Obviously things doesn't work like that. Corporations doesn't *develop*, *code* or *maintain* software products like you and me.

Evidently not all Corporations do.

The Corp. that built my NAS does. For two and a half years now I've seen firmware updates in intervals of two months on average. Not only bug fixes but also a massive set of new features where included. And there is yet no end to be seen. Same goes for the Corp. that built my router. Bought in 2006 and a torrent of updates and enhancements, the last dating from Oct. 12. Interestingly both were about the same price as a N9 (the NAS a bit more expensive).

... and we are back to the point where the complexity is Nokia's problem and not the customers. (And BTW I didn't say it was simple.)

Now you are getting close to the point here, but you still refuse to belive the facts.

The corporation that built your NAS and your router has obviously decided to keep the product under maintanance.

It is fairly easy to keep things going when in maintanance mode. The thing needed is continuity, the tools, repositories, documentation, EE, CI, packeting, tracking/ticketing and competent people need to be kept there for the maintanance to roll on smoothly.

There will be competence transfer, maintanance may/will be handled by different teams than the first development was done, but the handover needs to be planned and executed carefully. And it will be done so, if the company is responsible and committed, and not in middle of tragedy and despair

With Nokia and Harmattan, there is no such continuity, you can think of an analogy where somebody will give you a glass of water. When you both are careful and steady-handed, he can pour water from from his glass to your glass without spilling a drop.
However, if the giver will throw the water to your face and smash the glass, no amount of steady hand on your part will make a difference. The water is gone and you will not get a drop back.

I do not know what you do for living, but I have worked for several HW & SW vendors for a fair number of years and I have seen both kinds of things happening

So it might be impossible even if they want to?

Yes.
10 chars

Yes, that's what we are trying to convey.

fact is that N9s (both 16GB and 64GB, even white ones) can still be bought new, with two years factory warranty...
if this product is not supported any more, NOKIA is doing itself a very bad (dis-)favour
but considering that most of the MeeGo ppl have been fired & are now working @ Jolla, best bet is NOKIA is going to have a very hard time providing updates for MeeGo

let's hope we can install Sailfish on our beloved N9s

You will probably be able to do so, just forget using the GPS or mobile internet...

or make calls?!