If Maemo is supposed to be a mobile Linux distribution, it must be possible to always try to run newer stuff on older hardware. If a program like a 3D desktop requires more powerful hardware, the old users should just be able to opt out of installing it, just like we can choose between Gnome and Xfce (and Awesome in my case) on the desktop.

There are lots of improvements that don't relate to processor-heavy eye-candy, and we musn't let these new flashy possibilities be confused with the whole of what a distro is supposed to be.

I think the whole problem is that it's too damn _difficult_ to manage this. It's just easier to focus on single devices. We were lucky to have been able to upgrade the N800. Though some people have disliked it...

Only something like Mer will bring us the support for multiple devices. It just doesn't fit the industry setting to think so wide.

Myself, I bought an N800 6 months ago. It was just what I wanted, for a nice price (450 BRL, 250 USD). There are just no alternatives to it, they are either too simple, or too featureful and expensive, or simply don't actually exist (e.g. Pandora).

I was lucky with my timing. I had no sort of mobile gadget at first. Then I got the N800 in its maturity, and for a good price. Now I'll probably be able to get something else just by the time “step 5” comes by. I hope by then we have figured out how the next decade is supposed to look like!