Simply put...
>Apple developed it's own OS - and is riding it successfully;
>RIM created it's own too - and is riding it as well;
>Samsung -- rides someone else's - though successfully;

Nokia had its own OS, much b4 the other two... they developed it [though late & @ snail's pace] into a fine engine as well & uniquely too -Maemo/MeeGo had a chance... it was theirs... 'own' to ride on!

They could've tweaked it further - to better it [uh, to me the N9's current OS is pretty fine since PR1.1 though; and a couple of more PRs would be awesome!], thus creating a 3rd front to battle the OS war/s. But they abandoned their 'own' child... one which was a destined prodigy[!] to battle somebody else's fledgling war [M$].

They had a choice [a making, long gifted, inherently, indoctrinated with] to become [and further] an Apple or a RIM... but selected to go the Samsung way instead...

How dumb could that be?