Where can I download the AOSP ROM? Do you have to compile it

>Do you have to compile it yourself? Why?
Likely. Your device may have different hardware. A ROM must be compiled for your specific device. This is what phone manufacturers do.

>Will I get updates?
If you mean system updates, no. System updates are released through update repositories provided by phone manufacturers. Example: if you're running a stock samsung android, you're downloading system updates specifically released for that phone from samsung. Unless you make your own repository, or android points to a pre-made repo for your device, you won't get system updates. Application updates are provided by your package manager, like play store.

>>59768304
> What's the downside of using Barbone's android? Why might this be a bad idea?
No drivers.

>>59768408
>>59768434
Thanks, you cleared it up a lot for me.

>>59768408
I say you likely need to compile it because you may not find a ROM compiled with drivers included for your hardware. If you have popular hardware, there may be a build out there for yours. May have jeetware installed deep in there though. Better to learn what drivers you need for your device and compile from source accordingly.

>>59768304
Let me ask you what is your reason:
Is it to debotnet/debloat the phone?
OR
To rice the phone?
Remove manufacturer defaults?

>Where can I download the AOSP ROM?
If I remember correctly the whole repo is gonna take up lots of gigs (if you're on data plan) and you need a programming PC setup with lots of RAMs and cores to compile AOSP from scratch with ease (which may not work with device after decades of compilation keep in mind!). Now try to audit a GIGS of shit on AOSP repo. You can't. It's a mix of licenses. Tivoized shit. Audit is impossible. Even the baseband and other proprietary parts of the system can't be audited so debotnet is impossible. Give up at this point. Just buy refurbished phones that support replicant. Other 'privacy roms' are meme and their CEOs use apple products - the irony.

>Do you have to compile it yourself?
Yes and it takes a lot of time.
No if you just wanna modify the .zip ROM file that is already available. Seriously hope that's not a firmware image but an actual recovery flashable .zip file which you can create from recovery (if im correct?). Since it's a zip you can modify the contents and even remove apk files though you need to be more technical and careful otherwise the zip will be rejected by the phone. Keep in mind files in those .zip ROM files are binaries so there's no way to know if that messaging app is a botnet (assuming it's not 'vanilla compiled' from AOSP which is 'every phone out there').

>>59769496
..
>...Why?
Of course
>What's the downside of using Barbone's android?
Downside is only there if you're using 'meta' phones or mainstream brands. They have 'manufacturer' spyware and adware by default and have proprietary launcher (samshit touchwiz and xiaomeme miui). Barebones chinkphone always come with AOSP and have lesser botnets (or do chinks even have time to develop technical botnets) but I'm not saying it's the best choice. They still have chink spy/adwares in them but not as strong as non-AOSP ROMs. You can easily remove and replace apps since most chinkphones (not xiaomi or lenovo) are AOSP based ROMs >> just get the clean AOSP apk app and replace that messaging app with the same version. You can't do that on touchwiz or miui unless you have access to their private repo and audit the whole shit. Now going back to compiling your own ROM, you don't need to download the whole AOSP repository to make a customized ROM. Just get the available stock ROM of your phone - you can port touchwiz into the stock rom as long as the drivers are correct, modify the apps probably start by adding native busybox, xposed, luckypatcher, replace few apps, systemUI, init scripts, deodex/odex, debloat. If you're patient enough you can do it. don't forget to release your ROM for others to test stability (did you think of adding spyware, like everyone else out there?)
>...Why might this be a bad idea?
It's a bad idea if your phone bricks on the modding process unless you just do it for happy hacking. It's a gamble but if you're using mediatek and SPFT then you're fine unless you overvoltage your processor, install the wrong display firmware or unintentionally corrupt your NAND while flash/partitioning.

>Will I get updates?
updates come from the manufacturer
>I download a ROM and after a while the developer always ruins it...
hmm.. just don't be a consumerist and be a stoic hacker. use omnirom and replicant - the only serious choice. don't fall for the new updates meme.