usability flaw/bug/oversight in blackberry desktop software
Wiping a blackberry:
The blackberry desktop software has been oversimplified and they tried to protect the user from hurting themselves way too much.
to the point that you can't ever wipe a dying blackberry or a blackberry with a cracked screen without first "switching devices".
This is counter-productive.
PROPOSAL:
a better method would be to (in addition to the above) also allow the following:
via the menu, provide a backup+wipe operation.
1.request from the user what type of wipe(s) should be done, such as data, 3rd party apps, media, memory card, memory card format (this especially could be useful).
2.how this would work would be to perform a FULL BACKUP with a filename that has a prefix "pre-wipe-backup-"+normal blackberry filename.
3.if the BACKUP FAILED, then inform the user the backup failed.
4.ask permission from the user to wipe or not. if no, show dialog to user that nothing was done (to reassure them), and exit to main menu. if yes, ask again.
5.if you get yes permission 2nd time, then wipe. if not,then show dialog do user that nothing was done (to reassure them), and exit to main menu.
right now I don't have the money for the support fees to call up blackberry and push this proposal through to engineering.
as an engineer, I am piling up dying blackberries I have had over the years. costs money to trade these things in. maybe I should start taking them apart for fun?