This thread is awesome. Nice points all around. It's amazing to me how many functions the 770 still manages to serve even after being on the market for so long, and new uses still pop up on a weekly basis it seems. I say the 770 isn't "dead" until I can't buy a replacement battery for the thing, or the device stops working altogether. Long live the 770!
A lot of the posts in this thread are, in my view, too negative. At least, that is the case if you consider future stuff coming from the free software developer community as of value, in addition to any official stuff coming from Nokia.
If you look at the developer community (including maemo.org), we/they are still only in the early stages of infrastructure for supporting multiple OS releases, but I think it's clear that things are moving in the right direction.
For example:
(1) The reorganization of the application catalogs, which improves the clarity of how an application is listed for multiple OSs.
(2) The MUD Builder project, to automate the building and distribution of packages for the ITs. (Currently I believe this targets only a single OS release, but I expect it will evolve into an autobuilder which generates packages for all releases.)
Another factor is that Nokia are gradually revealing more details about the closed source parts of the ITs - which will eventually enable complete community-produced firmwares.
Although a lot of developers may have bought discounted N800s, it's still in their interest to support the 770 as well, so as to maximize their user base. The hardware differences work against this a little, but the developing development infrastructure will increasingly work in its favour over time.
I bombed my XP install in late Dec 2006 and have been Ubuntu ever since. Freedom. I haven't missed Windows once.
Weird seemingly off topic intro to a post eh? Perhaps not. Nokia did definately do one thing. They gave us a wicked hardware platform. Instead of complaining about the restrictive nature of Maemo, what about:
Any time a niche presents itself to Linux, some enterprising person has filled it. There are distros which will run on your ancient 486, so horsepower isn't a huge issue. The 770, while underpowered isn't completely weak. Why not a tip of the hat and a hearty 'cheers for the hardware' to Nokia. (And the obligatory muttering of 'enjoy your stupid webcam' under your breath)
Back to the first two lines. I got to thinking. If I enjoyed locked down OSs, I'd be running Windows on my desktop.
Total replacement. It gets even better. I won't be the one to do it because I don't have the foggiest idea. Given the history of the Zaurus and other devices, somebody (and you can bet they'll have an insane look in their eyes) will pick up that torch. Unfortunately it'll probably be in about 10 years when they find a 770 at a garage sale. (or rubbish sale for our friends across the pond)
...and provided that by that time the hardware specs of the touchscreen, video, wifi, BT and poser management will have been made public, so that open drivers can be created...
