It seems whenever someone tries to come up with tangible benefits of Android's "openness" they invariably end up describing properties of the Palm Pilot, Windows Mobile, and Blackberry operating systems that have absolutely nothing to do with open source. Case in point:<p><pre><code> > I've been pleasantly surprised at how much more
> configurable Android is. The fact that you can
> replace the home screen with a third-party launcher
> or even make your own app store is a clear sign
> that Google's heart is in the right place.
</code></pre>
Or, it's a clear sign that Android isn't well designed and is no different than most of the other mobile devices that have appeared in the last 10 years. And if you purchase a locked-down Android device from your carrier then it literally is no different.