Everything here is pure speculation.

Suppose apple releases the next iphone with a similar processor and ram compared to the rumored n900 and allowed multi-tasking which one would you guys prefer to buy?

Consider that they are both of the same price and similar specs. The major difference being that n900 runs open source maemo as we know it and the iphone runs closed source OS.

I understand the free nature of the applications in open source, but do you think any of the applications we currently have could not be ported as commerical apps in the iphone?

Neither one.

Sure they could but it will cost ya another $99 per to find out.

As I said in another thread I haven't spent a dime on software (other than a Wayfinder license) in almost 2 1/2 years. I have tried 100's of apps and just loaded two more today. That is, 2 more newly developed apps!

The iPhone is nice and all but it would be to easy for me to buy new apps for the thing... I could see my self purchasing 20 or 30 apps a year... before long that adds up to real money.

I also wonder how many apps will be maintained and would support be provided for a first generation iPhone in 2 years time?
One of the advantages of closed or proprietary software is planned obsolescence.

Here are some of my considerations:
1. I don't like Apple because I feel like the money they get is going into latte's for their fashion designers.
2. But I would buy an Apple because they are made... well, desgined at least, in the US.
2. I would buy Microsoft programs, if they weren't $1,000,000, because I feel like they are doing important and nontrivial research (rather than, "ooo! New liquid effect!" at Apple)
3. All my computers have been HP's because, again, US (as far as I know -- although a lot of companies are multinational), and non-trivial research
4. I would donate or paypal for most programs I use, if I liked what they were doing, and if it were easy, like clicking a button.

Regarding smaller apps -- I mean, all you really need is a good text editor, a photo manager, music/movie player, a browser. I'm saying, when you have thousands of applications, most of them are just for fun, maybe a chance to play around for a bit -- which means, they rely on convincing you that you need them, or give you the sense of participating in a community, etc.. For me, the sense of community comes from a sense of there being R&D or some conceptual thinking somewhere, and not so much supporting a "grassroots, independent developer thing". Another aspect of participation in a community is "the nation", I feel as though buying stuff made in America is sort of like voting. (I once proposed, jokingly of course, that you should not be able to vote in the US unless you own an American car.) Nowadays, the fact that almost all corporations are multinational kind of puts this into question.

Actually, the n810 definitely convinced me that I needed it -- instant access to endless archives (my own, or the internet) at any moment -- the future of memory retrieval. The appeal of the n810, for me, was really having an extremely powerful notebook for my work. Now that I've had it for a long time, I've kind of realized that memory is not so ... submissive to our attempts to retrieve it, but I'm still lustfully eyeing the n900, (over the iphone, because of the keyboard, and because of VIM and the excellent productivity software)

Heck they don't even have to be ported as commercial apps. Jailbreak it and install them that way.

Honestly I don't know, if multi-tasking on the iPhone was allowed, part of my problems with the device would be resolved. (other issues include Apple's control over it and the fact that I generally prefer my phone and hardware devices like the tablet to be seperate to avoid battery life problems). One major issue that would prevent me from switching to the iPhone would be having to redo (rejailbreak, reinstall jailbroken apps, etc...) with every Apple update.

Oh and iTunes considering I'm usually in Ubuntu (though I'm in Vista at the writing of this post).

there is no mention of the new Iphone having 800 x 480, is there ?

Sure, a few cases:

• Apps that require stylus input (numptyphysics, xournal, handwriting calculator etc).
• Home/Status bar/Task bar applets.
• Apps that use USB host mode or bluetooth.
• Any app that Apple doesn't like for whatever reason.
• IANAL, but possibly GPL software.

I'd go for the N900 over the iPhone because I don't need to get a Mac that way. I don't plan on getting a Mac, but if I wanted to develop applications for the iPhone, I would need one. That's a big deal-breaker for me.

Since Apple just refreshed the mac mini, the previous core 2 duo minis have had seen a decent price drop. I picked up a 1.83 Ghz about 2 years ago and I'm considering picking up a 2nd one used. Great little box. If you're an audio person, the 3 1/2mm I/O jacks are both analog and digital. 4 USB 2.0 ports, firewire and 1080p DVI/RGB. MacPorts make most if not all of your Un*x favorites available. After installing, type:

port install py25-gtk and you're rollin'.

A good, cheap mac solution.