To root or not to root?

 Or is it jailbreaking?  Actually they are essentially the same thing, just depends on the product you own.  Let me be clear as I embark onto this topic, I do not advocate for rooting/jailbreaking nor do I encourage it.  This is simply a discussion of what it is and why it has become somewhat trendy to do so.  First jailbreaking relates to iphone/ios while rooting applies to android based devices.  They are the same thing, and for ease of typing I will refer to the process as rooting from here on out.
 
Rooting is the process by which you gain control over your device, the term comes from linux/unix environments in which the root user is the account that has full control over the system.   For various reasons carries and phone produces block certain features on the phones (e-readers in case of the nook color).  Sometimes it is to provide a simple and streamlined user experience for everyone (in the case of apple), sometimes it is to add features that require extra cost to access, such as using your droid x as a mobile hot spot. 
 
People root their devices for a sense of control over their machines.  The heady days of the pc (and dos) we had the ability to do whatever we could think of with our computers.  For good or ill, I can tell many of story of “crashing” pcs only to spend days upon days trying to fix it.  Other times it allowed it to run better.  In todays world of packaged and mediated experiences your phone is what it is, and is difficult to “get into the guts” of.  Some people like to muck about and create a device that goes beyond what was purchased.  This is especially true of the nook color as it can easily be rooted and turned into a full blown tablet running android honeycomb.
 
But there is risk.  One might brick their device, and it will definitely invalidate your warranty.  Rooting will always be with us, and will likely to some degree continue to expand.  On one side it is the driven by the sense of curiosity that exists within us, coupled with the desire for control.  Both of which can be understood, and unfortunately there is also the more nefarious side which will seek to circumvent for personal gain.
 
And that is rooting in a nutshell.