Mod Parent Up. Simple as that.

Wait... we have Nvidia drivers with specific kernel headers built into them? Isn't that what DKMS is supposed to take care of? Just make sure you have headers for whatever reasonable kernel you want, let it handle the rest.
So far, on my Debian box with Liquorix kernels, it's worked perfectly. Kernels get installed, modules get autobuilt, system works.

"did" well - it's a couple of years old now.
It's a nice machine, though, and I use it for my portable tablet needs -- Including Slashdot posting(like now).

The modem/radio is a seperate chip, with it's own, locked firmware. It communicates with a userspace binary blob driver.
It would be possible to create an open-source driver, but that still wouldn't be a problem - the modem should be able to enforce any radio restrictions and low-level protocol needed.

Think of it this way: Your windows PC has an unlocked bootloader, yet is allowed to have a USB cellmodem attached to it. Why couldn't you do the same with your phone?

And yes, the /cpu/ bootloader is unlocked in the N900 - you can install uboot without any hacking, and boot Ubuntu or Android natively... though they don't currently have any support for the cellmodem(so no calls).

Mod parent up. Of /course/ Desktop sales are on the decline - a P4 is "usable" still, and a C2D is a perfectly good main system.
With computers lasting for a number of years, and there being no reason to upgrade...

Of course, mobile devices may be on the rise, but it's sort of a "comlimentary" device, not a replacement. Sure, some can use it to fully replace their desktop, but those are the people who could be switched to a shiny Linux distro as well.

Nokia N900 - Commercial, retailed phone, fully open bootloader.

But, your point still stands.

That being said, I fully expect the "unlocked" bios-emulation mode to be around for at least 8 years, if not more - corporate needs XP support. However, the lock would actially be a /good/ thing... if we can install our own keys.
I'm hoping for that sort of support, so corporate IT could sign particular versions of files and/or bootloaders and lock things down. Seems like a step up, there, so long as the accepted key list is editable.

While I agree on the tech school part, most any tech field requires base-level algebra(solve for X), as well as being able to know enough to operate a calculator correctly. Trig is also useful, but the tech-trig you need can be contained on a single sheet of paper and taught in a week or less.
I also know that tech school students often struggle with math, even lower level stuff... but it's kind of important in most fields.

In my case, I /decided/ to go to tech school so I didn't have to deal with a lot of the "background" crap you get in college, aced my program(Machining), and got a fun and challenging job at an aerospace supplier... But I was definitely the exception when it came to my fellow students, most of whom struggled at math(at least until a particular concept was explained in the correct manor).

Of course, to make a good argument, I think we should also look at the stuff learned /before/ algebra - She may have been taught more background before algebra than you did, despite having it at a younger age.

Personally, I think we'd all be better off with a more customized and compressed curriculum; customized for several different learning styles, and compressed into less time.
I'd also like to see paid work programs being part of high school, to teach people more about the real world, possibly tied in with classes to teach how some of this stuff applies in the real world. (versus the usual psuedo-real questions from books)

It looks like an interesting device, but the low resolution kills it. 320x400's just too low, sadly. Heck, even 800x480's low - My optimum device would be 1024/1280x600 in a 4" screen, and a slightly larger form factor than the N900(plus dual/quad core, 1GB of ram). But I still don't see anything like that...

It's as you said: Nokia N900, hands down.
You get:
1. Fully unlocked phone, unlocked bootloader and real Linux.
2. Loads of "hacker" tools and apps.
3. Busybox ash(stock) or full Bash if you want.
4. The phone part is fully scriptable with dbus commands. There's even a dbus monitor daemon to run a script when a certain dbus signal is sent.
5. Hardware keyboard, decent specs(CPU's a bit weak, but greatly overclockable), and good screen.
6. Debian Chroot gives full LXDE system right on your phone if you need it.
7. Real web-browser functionality: tablet-friendly stock microB(FF based, renders like FF 3), Firefox Mobile, Chromium(desktop version basically), Opera

Really, it seems to be the only option.
The N9 might also be doable, but there you have to enable developer mode, and have no hardware keyboard, screen's poorer(AMOLED vs LCD), and it's just more hassle.

Well, I would say it's not real linux, and I'm no anti-Linux person. I just can't see Android as Linux without native X11(or Wayland), thus it doesn't run "Linux" applications without some sort of translation layer or port.
Now, Maemo... That's *real* linux. It runs X, Pulseaudio, Busybox, Bash(if you want), and a good number of OSS Linux apps will run natively with a recompile. It's only real lack is no HW-accellerated OpenGL(GLES isn't enough to play OpenGL desktop games etc.), but meh.

As far as I'm concerned, Android is a good start. It's better than iOS or WP7.. But it's only a start, and isn't really Linux(especially so when you have binary driver blobs and such that aren't portable to other kernel versions).

Erm... why, exactly, is OpenGL not up to the task? TF2 in DX9 mode on Wine looked* the same as it did on in Windows with native DirectX, though slightly slower... which is understandable due to the realtime translation being done.

(*Until the Pyromania update broke that feature)

That's entirely true. Personally, I've no care about what two(or more) concenting adults do on their own time. The only issue /should/ be how to handle tax breaks, child support and whatnot... which, in a sane world, should be trivial to do and be 100% fair to any and all parties involved.

But hey, that wouldn't be good for business(Just think how many people make money off having things the way they are) and so it won't happen.

I'd love that.

--Posted from my N900.

I don't even think Disney would disappear - it might get smaller, and they might have to come up with more, higher-quality works(and lower profit margins), but I doubt it'd really affect them. It could hurt the Home DVD market(Because lots of people don't have broadband or internet at all... and BluRays are too expensive media-wise) as more companies make compilations and sell them dirt cheaply, but hey, that's good for the consumer.