And again, do you need those apps? I cannot really belive that the value of a device is dependent on the amount of apps that are available on some store for its "ecosystem". Granted, there are some applications that I would like to see on any platform but mostly those tend to be the ones that do exist already on all of the platforms.

What I value is a device where it is easy to use and build your own software. Where it is easy to transfer and use the files and media that you use.

Think about apple devices, you would need the toolchain that requires apple tools and apple computer to build software. On top of that you need an apple developers licence or it's no go.

On the windows devices, you similarily need the toolchain; developer studio and an windows computer to run it on. Similarily you need developer lisence to get the applications to run on the device.

On symbian devices to develop software you need development environment that runs on windows or linux. Granted you need windows host for compiling the final binary for symbian (or so I have heard) but you can run the simulation also on linux.
No need for developer lisences to run the sw, however.

On maemo&harmattan devices you need... Well whatever you want to use, really. There is not that much restrictions to development, you can use a IDE or commang line compiler as you like, no lisences or restrictions whatsoever.

What do you think I prefer