Problem is, there’s also the now-and-here requirement.

Take example, I want to buy PC and want to use Photoshop, but I don’t want to use Windows. Yes, there’s Gimp and other alternative, but assume nobody write the software yet. Does that means I had to bear for years waiting for someone to think it worth the trouble writing that image editor. Imagine if the need is professional.

For now, the new platform need to have the value too. They can’t just play underdog, or give promise. Well, Google can, but they have big name and good record on delivering recently so they’re a better bet. If Nokia and Intel want to give MeeGo a better traction, they better get try to get more (vocal and influential) geek credit than stockholder credit.

PS: since one of the value is about applications, what if they conduct a survey to see which applications users needed from other platform, then aggresively help those software authors to port their code (rather than merely asking them, which they might not bother the unfeasible touble) and help maintaining it.
Yes, that will be enormous cost to gamble.