Ok my understand of it is like this (will try and post some screenies as well).

On the ipod touch I have a number of apps I like using, BMI calculator, convertabot, TVListings etc So how do these compare to apps on maemo????

Ok lets look at convertabot as an example. It has a sleek UI, little animations, nice glowing text for the numbers and cool audio around some of the button pushes.

Now lets take the converter app in maemo, does exactley the same underlying function. Except, no swish gfx, no sounds, no animations...just an app.

So thats not a bad thing, but is it pleasing on the eye, fun to use, make me want to show my friends and go hey look at this and what it can do but more to the point does it make my friends go Ooooo now thats cool I want one of those!

I think another good example would be an alarm clock app. I want something that looks like an alarm clock at the side of my bed, behaves like an alarm clock but is a n900. The font should resemble that of a real alarm clock, not just Times font increased to max size....that makes me think...errrm doesnt really look like an alarm clock so why would I use it.

Note: Nice blondes / old hags = same function