
Daring Fireball: Regarding the Idea of iPad Apps Running on Mac OS X - barredo
http://daringfireball.net/2010/11/ipad_apps_mac_os_x
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warwick
In the iPhone HIG, there's a section on bringing a desktop application to
iOS[1]. The entire HIG spends a fair amount of time talking about the
different needs of mobile and desktop users. Until Apple releases a document
tailored for them, any iOS developers who are planning to port their app to
the Mac might want to reread the HIG, this time looking out for what's
expected from a desktop app.

[1]
[http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#documentation/UserEx...](http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#documentation/UserExperience/Conceptual/MobileHIG/DevelopingSoftware/DevelopingSoftware.html%23//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40006556-CH5-SW9)

~~~
d_r
For anyone who is interested, this is the corresponding HIG document for Mac
OS:
[http://developer.apple.com/library/mac/#documentation/UserEx...](http://developer.apple.com/library/mac/#documentation/UserExperience/Conceptual/AppleHIGuidelines/XHIGIntro/XHIGIntro.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP30000894-TP6)

(Easiest way to read both of these is to click the "PDF" button in the top-
right to download the whole document.)

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alexknight
Couldn't have said it better myself. Really think Gruber's response is very
astute and spot on. iPad apps that work exactly the same on OSX? Um ya don't
think so.

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rahoulb
The key point being that Apple's strategy is the exact opposite of write-once
run-anywhere

~~~
program
I don't think so. Right now you can write universal applications for
iPhone/iPad changing the view controllers, resources (textures) with the same
underlying core code. I think that Apple next big step will be an unified
architecture which will allow developers to build cross-platform applications
that will run on iPhone/iPad/Mac using an hybrid UIKit/AppKit. Maybe in OS X
10.8, time will tell.

~~~
mithaler
"Write once, run anywhere" is a phrase that historically has referred to
multiple platforms by multiple vendors--that is, platforms other than ones
maintained by a single company. That is, not just Macs and iOS. Even if they
do unify their development interface for all of _their_ platforms, that still
will be far from WORA, since I don't see them coming up with an easy way to
port their apps to Android or Windows or Ubuntu anytime soon.

While you didn't use that phrase yourself, the implication that it could be
applied to Apple's offerings reeks of co-option to me--I think Gruber's right
about that, since Apple appears to focus on providing the best experience for
each individual device (and devices from other vendors aren't even an issue
for them--why should they be?). That said, however, I think you're right in
that it would certainly be sensible from their perspective to make it easier
for developers of one of their platforms to pick up development for their
other ones.

~~~
rahoulb
Actually - good point.

Historically Next/OpenStep ran on Windows and there were always rumours that
Cocoa for Windows (aka Yellowbox) would be released. And there was GNUStep,
which was an independent open-source clone of OpenStep. I wonder if they have
maintained Yellowbox in the same way as they maintained the Intel version of
Mac OSX?

Meanwhile, Apple's Windows UI strategy with iTunes is to mimic the Mac as much
as possible - presumably to try and ease things for people if/when they
switch.

But the net effect is that their Windows software is just awful - proof that
one UI to rule them all doesn't work.

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cshenoy
I was thinking the same when Jobs presented but thought I was being a bit rash
and naive. I guess not.

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RyanMcGreal
I suspect this will remain true right up to the point at which Macs start
shipping with touchscreens.

~~~
petsos
During the latest keynote Jobs said that this is not going to happen. It is
kind of obvious too, just do the following experiment: Pretend your laptop or
desktop screen is multitouch and start touching and "moving" things just for 1
minute (time yourself). It is exhausting.

~~~
bradleyland
That's not exactly what he said. He said that touch surfaces want to be
horizontal.

Here's my (purely speculative) take:

Fullscreen apps in OS X are a transitional component. Future Macs are going to
be dual mode. Remember the patent Apple filed with an iMac that converted from
vertical to horizontal (1)? So imagine you've got an iMac on your desk. You're
working away in OS X as you always would with a mouse and keyboard. You pull
your iMac toward you and it pivots to a horizontal orientation. Sensors in the
hinge signal the app to switch to fullscreen mode and you begin using the app
through a touch interface using your fingers. When you're done, you return the
display to the vertical position and move back to your mouse and keyboard.

My level of certainty isn't terribly high here, because I think there are
ergonomic challenges to a pivoting touch screen device that sits on a desk.
When using my iPad, the ideal position is definitively not at desk height. The
device needs to be very, very close to you in order to avoid the fatigue
associated with reaching. A pivoting iMac is still going to require some
reach.

I'm also realistic about the fact that not every patent Apple files makes it
to production. It's just some idle pondering.

1 - [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/apple/7961480/Apple-
fi...](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/apple/7961480/Apple-files-iMac-
touch-patent.html)

