Is there a team of devs, or a lone superstar dev working on this? I've read hints throughout the DNA forum that there is, but have yet to find a thread that actually confirms this. I really appreciate your explanation as I was just thinking of flashing the RUU file as well. Now I know to just wait and be patient. I read something that suggested jcase was working on it but no development thread to confirm this. Thank you for any information you or anybody else may have. Am drooling for ViporDNA!!!!
I follow jcase on twitter, and a few days ago he was asking for a volunteer who had the update and wasn't unlocked. I haven't seen anything else, so I'm guessing that whatever he was trying didn't pan out.
Regarding your question about a team, or a superstar, I really don't know. I know Jcase came up with the first method to root and unlock the bootloader, and he credited several people that helped him in his post (see his original post in the "original development" forum). Beaups then came up with a simpler method to get root and unlock the bootloader, and he too credited several people (see his original/updated post in the "original development" forum). Then, Beaups and Jcase together found the method to obtain s-off, and I believe they credited others as well (see beaups thread for s-off in the original development forum.
In the threads above, they make reference to the irc chat rooms on andirc. They will often hangout in those chat rooms (more than on these forums, I think) and chat with each other, often helping each other as they tackle projects like rooting or s-off. Note that they do this in their spare time - so sometimes the chat rooms are quiet, sometimes busy, as they come and go while they work their day jobs.
If you venture into THEIR chat room, I would encourage you to be respectful, and patient. You can see that there are several people that just lurk, compared to the regulars that participate, and I don't think they mind if you lurk. I think that is better than going there and asking lots of questions. Especially if they don't know who you are. Even more especially if you ask questions that sound anything like asking for an "ETA". If you monitor the chat room for a little while, you'll start to appreciate the work they do for our community, especially helping people who have particular issues (if those people are respectful), and you also might see the lack of patience they have for those that aren't respectful
Hopefully someone will be able to find another exploit for root so the bootloader can be unlocked on the DNA's that have the 2.04 update, and possibly even help them get s-off too. The fact that s-off was obtained for the DNA was quite an improbility. Up until this point, I believe no HTC phones had gotten s-off if they haven't had a micro-sd card, which means most of the HTC phones for the past year haven't obtained s-off. The fact that the s-off hack is called "face palm" makes me think that someone at HTC made a stupid mistake, that enable s-off to be obtained. I wouldn't count on HTC making that mistake twice.
If you are really impatient for unlocking and s-off, and you have the update, I believe the hardware method is still available, where you send your device to the group that will open your phone up, and physically attach a "j-tag" device that enable them to get s-off. Unfortunately, that will set you back $50 or so. But some people are offering a bounty close to that anyways.
Or, if you just received your phone, perhaps you are still within the window to return it, and get an exchange? Just make sure you don't accept the update on a new phone! I would be turning the phone on and getting s-off before I ever put the sim card in! (I think there is a special process if you leave the sim card out to be able bypass the activation).