't work. I have seen posts that said the PDN needed "rooting" not hacking to do what was being discussed. Confusing to a non-programming/hacking/semi-nerd type guy.Thanks,Gary

 

[geebekazoo]

Out of the box, the PDN operates in "user" mode, very much like a normal user under Windows Vista. You can run applications but can't change the systems related operations, etc.Essentially "rooting" the PDN is being able to get access to the unit in the equivalent of the Windows Vista Administrator mode. User "root" is the unix/linux equivalent of the Windows Admininstator.Hacking the PDN is the ability to change some of unit's functionality, e.g., add other home screens, change the functions of the volume button, enable the notification bar, without needing "root" level access.

 

[lawman]

Root>hackHack basically means to make something do something it shouldn't. That's why some people refer to certain coupon/rebate tricks as a "lifehack." You hack the pdn by adding a new home screen to is so you don't have to use the native home. you hack the pdn by making the volume keys home and back. It doesn't change the way the device works, just changes what is working on the device. Pandahome is just another program, the native home is just another program.Root means to gain access to the processor and essentially change the way the device "thinks." Rooting on these is complicated, and frankly, even using the adb is hacking, not rooting. rooting involves getting into the linux commands and things like that. Very, very few of us do any rooting on these, and I have done very, very little. Rooting is the fastest route to bricking... that is other than hurling the thing out of a moving car, or dropping it in a pool.

 

[nchntrman]

I always thought that Rooting was getting Root access, like administrator access to the entire drive (the root directory). Rooting will only brick the device because it will allow a user to have permissions to change (erase/move/etc.) critical system files. In my experience having root is something you only want to do/have when you actually need to perform system changes. The methodology with the PDN has been to replace the standard shell, with su (which is a shell with superuser or root privledges). This, to me, seems like a vulnerable way to leave the Novel.my $0.02