Guys, I am fairly new to Linux and Maemo, so please don't take this the wrong way, I actually want to know.....

Why is making an alternative boot image/alternative OS difficult?

I made a bootable external USB hard drive of Ubuntu 9.10 to use with my laptop (F12 at start up - away I go). Did this to learn Linux once I saw that N900 was Linux based, been a windows user for too long

Why can't we not just image a microSD with Ubuntu (or any other distro - I am guessing Ubuntu works with omap3430 architecture btw) and boot from it?

If you look at it like I am, N900 would just be used as I am using my laptop.

I guess you would need drivers etc specific for the device etc, but I just can't see what is stopping us doing this.

As I said I am fairly new to Linux/Maemo/Internet tablets so if I am missing something very basic please forgive me, but an explaination of the problem/why we can't just do this would be great

Thanks in advance

BTW: - I wouldn't expect to have all the functionality, like phone etc just literally the Ubuntu desktop as it would be on a laptop (desktop on screen, keyboard, touchscreen).