I've got the virtual image (PreFinal Desktop) running now with VirtualBox and have installed the GuestAdditions and stuff, so its running at a nice resolution and smootly. I've tried compiling the following base.c file (an example from http://wiki.maemo.org/Legacy_Maemo_5...etting_started)

Using this: gcc base.c `pkg-config hildon-1 --cflags --libs` -o base

But I get an error message saying that hildon-1 isn't available:

Package hildon-1 was not found in the pkg-config search path.
Perhaps you should add the directory containing `hildon-1.pc'
to the PKG_CONFIG_PATH environment variable
No package 'hildon-1' found
base.c:1:27: error: hildon/hildon.h: No such file or directory
base.c: In function 'main':
base.c:5: error: 'GtkWidget' undeclared (first use in this function)
base.c:5: error: (Each undeclared identifier is reported only once
base.c:5: error: for each function it appears in.)
base.c:5: error: 'window' undeclared (first use in this function)

pkg-config --list-all does not show hildon in there. Can anyone offer some advice? I've even set the PKG_CONFIG_PATH var to point specifically to all the locations where I could find the hildon-1.pc files (/scratchbox/users/......../pkgconfig/hildon-1.pc) yet I can not get that example to compile.

I really would like develop some things for the N900 but just need to get a start

That's hard to understand how this situation can be...

It's a bit like the correct version of the maemo 5 SDK installer:

if you get it from
http://www.forum.nokia.com/info/sw.n...emo_5_SDK.html
, then it's
http://repository.maemo.org/stable/f...-wizard_5.0.py

if you follow instructions from maemo.org:
http://wiki.maemo.org/Documentation/...K_Installation
then it's
http://repository.maemo.org/stable/5...-wizard_5.0.py

and instructions from nokia.com:
http://wiki.forum.nokia.com/index.ph..._for_beginners
tell you to install Maemo SDK beta 2!

That is soooo confusing! Crazy!

Well the Vmware maemo project is done by INdT which is the same guys who do Canola I believe, but vmware maemo is hosted on the tablet dev site so it is endorsed by Nokia Maemo I am guessing. Most of those websites you list are all written by different people as well I am guessing which also ads confusion.

Most of this is just my best guesses if you can't tell

this **** download site waste my 2G quota !!!

Even a crap website would support "Resume broken downloads " these days

so sad for you

just like n900 full of handicaps

Could you be more specific about the problem?

SDK virtual image is not supposed to be downloaded to the device, rather to a pc for an OS that doesn't support the sdk i.e. windows.

This was also discussed here:
http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=39344

wait until you download and start the vm. you will then need to download a whole bunch of packages. the setup is also not as straightward and simple as it could be.

edit: i would rather try the link above before trying to setup the vm

There are coming two IDEs.
Some eclipse based. I don't know when it is published.
qt creator. Is already there. Integration with madde is not
automatic yet.