Quote Originally Posted by Bushwalker8 View Post
The vast majority of updates work fine, you have only seen a few reports of trouble and even many of those are able to be resolved.

And the people that provide the assistance do so because it gives them satisfaction so should not be criticized. Their advice is highly appreciated by the larger technical community out here.
My exact attitude too. This is what these kind of forums are for, they're primarily for novice users to seek help, and for more experienced members to assist them.

I have many devices that have been regularly patched every update over many years and have had no problems whatsoever, same for others I know and interact with.
Ditto in my experience also. Very few of the devices i help to 'unbrick' have been flashed with faulty firmware, whether patched or original. Please asprin624, look at the Cure3 thread and other individual help posts from users with devices that won't boot. Most of them have problems because of faulty files on-board and most have problems after using Garmin's own particular software-from-hell, GarminExpress. An absolute minority of devices display "System Software Missing" indicative of a firmware problem.

You are also completely missing the main point about Birdseye. The patching is generally not about the Birdseye product it's for the capability to display jnx format images from other sources that you can't buy anywhere for your device. For example converted raster maps (TIFF, JPG, PDF etc) including detailed 25K topo & nautical charts, historic maps, park maps, custom maps you make yourself, whatever. This capability is quite unique to Garmin and the reason it is popular.
Precisely! That's the real difference between AlexWhiter's (may he Rest in Peace) JNX patcher and big-bang's Universal Patcher and why the former program is allowed here and the latter isn't. The exclusive purpose of the Universal Patcher is to disable the signature checks to enable the use of illegally unlocked Garmin-issued maps which is why it's not available here and members like Buswalker8 and me will not give direct assistance for it. That attitude won't hinder me in helping the occasional user who gets in strife because they misused the universal patcher however. I just won't help them patch in the first place. No rule break there.

Just because you are not aware of something or don't understand it doesn't make it wrong...
I think if one accepts that the JNX patcher isn't primarily about defeating Garmin's protection and more about allowing users to use the full JNX potential of their devices then it's far less 'wrong' than you're suggesting asprin624.

Quote Originally Posted by asprin624 View Post
It does not matter if it is a soft brick or a hard brick.
Oh yes it does, it matters very much! Please read my previous reply again closely with an open mind. If you still don't understand the vast difference between a soft and hard bricking then please ask, detailing any confusion or doubts you might have. I would be happy to explain further and elaborate in detail, as would Bushwalker8 too i'm sure.