About 6 months.

I downloaded a number of apps to start with and customised it as far as possible and I use it from time to time to ssh onto things which is useful if I am out and about.

But the more I use it, the more the phone side is not good IMHO as you will gather. I have updated Maemo fully a month ago

I don't expect to have to build the phone part of the unit - it should be right to start with. I appreciate that other smart phones have their problems as well but that doesn't bother me because I have an n900. I just want to make it useable.

Some of the comments from the list lurkers have been more amusing than anything else. Fortunately I have a fairly thick skin when it comes to that sort of thing. Clearly they cannot take criticism of their beloved n900s!