Because of relatively obvious reasons in platform development. Within one release you avoid touching the kernel and low level components unless you have a very good reason. You don't introduce changes in the UI specs unless you have a very good reason. You don't touch components providing an API unless you have a very good reason. Things like these. In the specific case of the step from Maemo 5 to 6 we have a change of toolkit, which means that our applications are being rewritten/redesigned. If a feature request implies deep work and is actually being done in the new version, then we prefer to put the resources in a good Harmattan implementation rather than in 2 half-backed implementations... or a N months delay. This is why in certain cases we know that a certain bug or feature request is not going to be addressed in Maemo 5, independently of the time the N900 has been in the shelves. You have the option of getting nervous because of this information... or you have the option to get used to open development practices. Tip for the weekend. Don't get nervous & enjoy the ride. Let's talk again after the Harmattan alpha release.