@Theox
Ever heard of VNC?

While I generally understand you (rest of the post) and got what you mean, I think that this exact part suggest lack of proper system management. I feel it funny, when people report those dialer problems - fixing them is as easy as have swap on correct place (sd) and few small commands. During all my years with N900, I never, ever, missed any call (including ones, where I was in middle of packaging 3GB file into tar.lzma...), nor had dialer delay.

Same apply to other parts - why on earth you would need to use gnome (bloat king), if LXDE gives all you may even need, + even some doze of bloat? And so goes on. If site moves to dirty tricks with flash user agents etc, I stop using that site - they're for me, not I for them, FFS. Only proper way of enforcing good standards, is to "vote by your legs" - use only services that are worth supporting (either directly, or via money they get from ads, etc).

And if I *really* need to use some sh|tty website for <whatever> Very Important reason, then:
a) there is almost nothing microB can't handle
b) if it doesn't, latest chromium via EasyDebian can for sure. And with proper config, does it blazing fast - well, even now, I'm writing this very post via it, due to spell-checker and tab support. Yes, for comfort. N900 handles "comfort" without any problem, if user did his homework properly.
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As said, I get what you mean by Nokia leaving you. My point is "f**k Nokia" - I don't think Nokia owns this device or it's development for AGES. Believe me, when I think "N900" or "Maemo", Nokia isn't coming to my mind at all (anymore). Unlike with N9 or N950, which were, IMO, big mistake - mainly on side of users jumping into Harmattan bandwagon.

I think it's about how much device (it's software possibilities, etc) is "liberated" into hands of Community - N9/50 can't compare to N900 in that matter, it's totally different league. It's almost like comparing any random android phone to your desktop running your favorite flavor of GNU/Linux. Sure, some seems to call Android a "Linux phone", but, let's be serious...

/Estel

// Edit

I've said earlier, that my N900 replaced my mobile laptop usage for all intents and purposes. It's worth to add, that I'm by no means forced to do so - actually, my laptop is ultra-light (0.9 KG + battery) Core2Duo 2.6GHZ 6MB L2 cache, nVidia 8600GT 512MB DDR3 dedicated, 4GB RAM "monster". So, I definitely "do" have what to use as laptop (as I travel very much, I used that computer as my main unit, connecting it to DIY docking station,when at home).

Then, shortly after getting N900 - naturally and without any "ideology" behind it - I found less and less need to carry notebook with me, until it got re-purposed as 24/7 desktop, never leaving mentioned docking station (and will get sold on first occasion, using gained money to buy cheaper, yet more powerful, real desktop). The process was in direct proportion to me learning what I can really do with N900, and how to do it *right*.

If such picky user of mobile computing power as me, can rely on N900 for laptop purposes, I'm sure almost everyone could. It's just that sometimes, instead of improving our skills, we're tempted ot go "easy way" of spending insane money on shiny new toys (N9, I'm looking at you), that are supposed to think for us - and there, great disappointment comes, sooner or later.

/Estel