MicroB beta. Modest beta. OS2008 beta. Each time Nokia has released Maemo software in a beta state and accompanied by big, bold warnings, people here have screamed. The beta software contained bugs, you see, and how could Nokia release that?

MeeGo has a good strategy. You want the latest, most open source-y, might shatter into a million pieces stuff? Run the daily builds. You like the openness, but also like your phone to ring, not dump core, when someone calls? Run the every-six-months releases. You want a fancier UI, proprietary applications, and a toll free support line to call with problems? Stick with whatever your handset manufacturer provides.

People can stray from the sanctioned, manufacturer-provided MeeGo, and manufacturer support lines can follow the lead of PC companies: "Run the restoration software we provide to wipe your machine back to a known state, then we'll talk about any remaining problems." All the neat stuff in the MeeGo repos is from the Linux Foundation, not the MeeGo handset manufacturer, so it's easier for the manufacturer to disavow knowledge and resposibility for it than it is with betas bearing the company name.