An FW By Any Other Name…

Disclaimer: This post is offered in the spirit of language rigor and collegial good humor .

With all due respect to MobileMatt, one of our esteemed Masters of the Fuziverse and the coiner of the now widely used phrase for those who flash ROMs frequently, I don’t think that Flashing Whore is an accurate descriptor of those people. Okay, I’ll admit that I find FW a bit crude (though I’m no prude), but regardless, it doesn’t do justice to those who lead the way in WinMo progress by flashing and testing new ROMs.

As a wordsmith of sorts, I’m big on using words that are most descriptive of whatever it is I’m trying to communicate. And FW doesn’t clear that hurdle for me. Whores do what they do for money. Though I have no personal experience in this area, I’m going to guess that there is little pleasure in the…er…transaction. Yet the feeling I get from ROM flashers is real excitement and enjoyment.

Why do so-called FWs do what they do? Certainly not for profit; there’s no money in it and it takes time. Because they like being on the leading edge of technology. Because they are technology risk takers willing to imperil their phones to advance the technology and better humankind. Doesn’t sound like someone at all like those who practice “the world’s oldest profession.”

I’ve wracked my brain trying to come up with a phrase that I thought accurately captured the spirit of these intrepid ROM flashers, yet also had a certain “je ne sais quoi.” I have come up with the following:

1. Frequent flasher.

2. Flashing fanatic.

3. Flashin’ fool (I’m partial to this one).

I’m not trying to force anyone to make a change they don’t want. Just looking for descriptive accuracy and a little fun.

What matters is what you like. So let me know (and I’ll go away quietly).