" constant headaches "

I have yet to have a temporary headache with my Nokia N800, let alone a constant one.

I think you may have read a little bit too deep into this forum. Just like if you were to visit the Apple discussions area and see how every mac is defective, or all of their programs have serious shortcomings and bugs. The reality of a forum is that it is visited by people looking for troubleshooting help (small part of the market) and advanced people (also small market %) pushing the limits of what the thing can do.

I have yet to have my N800 crash on me, have yet to reflash my OS and I have yet to use any kind of linux code.

A browser crash can happen when it doesn't understand whatever it doesn't understand, but that is the only thing I've experienced.

Installing an app, is easily done through the application manager on the device and through the secure click to install this app button on the web at maemo garage. Nothing technical whatsoever.

Bugs & features? Approach the development team. I've written a few people and what do you know. A few weeks later there is a new version.

The iTouch does what it does out of the box. It is a glorified iPod with browsing capability, but nothing more until Apple decides so. It could be soon, it could be ways down the road. Most people wait years for the Apple feature or product they want, if they get it.

As for the N800 shelf life. I think it will handle another major OS revision. Maybe two. The N810 has the same hardware. Most likely the newer models will run faster components but share the OS, and the older models will be compatible for a few years with that OS.

We don't know yet what Apple will do now with iPod firmware & software updates. The iPod Touch is a new animal. I hope Apple will slow down the "buy one iPod a year curve to be up to date" and will allow users to get firmware and software updates past the current 6m 1y thing ... which it has been (we have 3 iPods)