

The Real Disappointment - apgwoz
http://sigusr2.net/2010/Jan/28/the-real-disappointment.html

======
fondue
"The real disappointment is the fact that the device is locked down and we'll
never get the chance to use it to innovate the way we interact with our real
computers."

It's not a computer, though; it's a device. Apple doesn't want you to interact
with it like a real computer.

It's disappointing but if you wait someone will come out with a computer that
size and you'll get all of the interactivity you want from it. Hell, Dell has
one in the wings.

~~~
apgwoz
> It's not a computer, though; it's a device. Apple doesn't want you to
> interact with it like a real computer.

Precisely. My point is that I don't want to use it in the way "The Jobs" wants
me too. I want to hack it into an _input_ device _for_ my _real_ computer.

Sorry for the confusion.

~~~
stcredzero
Sounds like it's meant to be an I/O device for your real computer. Also sounds
like a great idea for an App.

------
motters
If we're not careful this kind of total lockdown is the future for the rest of
computing too.

~~~
pasbesoin
I can live with a locked down device. I have a friend who may "love" such a
feature, given her light use and the fact that her Windows PC has been wiped 4
times to remove malware.

But when such a device has the potential to take over the market and eliminate
other channels of delivery and "ownership", I become very concerned. That's
what most concerns me about the iPad; that in a year -- or more likely three
-- I'll have to have one in order to access content. And then I'll only have a
temporary, non-transferable, revocable-upon-whim license to said content. Bah.

I don't mind paying a reasonable amount. I do mind being locked in to whatever
a monopoly dictates, in terms of cost but also in terms of rights. And I mind
paying over and over and over for the same thing, as the platform changes.

And when "big media" so controls the content, what's to prevent the effective
revision of history? What torture pictures? What treaty details? (What
"Catcher In the Rye"?)

I guess some of us will have to resort to taking pictures of our iPads, just
to document what was said. Let's just hope we're still able to do that.

(Finally, a personal grudge: I can tolerate advertisements, but ones involving
motion and/or sound COMPLETELY distract me. Will the content become unusable
for people like me, because the delivery channel forces an overwhelming level
of distraction?)

~~~
motters
I also hate the animated ads, and like most everyone else use Adblock or Ad-
art. But on a completely locked down device it's highly unlikely that this
type of customisation would be available to you, since ads of whatever
annoyance level mean maximization of revenue.

Devices like iPad are exactly what "big media" want, and if we let them it's
just what they'll get. Anything inconvenient, be it torture pictures, leaked
information or whatever could be erased from millions of devices at the
centralized click of a button. Think you own that library of ebooks you paid
for? Think again. Want to transfer your content from one locked down device to
another? You'll have to pay us first. Think you have any fair use rights
whatever? Not on this device, baby.

------
ynniv
Boo hoo... You proclaim that the problem with the iPad is the restricted
environment for 3rd party applications, and then justify this by saying that
the iPad would make a great multi-touch VNC client if only Apple would allow.
I say "VNC client" instead of mouse because I think this accentuates the lack
of creativity on your part in dealing with what are quite minor restrictions.
Here are Apple's restrictions (simplified):

    
    
      You can't write an arbitrary code execution environment.
      You can't publish someone else's software.
      Your software must carry an appropriate age rating.
      Hardware devices have to go through the dock connector.
      Only one app can run at a time.
      You cannot access the data of other applications.
    

For a low resources, everyday user device, none of these are unreasonable. You
can even run unsigned code on any device you want, it just costs you a
developer license.

BTW, there are already both traditional VNC clients and multi-touch "mouse"
applications for the iPhone.

------
JunkDNA
I don't fully comprehend all the angst over the "closed" nature of the iPad.
Where were all these people when Sony brought out the PS3? or when Microsoft
brought out the Xbox? How about the Wii? DS? PSP? Amazon Kindle? Nook? All of
these are _specialized_ computing devices. All of them are officially "closed"
(though a great many are hackable). The fact that those systems are closed
dosen't threaten mainstream general purpose computers. Why should the iPad?
It's a device built for a specific purpose: consuming entertainment and media
content as well as some work-related tasks like email and word processing.

------
stcredzero
There's no reason why Apple can't come out with higher priced "professional"
versions which have an open sandbox, or which are totally unlocked.
Alternatively, they can create an alternative site where devs can post
unsigned apps, to be downloaded by others who have some sort of SDK-installed
sandbox.

So long as they can keep such things separate from their walled garden of an
App Store, they can maintain the seamless user experience for the end-user
consumers.

A virtualized "sandbox" could have a bandwidth-rate cap built into it, so the
concern about "protecting the mobile network" could also be satisfied.

~~~
AndrewO
Yeah, but there's no reason to think that they will either. In fact, I would
highly doubt that they'd do that given that they haven't for the iPhone and
they're notoriously minimalistic when it comes to making different versions of
the same product.

~~~
stcredzero
It's very misguided to extrapolate in that way from the iPhone. After all,
it's a _phone_! That _is_ its primary function. It's just dandy that the
iPhone can also act as a powerful information tool.

This thing, it's an _information tool_ first and foremost. Also, professionals
are willing to pay top dollar. Apple already makes lots of unlocked top-dollar
hardware aimed at creative professionals.

But the real kicker -- Apple could sell almost the exact same hardware, with a
few tweaks. Voila, a new product with _even higher margins_.

------
wglb
I am wondering what led you to expect that the ipad would be something
different; was it apple's history of making non-locked-down devices? its
tendency to produce metric truckloads of insanely popular consumer devices?

I am thinking of a general answer to posts of this sort: If you don't like it,
don't buy it. And further, given the nature of this board, if you see a need
(e. g., something people want), build it. Apple has seen a need, and it is
building something that people want. You are seeing a need for something else,
and it is possible that other people want it too, so why not go build it?

~~~
apgwoz
> I am wondering what led you to expect that the ipad would be something
> different; was it apple's history of making non-locked-down devices? its
> tendency to produce metric truckloads of insanely popular consumer devices?

I don't think I ever thought it would be open and hackable, however one can
always hope!

In reality though, some piece of me always believed that the iPhone was so
locked down for reasons of getting it on cellular networks who seem not be so
keen on the idea of letting folks do as they please with their devices. I've
heard that in years past, getting a developers kit for something like the
motorola RAZR was impossible, though that was word of mouth.

And of course the iPad will have GSM support, so that may still remain true.

> I am thinking of a general answer to posts of this sort: If you don't like
> it, don't buy it.

I won't.

> And further, given the nature of this board, if you see a need (e. g.,
> something people want), build it. Apple has seen a need, and it is building
> something that people want. You are seeing a need for something else, and it
> is possible that other people want it too, so why not go build it?

In this specific case, I don't know if there's a want for it aside from my
own. It's my Pony. The biggest reason to not go build it is the threat of
patents. But, that aside, I don't have the resources or know-how (easily
obtained myself, or by partnering with someone who does of course).

~~~
wglb
_I don't know if there's a want for it aside from my own._

Well, judging by the number of posts expressing disappointment, I see quite a
few--I sense there is a need.

