I think it's hard to generalize "people" into one category. For example

1. Some just want what they are used to (probably who you referring to)
2. Some want something that work as close to a Debian phone as possible. Right now this is still Maemo & I guess ubports.
3. Some people want a computer that is also a phone in there pocket. Not a phone that does some computer like stuff.
4. Some people want a functioning keyboard phone. Very few outside of Japan and blackberry .. maybe a few rando android phones.
5. Many just really don't want anything to do with android.
6. Many don't need banking apps, uber, WhatsApp, facebook, instagram, etc apps. They just need the basics to work very well.
7. Many people searching and hoping for a modern OS to use. but instead only have open and semi open OS that have too many short comings that really are just different kinds of probably vs maemo.

I really hope this changes over the next few years. But I'm kind a blend of 7, 6, 5, 4 and a little bit of 3.

I've been watch sailfish and ubports for years. And have yet to see a completing reason to change. For all I gain I loss a lot of tiny things. Like death by a thousand cuts .

Maemo-leste is making the OS no longer 10 yrs old. No I will be the first to say there are tons of issue I hope can be address once m-Leste become stable. But this is a big maybe.

So for right now chance are I will run sailfish, ubports ... unless something else comes out.

I really appreciate your enthusiasm, but I think for how blind your painting some folks ... you may have some blinder spots as well.

There IS no right answer in the open source communities love it or hate it

I would happily give up on maemo/n900 once some comes alone that fit my needs and doesn't remove too much of what I like about how I use my phone now.

Also soon we will start reading and seeing the pro1 in the wild good and bad. I wish chen would get a phone over to the maemo-leste folks ... more chose = better life

cheers

x