[MaxGator]

The patches are great IMO.

They can be uninstalled en masse.

Installation of most can be done en masse by simply checking the applicable boxes using QI.

I found that once I installed the patches, I became much happier with my phone.

[milominderbinde]

this is probably a stupid question but what is the difference between Preware and WebOS quick install? Does one have an advantage over the other one?

That is just the kind of question we were looking for!
I expanded this in the article:

you can use WebOS Quick Install on your computer or Preware on your phone

And also added this:

Use Preware if you want to download directly to your Pre or Pixi.

Does that help?

- Craig

[milominderbinde]

Oh nevermind. Post 147 had a link to the newer zip file with the novacom 64 installer. I got it to install and have the soft keyboard now!! You guys might want to include more detail on installing on 64bit w7 systems. Here is a link to the thread with the good driver. Post 147. Hope this helps.

Oh, you mean my post 147? Glad it helped you.

What post 147?

Is that in the Area 51 thread?

Seriously, I want to note it if I am missing something.

- Craig

[milominderbinde]

There are a number of differences, but the most obvious is that WebOS Quick Install requires (1) a USB connection to your Pre and (2) that your phone be in Developer Mode. Preware, after installation using a USB connection, installs and uninstalls software over the air (OTA). Many people like the convenience of OTA install and uninstall, but WebOS QI is not obsolete. Many people prefer it, and some patches (particularly patches in development) have not been packaged for installation with Preware. In that instance, WebOS QI can install the patch so that you can test it out.

I expanded the wording to say:

You can now use WebOS Quick Install install Homebrew Apps, patches, and themes from your computer using a USB cable. You can also install Preware to download directly to your Pre or Pixi without using a USB cable. See these instructions.

Thanks,

- Craig

[cas_esq]

What post 147?

Is that in the Area 51 thread?

Seriously, I want to note it if I am missing something.

- Craig

Wit! Post 147 is the 147th post in Setting up Novacom on Windows 7 - Easier Method, http://forums.precentral.net/web-os-...-method-8.html

[shanef680]

I have been reluctant to try homebrew apps, tweaks etc...mostly from reading about the troubles some people run into with updating their Pre's. But I thought last night "What the heck! I'll try it." And I have to say with the tools everyone has put together and your instructions to guide me it was super easy! Thanks a lot for putting this together.

[cas_esq]

Chiming in. I was up until 1 AM last night reinstalling my patches after running the Repair Utility. Don't ask why I had to run the Repair Utility. Something didn't work out the way I thought it would; enough said. Even as I was reinstalling patches (using Preware for the most part, but WebOS QI for two that are not packaged for Preware -- they're both necessary), I was so glad to have them. Without my patches, I would not like my phone.

By the way, the late hour was not necessitated by reinstalling my patches. That was fast and easy. I have screenshots of my Preware installed packages, so reinstallation is a breeze. What took so much time was realizing -- reluctantly -- that I needed to uninstall patches and then running the Repair Utility (which takes time).

[f1nzup#WN]

I have been reluctant to try homebrew apps, tweaks etc...mostly from reading about the troubles some people run into with updating their Pre's. But I thought last night "What the heck! I'll try it." And I have to say with the tools everyone has put together and your instructions to guide me it was super easy! Thanks a lot for putting this together.

This was basically my situation, except that I did have homebrews, but when I saw this thread last night I decided to take the plunge, and I am GLAD I did! The tools/directions made it pretty easy to get it all done, and now I have Preware on my Pre as well.

Thank you to everyone that has made this an easier process for those of us that are "less sophisticated" in this area. It is VERY MUCH appreciated.

[cas_esq]

This was basically my situation, except that I did have homebrews, but when I saw this thread last night I decided to take the plunge, and I am GLAD I did! The tools/directions made it pretty easy to get it all done, and now I have Preware on my Pre as well.

Thank you to everyone that has made this an easier process for those of us that are "less sophisticated" in this area. It is VERY MUCH appreciated.

Craig, you did it! Great job!

[milominderbinde]

I have been reluctant to try homebrew apps, tweaks etc...mostly from reading about the troubles some people run into with updating their Pre's. But I thought last night "What the heck! I'll try it." And I have to say with the tools everyone has put together and your instructions to guide me it was super easy! Thanks a lot for putting this together.

This was basically my situation, except that I did have homebrews, but when I saw this thread last night I decided to take the plunge, and I am GLAD I did! The tools/directions made it pretty easy to get it all done, and now I have Preware on my Pre as well.

Thank you to everyone that has made this an easier process for those of us that are "less sophisticated" in this area. It is VERY MUCH appreciated.

Yes!

This document is the result of work by a list of people. We needed real users to test it out.

Thank you!

- Craig

[bonfilio]

No. The homebrew apps don't affect it at all. The patches could affect it, but as long as you uninstall them, then you will be 100% fine. Uninstalling a patch is as about as easy uninstalling a Palm application.

1. WebOS Quick Install: Safe
2. Preware: Safe
3. Homebrew Apps: Safe
4. Patches: Can be safe as long as you uninstall them before updating.

If you get Preware installed, you will truely begin to despise the official Palm Catalog. It is so inferior in every way possible. Get to step 3 and if you feel the least bit adventurous then go for #4.

Awesome - I'm all over this then!

[VickMackey]

its funny how everyone here say that without the patches they would hate their phone. I find that astounding. Wow..so you people hate the phone that much? If I have to mod my phone to like it then it isn't the phone for me. Hence why I haven't modded it.

[f1nzup#WN]

its funny how everyone here say that without the patches they would hate their phone. I find that astounding. Wow..so you people hate the phone that much? If I have to mod my phone to like it then it isn't the phone for me. Hence why I haven't modded it.

The Pre is a great phone without the patches, but from someone that just started using patches, the patches give the Pre a great polish. I went from no patches before yesterday to 25 today.

It's funny how many patches addressed items I wished the Pre had. Little things like the insert a line with the Enter key while messaging instead of sending the message. The character count in messaging is another nifty little feature. And the disable the charging alert sound. That is one that bugged me every night when I would charge my phone.

Another little one that I like is the calculator vibration patch when you push a key. I never knew if the calculator recognized my push or not. Now I do.

A couple that should be on the Pre without a patch is the ability to forward messages and the ability in email to empty the trash with the push of a button. They're not, but at least now with a patch you have them.

Like I said, the Pre is a great phone, but the patches take it another step.

[spinteews]

Yes, I agree, I just installed just a few patches and themes, and it's been pretty slick. The only thing is when the new firmware update hits, do you HAVE to uninstall the patches, tweaks, and themes? Or what specifically needs to be uninstalled? Have anyone updated the firmware with patches left on?

Sorry I prob can search but i'm sure this will answer some other peoples questions in this thread...

Thanks

[grndslm]

Weeeee....

I was gonna hold off for 1.3.1, but I guess I'm not anymore!

[cas_esq]

its funny how everyone here say that without the patches they would hate their phone. I find that astounding. Wow..so you people hate the phone that much? If I have to mod my phone to like it then it isn't the phone for me. Hence why I haven't modded it.

I understand your point, but obviously disagree. I think webOS is an incredible advance, but the function of the phone was barely tolerable for me. This is not a new issue for me; my previous PalmOS phones were great, but they still needed third-party apps to give me the experience I wanted. That doesn't mean I should have purchased a different phone then or now; I held on to my Treo as long as I did waiting for Palm's next big thing to drop. The patches I've installed (dozens) make the phone more intuitive and convenient for me. Moreover, I anticipate that webOS will evolve over time to incorporate some of the functions now available only as patches. Finally, I expect that Palm is happy that I'm happy. Once again, it's sucked me into an operating system that is likely to keep me loyal a few more years. I doubt Palm cares that my patches support that loyalty to a large degree.

[cas_esq]

Yes, I agree, I just installed just a few patches and themes, and it's been pretty slick. The only thing is when the new firmware update hits, do you HAVE to uninstall the patches, tweaks, and themes? Or what specifically needs to be uninstalled? Have anyone updated the firmware with patches left on?

Sorry I prob can search but i'm sure this will answer some other peoples questions in this thread...

Thanks

The best practice is to remove any themes and patches prior to an update. If you don't do it before, you should run EPR immediately afterward. (If webOSDoctor is updated for the new OS, you could run WebOS Repair Utility with compatibility override enabled instead.) Some people say that their phones withstood the update with no problems, but more commonly people find that they can't uninstall themes and patches, and end up having to remove them using EPR or the Repair Utility eventually.