There is a simpler way to solve the Rubik's cube and it involves different phases:
- Solving one side
- Solving the middle row
- Getting the edges of the last row right
- Getting the corners of the last row right
Much as I would like to divulge the formula here, it would take me *days* of work to represent it in a manner as well as Cow of Doom has. I'll admit my ability at ASCII art sucks.
I am not kidding. I know both this way and the way Cow of Doom described. It is also easier to learn for the absolute beginner (yes, I've tried) as it has fewer formulas to remember. However it is slower to perform - the fastest I could ever do with this method was about 3 minutes while I managed 45 seconds once with the 'standard' (Cow of Doom's) method (and could reliably do uner 2 minutes).
Having said all that, I only learnt how to solve a Rubik's cube when I was 16. My first Rubik's cube was given to me by my grandfather when I was 7 and I solved it, not by taking the stickers off, but by breaking it apart and putting it back together.