Is this the main FAQ for the N900?
https://wiki.maemo.org/FAQ

It is really quite pitiful, but I would be happy to help it.
I have a few comments about the N900 that might possibly help other new owners of the N900, and would like to know the recommended place to leave my hints/tips.

Please let me know of other FAQs if you know of them. I saw one "Definitive Nokia N900 guide", but it's obvious they have never used an N900.

Feel free to edit as any help is welcome.

That is the main FAQ, I think the problem is based around the fact that there are so few n900's out there at the moment. Im sure I will have so many questions, but until I have a device in my hand, its hard to know what questions I will come up with.
Once we have the phones, I think the FAQ will start to be a more useful guide as the content will reflect real world usage.

In the meantime feel free to add any content, as Im sure you will be the first of many

That page clearly states it's under construction. It's kind of hard to write a FAQ for a device you don't have.

If you have more questions - or answers - by all means jump right in and start editing.

I also did some work on trying to redeign the information flow of the new-users wiki (which hasn't been looked at thoroughly yet) so if you've got improvement ideas, do have a go.

I've spent 2 days trying to find the thread, and I know there is one, but I can't find it! Just want to know people's opinion on a non techie person getting the N900. I do apologize greatly now if this question has been answered a trillion times like the capacitive vs. resistive question.

Just to expand on my question a bit.. to be honest, this site intimidates me a little with the amount of knowledge and skills it seems the average poster has. Does it make sense for someone with a very basic understanding of Linux and programming languages to get an N900 because they won't be able to use it to the full potential?? Would you recommend someone just waiting until the phone has been out for awhile to have the gurus do it a full once over and crank out apps and "how to" manuals for the nebs like me?

I do a lot of training courses and translations here in Germany. I'm constantly on the go traveling from one company to the next and thought a phone that would allow me to open up two documents for a translation job, an online dictionary, google maps to find where the hell I have to deliver the translation and carry on an IM conversation would be amazing. But, there are other phones on the market that do that now that are not Linux based and I guess more "user friendly" from what I'm hearing.

Any input is greatly appreciated...

*Gives Zuhalter a big hug - without an Umlaut I'm afraid.*

You are asking exactly the right question. The answer really depends on you. For myself, I have zero Linux experience. My OSS experience is with Open Office and Firefox. And you're right - this place is scary for new users. Take a look at how many posters have barely ventured out of the 'shipping' threads.

My understanding (as a non-tech) is that what excites me most about the n900 is the potential. It has the most exciting hardware spec going - but out of the box it doesn't do itself justice. Case in point is the FM radio: it has a receiver, but no software. Fortunately, some kind soul has written that. Same goes for bluetooth file transfer.

The anxiety is that people are warning that as a new OSS based device, n900 will likely be a bit unsteady on its feet, at least to begin with. Which will require patience. Add to that the reality that this is a new platform: some of the apps written for maemo 4 will be brought across quite quickly. But if you want loads of things for it to do, you will have to wait. The list of apps is growing daily, but it will probably never compare with an iphone (which it won't actually need to cos it has a decent browser).

So the questions for me were around "Do I need a new phone now or should I wait till it's more steady?" "Do I buy something that will do what I want out of the box, but have a lot less potential and be less exciting in the long run?" (Plenty of s60 devices out there right now would do more of what I want out of the box than n900) "Am I prepared to be patient with the device if it's having a bad hair day, to learn how to file a bug if I find one, and to ask nicely for a facility I want someone to write?"

By all means ask your questions. There are theads around for that. Or create one of your own.

You are welcome here. There are lots of highly technical people (who use highly technical language some times) but they are mostly very decent folks (wouldn't be here if they weren't) who won't bite. And there are bears-of-very-little-brain like me here too.

Not all the posters are experts - Im a complete linux noob, and I have bought the phone as it has possibilities that no other phones have as it has a completely open OS. Nokia have designed the phone so that you won't know it runs linux, it has a UI that just lets you use it as a phone and be none the wiser. If you want to get under the hood and play with it, you can, but if you don't, then there is no problem with that either.

Regarding translation of docs, screen size might be an issue with any phone for that as trying to edit 2 docs on a phone screen would be painful, though possible.
If you are expecting a whole host of widgets and apps for this phone, then it will be different on the n900 as widgets tend to be front ends for web based apps, and the n900 expects you to do all that through a browser, as with this phone, you can, as the browser is so good.
There isn't a native google maps for the n900 yet, there might be in the future, but right now, use the browser..

Hope that helps a bit - yes this site is technical, but it is friendly and people are willing to help and the technical to noob ratio will go down as the general public get the phone and find there way here, just like you did..

beat me to it Kathy - my typing isn't as fast as yours

This greeters bit can be fun

Nice to be sure we are giving a consistent message though.

Thank you very much RevdKathy and edgedemon. I was fretting a bit about the expected response. Your answers soothed the troubled non-Linux part of my psyche extremely well and helped make up my mind on the device.

In that case, we will probably see you over in one of the mammoth "is the n900 shipping yet?" threads!

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