If android is so "open" why do you have to pick a single device from a single manufacturer (even apple offers more options than the nexus lineup) if you want android that's really android and not raped by the handset manufacturer or the network operator?

You can pick whatever phone you want, and install whatever android you can get working on it if you want, if you want ota upgrades in a timely manner you need to pick a manufacturer / carrier that does that, which is only google devices at the moment, thats specifically because it is so open.

Seriously, "install whatever android you can get working on it"?? I have a diploma in network engineering, I write web apps and I manage Linux servers. I don't want to play "guess the right Frankenstein mix" with a phone. I want to use it

I really do think the "android tinkerers" who go on about "customising" sit there all day and endlessly fuck about with a phone, that they never actually use because they're too busy "customising" it.

Apparently "customising" may also mean "embracing the openness of android and fuckin around to implement/fix features that shouldn't need fixing"