As far as updates are concerned.
For the n900 (and it is pretty much the same for the n8x0...as far as their own particular official repos go....)
Once you are running pr 1.3 and cssu...
you will get cssu updates as / when they occur.
you will get software updates from the maemo reg. , testing, and developmental repos...
Use of testing and developmental repos are to be done with full knowledge of the potential for any issues which may result...
(since as programs are uploaded to the repos they go through trials and spend time in devel, then testing, and then fianlly ...if all bugs are ironed out they make it to the reg repos....some never get finished ...so it goes..but even still...most are quite usable.)

NOTE:
AS the individuals who are working on select and specific projects manage to upload any changes ...you would then receive updates to said version of that specific program.

Additional note:
You both seem sharp enough for the tool shed...
So I will just reiterate what everyone should know..
Whatever scale of learning or additional learning curve you are undertaking ....
Hurry it up...fast.
You are now ...like everyone else here..
part of the conscripted and Shanghaied "Maemo Support Team" ...
And so considering you two are bright light bulbs in the pack..
Expectations are you will lose your baby teeth shortly and will be fixing, innovating and doing what every other Maemoian does here..

Work on finishing the great Maemo Jaeger we intend to send to stomp Apple, Google and M$ flat