General Time to Retire the Jailbreak

[F1982]

Wait, before you lambaste me- i'm not saying get rid of jailbreaking.

What I have a massive problem with is the term- the biggest problem facing jailbreaking is the term 'jailbreaking' itself.

I have quite a few friends/ colleagues using iphones and ipads who do not understand jailbreaking at all. They are very interested in what it can offer, and are the 'sort' of people who would be into that sort of thing, but they are instantly put off by the term. It really is one of the worst names that could have been chosen possible, probably only second behind 'Bricking'.
It implies two things- firstly that its illegal (jail) and secondly that it is likely to harm your device (break).
I have explained to people at length what jailbreaking is and what it is not. The fact that nobody needs to open their device, fiddle with circuits or wires, that it's only really removing apples restrictions and does not 'brick' your device are all explained. Still, after initial enthusiasm they don't go any further because 'they still don't feel comfortable with it'.

The majority of this feeling it seems is purely down to the term 'jailbreaking' scaring them off.

What I propose is that we retire the word and use something else. I don't think there would be any confusion if the unified term 'Rooting' were used (as it is with android).

Anyone else agree, or have alternative suggestions for a re-branding?

 

[TC25]

What I have a massive problem with is the term- the biggest problem facing jailbreaking is the term 'jailbreaking' itself.

What something is called is a 'massive' problem to you?

I have quite a few friends/ colleagues using iphones and ipads who do not understand jailbreaking at all. They are very interested in what it can offer, and are the 'sort' of people who would be into that sort of thing, but they are instantly put off by the term.

If they can be put off by a term, after an explanation, then they are shallow people.

It really is one of the worst names that could have been chosen possible, probably only second behind 'Bricking'. It implies two things- firstly that its illegal (jail) and secondly that it is likely to harm your device (break).

It only implies this to the uninformed.

I have explained to people at length what jailbreaking is and what it is not. The fact that nobody needs to open their device, fiddle with circuits or wires, that it's only really removing apples restrictions and does not 'brick' your device are all explained. Still, after initial enthusiasm they don't go any further because 'they still don't feel comfortable with it'.

Then they shouldn't jailbreak. Simple.

The majority of this feeling it seems is purely down to the term 'jailbreaking' scaring them off.

You need new friends who have brains with the ability to think and comprehend.

What I propose is that we retire the word and use something else. I don't think there would be any confusion if the unified term 'Rooting' were used (as it is with android).

You mean 'rooting'. That's what hogs do when they are looking for truffles? Yuck.
Rooting reminds me of 'root canals' and that scares me.
Oh dear, think of the implications of that term.

Anyone else agree, or have alternative suggestions for a re-branding?

It doesn't need re-branding. If people are so ignorant and shallow that a label turns them off, then they can stick with the stock iOS.

 

[Ann P]

To keep things short, people shouldn't jailbreak if they're scared or turned off by the name itself. Also doesn't need rebranding imo... more confusion..

 

[TriJetHero]

^^^^^^ this

 

[F1982]

What something is called is a 'massive' problem to you?


If they can be put off by a term, after an explanation, then they are shallow people.


It only implies this to the uninformed.


Then they shouldn't jailbreak. Simple.


You need new friends who have brains with the ability to think and comprehend.


You mean 'rooting'. That's what hogs do when they are looking for truffles? Yuck.
Rooting reminds me of 'root canals' and that scares me.
Oh dear, think of the implications of that term.


It doesn't need re-branding. If people are so ignorant and shallow that a label turns them off, then they can stick with the stock iOS.

A bit of an overly harsh analysis of my post don't you think!

I'm not of the opinion that the jailbreak community should try to keep itself closed like an inward looking club, I think the opposite where we should communicate the benefits to those who may be interested.

I've always thought that the term jailbreaking was awful and has all the wrong connotations. I've seen many examples of people who would benefit from it being put off because of the term, and so don't really want to understand what it is. Thats all.

 

[Eric374]

The term came about because it frees the restrictions places by Apple on IOS devices. A stock IOS device is restricted, and when you get into the root commands of the device it allows you to make changes that otherwise would not be allowed by Apple, hence the term. Since upgrading loses that ability, maybe the term should actually be "conditional parole" instead. Be good, and don't add in tweaks that cause you to have to restore and lose said freedom, and you can stay on parole. Don't, and "the man" puts you back in jail until "da boys" can free you again.

 

[TC25]

A bit of an overly harsh analysis of my post don't you think!

Sorry. Dumb ideas tend to have this effect on me.

I'm not of the opinion that the jailbreak community should try to keep itself closed like an inward looking club...

It is neither.

I think the opposite where we should communicate the benefits to those who may be interested.

This happens every day on MR, not to mention other web sites.

I've always thought that the term jailbreaking was awful and has all the wrong connotations.

'thought' = opinion
opinion doesn't equal fact.

I've seen many examples of people who would benefit from it being put off because of the term,

So, the entire jb community should be changed to accommodate this minority. This is jb political correctness where the complaint/concern of a minority, even a minority of one, requires everyone else to change.

 

[eyoungren]

To redefine the term, you have to understand where it comes from. Jailbreaking as a term was not just some arbitary term that was pulled out of a hat in 2007-2008 when the first attempts to do this were made. That particular process existed and was defined by this term under UNIX long before the iPhone came around. So, the devs and users who were doing this simply applied the term already in use.

"A jailbreak is the act or tool used to perform the act of breaking out of a chroot or jail in UNIX-like operating systems or bypassing digital rights management (DRM)."

See here. UNIX is not a commonly understood system to common users. So the terms are taken in a different light.

Simply put, you are asking not just the jailbreak community, but an entire UNIX community to change a term that has been commonly used for a very long time. I get where you are going on this, but it's not the jailbreak/UNIX community that needs to change, but rather the uneducated user.

 

[bandofbrothers]

Next time talk to your friends about un-sandboxing their idevices.

 

[Qaanol]

I have encountered the same thing as the original poster, and I agree a more neutral or positive term would help raise public support for jailbreaking.

And frankly, in my opinion the only way that Apple will ever provide users with the ability to install programs of their choice—that is, for device owners to be able to allocate trust for their own devices—is if support for it becomes widespread.

Next time talk to your friends about un-sandboxing their idevices.

This is a good start. Certainly “un-sandboxing” is a better term than “jailbreaking”.

I’d really like a term that makes it clear Apple has pre-emptively banned you from having control over your own device. To get people to realize they cannot even restore their phone to factory conditions without Apple approving.

 

[ARSkemp]

It implies two things- firstly that its illegal (jail) and secondly that it is likely to harm your device (break).

Personally, when I think of the term jailbreaking I think of "breaking out of jail". That would imply that Apples iOS is the jail. If I am overanalyzing it then that means I am already thinking I am doing something illegal by owning a stock apple device since I am in "jail".

 

[5kylar]

A bit of an overly harsh analysis of my post don't you think!

I'm not of the opinion that the jailbreak community should try to keep itself closed like an inward looking club, I think the opposite where we should communicate the benefits to those who may be interested.

I've always thought that the term jailbreaking was awful and has all the wrong connotations. I've seen many examples of people who would benefit from it being put off because of the term, and so don't really want to understand what it is. Thats all.

Honestly if people are scared of the name, they probably shouldn't be jailbreaking or have someone set it up for them. I've jailbroken almost all my friends who own iPhones and they all say they love it, no issues. But if anyone is actually so scared s***less of a word, let them stay on Crapples stock iOS. Plain and Simple, you don't gain anything worth having in life without taking a few risks

 

[TC25]

I have encountered the same thing as the original poster, and I agree a more neutral or positive term would help raise public support for jailbreaking.

Why is 'raising public support for jailbreaking' a good idea? Millions of people already jailbreak their devices and were not 'scared away' by the word 'jailbreak'. Changing the name of it to attract dolts is a dumb idea.

 

[TriJetHero]

Why is 'raising public support for jailbreaking' a good idea? Millions of people already jailbreak their devices and were not 'scared away' by the word 'jailbreak'. Changing the name of it to attract dolts is a dumb idea.

I believe evasi0n has almost hit the 20 million mark. Than there is all the people on Absinthe, Corona and lower jailbreaks. So plenty of people do understand the name and process. Like said before is you are scared of the name than probably jailbreaking is not for you.

No matter what name you give it, Apple is not going to open up iOS. Their lockdown is a well thoughtout phllosophy which is also part of their business concept.

 

[Troneas]

i find the name to be very liberating.

 

[itjw]

Let's name it: PIRATING

(here comes the "Oh no, not me, I never ever steal anything... I just use jailbreaking to use legitimate third party applications which I never pirate either, and every emulator I use I own the console and every ROM I have the cartridge/disc... AND I'm Bob Hope")

You could ask "Hey Steve, have you pirated yet?" or "My iPhone works great now that I'm pirating". Everyone loves pirates. Look at those movies based on that Disney ride...

PROBLEM SOLVED

*thread*

 

[quietstormSD]

I agree with an earlier poster. If they won't jailbreak because of the word "jailbreak" then they probably shouldn't jailbreak their device.

 

[LosLoco]

I've actually encountered this problem too.

It doesn't make it any "better", when you're from a non-english-speaking country, and it only further worsens things, when you deal with people not that much into technology.

Familie-members and friends alike have often asked me "how the hell I've managed to customize my iOS like I have", and it didn't take me too many attempts at explaining a jailbreak using the name jailbreak before I found out, that non-technical-people with no more interest than wanting a cooler looking phone-OS doesn't really like the term "jailbreaking".

Now, does this mean that jailbreaking won't be their liking? I think not. Actually, I've jailbroken quite a few family-members and friends iPhones and iPads (of course while instructing them not to mess with anything in Cydia, that they don't fully understand ) and all of them have been very happy with the result (or so I think ! ).

I have, however, stopped using the term "jailbreaking" and simply saying "taking full control with a smart little program" (it doesn't really sound that stupid in Danish ).