I am sorry, but I read that as Android offering 1) an easy way to make your phone completely unstable and possibly break it permanently; 2 (and 5)) a variety of ways to make your already chaotic phone UX even more ugly and unusable; 3) ways for third party apps or social engineers to replace core system features with adware-infested malware (like browser toolbars on Windows)....
6, I like, though; applications providing services to one another is a great idea. But when you combine that with "full access to the filesystem", you don't -need- an intents system for inter app communication, you can just save files and open them in different apps. It's this kind of inconsistency of what Android is actually trying to do - be computerlike, or be a walled garden 'appstore' ecosystem - that contributes to the overall chaos of the UX.
I don't know, you might want to try it out before you dismiss it completely.
Rooting/installing ROMs is completely optional. It's just there if you want it, and it can be a lot of fun. You did buy a pocket computer after all - don't you want to see what it can do?
I use Swiftkey instead of Google's stock keyboard, and Firefox instead of Chrome. Both are quality apps which look great, have zero malware issues, and seriously enhance the quality of my smartphone experience. The improvement is way beyond what you can get on iOS, simply because Apple won't allow anyone to modify the core experience so deeply. And I haven't explored the offerings in full - I still use the stock caller and messaging client. I'm confident that high-quality alternatives are available.
I use simple stock widgets currently - Gmail and Google Calendar only. They look great, they're simple, and again they seriously improve my phone experience. Again, I haven't really explored widgets yet but I'm sure there are some seriously powerful, high-quality options available.
And the filesystem is only visible if you download an app for it specifically. Out of the box the file management is similar to iOS, just more powerful with the intents system. This isn't an example of Google not being able to make up their mind, they've just decided to allow people to explore that side of the system if they want.
Android is really a great system for people who like computers. All of the things which Apple decided people shouldn't be interested in doing with their pocket computers are available in some way on Android. It's very gratifying for curious people.
It's fair enough to say that all these options come with dangers. But they also come with potential! Great potential.
> You did buy a pocket computer after all - don't you want to see what it can do?
I just bought a phone, which happens to be a computer. If I really want to get deep into a 'pocket computer' I buy an Arduino or an equivalent and hack it's guts.
As a mobile dev I'm more than happy about the access level that I have with iOS, I can even throw in-line Assembly there.
6, I like, though; applications providing services to one another is a great idea. But when you combine that with "full access to the filesystem", you don't -need- an intents system for inter app communication, you can just save files and open them in different apps. It's this kind of inconsistency of what Android is actually trying to do - be computerlike, or be a walled garden 'appstore' ecosystem - that contributes to the overall chaos of the UX.