As already stated in the OP and besides what Crashdamage said, the N900 is a computer that somehow justed got banged up with a phone in the manufacturing process.

If you understand that, then you see there is no need for worries of that kind. Since we got drivers and a nice warm and fussy carebear community right here :3

For anyone else who want to learn what linux how it works and is all about, I recommend installing gentoo or arch on a SPARE computer and have fun!

Then you see the potential freedom which the N900 has AND understand that:

1: " I can do so much stuff with thiss computer/phone"
2: " Reach out to the community and we WILL be there and have all the lovin for all of ours N900 "