I see where you're coming from Joe. In fact, I think I understand
exactly why there's so much 'fighting' happening on all sorts of
communities around the internet about this - different assumptions.

On Feb 16, 4:51 am, "Joe Nuxoll (Java Posse)" <[email protected]>
wrote:
> (1) Thread title:  "Why the iPad is bad for tinkering".  The iPad is
> bad for tinkering because it is quite specifically NOT *for*
> tinkering.

Aha. But that by itself is really bad if the iPad ushers in a new era
of computing on walled garden tablet OSes. Which *I* think might
happen, the iPad really is that good. Tinkering should be something
that these devices enable from day 1. It's something a tech company,
founded by amongst other people one of the worlds greatest tinkerers
ever (Woz), owes itself. It's great for apple's short/medium term if
they end up cornering the market with this thing, but it'd be somewhat
of a shot in your own leg if they also decimate an entire generation
of tinkerers - the very people they need to hire. Hence my claim (more
on my blogpost than here) that apple is in the end shortsighted. It's
not all doom and gloom, they can fix it. I hope they will. It's one of
the reasons I'm beating on this drum. Get the word out.

> If you're concerned about hacking
> your iPad - you're not part of the target market.  Please drive
> through.

Oh, I was never going to buy one, that's not what this is about.
Tinkerers aren't born as tinkers. They turn into one. If all you own
is an iPad and an iPhone, that's going to be a lot harder. Which is a
shame, because this touch platform and the idea of UX-over-everything
could do great things instead. Which was the entire point of my OP.

Unfortunately from here, you start spreading some false facts which
I'm forced to correct:

> Apple has a quality control process in place
> (which has improved in speed and transparency) that protects consumers
> from crappy apps that compromise the user experience.  This is a BIG
> deal, and is only bitched about by developers, not by consumers.

What?!???

No!

Go to the store. Pick a random app. It's shite. Apple doesn't turn
down apps for: "Good god man, this is ugly and teh stupid. We're not
going to foist your turd on our customer base". That's not it at all.
They review apps for abuse and bugs (good), and for possibly
undermining apple's competitive edge (bad). Other than not suffering
from the most obvious of bugs, quality of the app has nothing to do
with it whatsoever.

> Those consumers can go ahead and hack their iPhones and do
> whatever they want.

Cop-out. Hacking an iPhone 3G you buy in a store today is very very
difficult. I wouldn't be surprised if someday soon it won't be
possible. I'd be a lot happier if Apple offered an official "unjail
your iPhone, though kiss all warranty on the software bits goodbye"
deal.

> (3) None of us have used an iPad yet.  When you get a chance to use
> one, the paradigm shift will make sense.

WTF? Seriously, Joe, I don't get it at all. Everyone who is worried
about the iPad thinks the iPad is the dog's bollocks (for the non-
brits in the audience, that's a good thing). Those who say: Stop
whining  - generally field the argument that the iPad is just one
device in a sea of others, nothing to get worried about. I _dont_
think the iPad is 'just another device', I think it IS the harbinger
of a new era, and it will set the tone, just as the iPhone did in many
ways for android, palm pre, and even Bada and Win7Mobile.

>
> (4) Open source is not a model unto itself

It's not about open source. That has absolutely nothing to do with it.

NB: I also never claimed that the iPad CANNOT sync photos to an iPad,
so now I'm a bit insulted.

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