Well, Qt Designer (which could be seen as part of Qt Creator) to design a GUI, can be used together with python. There are already some howtos here, which explain that.

I suggest to look into python, when you want quick success. Read the tuorials/howtos and look at the source of other python apps for Maemo 5.

Sure there are also good reasons to learn C/C++. In the end it's even more portable when used in the right way. And for games which needs good performance (like 3D games) there is no real way arround C/C++.

But: Not only is C/C++ harder to learn, because you have to deal with, Pointers, memory allocation and freeing and so. But even worse you also have to learn about cross compiling and using the quite complex vm.

For a new programmer who want just create smaller apps for the N900 and have some fun, C/C++ for a cross compile source of an other OS than one is using, will most likely very frustrating and I believe 95% of those who are going down that road, will never get some usefull application working.

Go for Python:

- its easier to learn and use
- with less code you can archieve more
- no compiling, and even better: No cross compiling
- You don't even need Linux at all on your PC.
- Get some Python editor, code, copy files over to N900.
- Maybe use WinSCP+Putty on Windows to quick up that.
- That way you can try all lot more, can make misstakes.

Anyone with or without previous programing experience has a real chance to get some small usefull app/widget running in a few weeks (putting a hour or two into it each day). Maybe even faster.

With C++ one may get there with a lot of copy and pasting without really understanding what one is doing in SDK and code. In most cases that will only leed to frustration.

Well, that is only my opinion, as you see others have a different look at things. I am programing in C++ for a living and see quite a lot of computer science students with Java experince and so on, struggle on C++ when working here part time. Someone without previous programing experience, without Linux experience will have very hard time learning alls this in his free time.

So: go python.