These guys have to look at the broader picture, and if they saw pouring lots of resources into two future competing platforms as wasteful, and a win-win in terms of joining forces, then it makes sense to join forces.

Nokia has already started making netbooks, and I guess they see the overall potential here, not just making phones or even MIDs.

If, in the overall scheme of things this would lead to abandoning the N900, or even if it would mean having to start from scratch on software (well Qt will be a bridge) so be it. It's all detail in a larger strategic game of competing and survival.

So it may be a temporary loss, certainly for those who bought the N900 (that is assuming you won't be able to run MeeGo/maemo6 on it), but overall from Nokia's p-o-w it's worth it and it has the potential for real gain in terms of scale and scope, covering so many segments.