thanks for the ereader advice

Here's a good place to start:
http://www.informationweek.com/byte/howto/231002060

Since the above article does not link you to the CyanogenMod download area, here it is:
http://www.cyanogenmod.com/devices/nook-color

If you want to play it safe, download a Stable Mod. If you want to be a little edgy, but not too edgy, get an Experimental Mod. If you want to really push the edge, get a Nightly Build. As a n00b, I'd say stick with the Stable Mod for now.

Another great resource is XDA Developers:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=860

Wendell,

Thanks for the advice. I'm going to do some studying before I get too deep into this. I would hate to mess it up.

Thanks again,
Jimmy

It's pretty hard to actually "brick" the device. Let me know if you have any questions, I've tried probably every Nook Color ROM out there. I'm currently running MIUI, but don't like it much and am going back to CyanogenMod.

Congrats! I've had my nook color since April, and the previous noon since the first introduction a few years ago. I'm a nook fan...

I haven't gone all "wendell" on mine yet. i just use it for reading mostly, and my driod phone for internet stuff...

Don

Jimmy,
I've used two different methods for rooting a nook color. First, was my wife's, which i used the Manual Nooter method. This method keeps the stock Nook user interface (UI) in tact, but adds access to the android UI, so you can basically switch between the two. She uses hers mostly for reading, so most of the time she is in the Stock Nook UI, but also has some standard android home screens set up if she wants to check email, surf, etc.
On mine, I went the CM7 route. I mostly use mine for surfing, reading message boards, news, etc. But I also use it for reading, which I do through the Nook Andoird App. Both methods work great, it all depends on what you intend to use your nook for most of the time. If you like the stock Nook UI, I'd say go Manual Nooter, if you want to make it a pure android table, go CM7, as this is based on Android 2.3 I believe, correct me if I'm wrong Wendell.

The XDA Nook Color boards are a great resource, follow the instructions over there and you'll be ok. Like Wendell said, its virtually impossible to brick the device, its set up to boot from the SD card. So if you get into trouble you can always flash it back to a stock ROM and start over. Although there is a very, very slim chance that something will go wrong. When I did both mine and my wife's I had zero issues and made it throught both process flawlessly the first time.

have fun

Going "Wendell"

"I haven't gone all "wendell" on mine yet."

I love it,

Don

Going "Wendell"

😀

Yes, the current version of CyanogenMod uses Gingerbread. 🙂

I bought mine with the idea that it would be a tablet, not an e-reader.

Last night, I decided MIUI had to go and I burned CyanogenMod 7. I used the experimental build from 6/27/11 and it is running quite well. Much, much better than MIUI. MIUI basically turns your NC into a very large phone, except that it doesn't actually have a phone in it. It also makes it look a lot like an iPad in many ways, which was an instant turn-off for me.

I also noticed that CM7 had figured out how to get the bluetooth working. Awesome!

(For those who are unaware, the NC is not marketed as having bluetooth -- in fact, it is totally disabled. But a geek somewhere noticed that the hardware was there, so, of course, he made an effort to figure out how to make it work. Now it is available in CM7. Yay!)

I've never been more lost...what the heck are you guys talking about?

I'm going to have to google "nook" now.

JRL