HTC is certainly no stranger to being a friend to the modding community, but it recently laid the smackdown on a custom ROM site that took full advantage of providing custom ROMs and ROM Update Utility (RUU) files to the HTC fans worldwide. The Taiwanese giant apparently sent a cease and desist letter to HTCRUU.com not because of the fact it provided the ROMing community full ROM and restore files, but rather because the website used an HTC domain and official HTC logos as part of its branding:

“The issue with the site in question was NOT that it provided custom ROMs or RUUs. The site used HTC trademarks without a license from HTC. The domain name contained ‘HTC’ and it used HTC logos, making it appear to be an official HTC website. Like any other company, we must protect our trademarks and brand. We cannot risk being associated with, and held liable for, software that we don’t have any control over that’s put onto an HTC device through a third party”.

So in essence, HTC was being proactive in protecting itself should some of you encounter a mishap or two when utilizing the specialized files and ROMs– after all, it shouldn’t have to bear full responsibility for those different snafus and all. This means that none of you should worry about HTC turning its back on the modding community because after all, it “openly embraces the community that chooses to flash custom ROMs onto their devices. The HTC Unlock Bootloader tool on htcdev.com evidences this support” and “the custom ROM community is valuable to the overall health of the Android ecosystem and we have no intention of abandoning them“. Let’s just hope other RUU sites out there are a bit more discreet with its usage of brandings and naming of those oh-so coveted ROM files.

source: HTC