On Thu, 10 Jun 2010, Tony Arnold wrote: } Which doesn't address multiple contexts across applications - within an } app, sure - but who keeps just one application open and visible at a } time on their desktop machine? Even the most casual of users would still } likely have Mail and Safari running at the same time. I often keep a
FWIW, I've watched/taught thousands of "Normals" computer usage. Whether it is Windows or Mac OS X, all of them [*all*] run a single app maximized. In Mac OS X, they don't quit an app, but close the main window, so yeah, other apps may be running [handy when using a browser and Mail is still open and dings, alerting them of new mail]. But their focus is on one app at a time. Even people who use instant messengers [which I consider an app for non-Normals or for teens primarily] will not show the buddy list and only focus on their IM window when chatting. Yes, us techies may have Adium/iChat running next to a twitter client next to Xcode next to Firefox, etc, but we are in a *huge* minority. With the advent of more and more Normals buying Macs after being fed up with Windows, I can only see this trend continuing. To me, the iPad is a maximized app user's dream. As Steve put it in the great 90 minute interview on All Things Digital last week, the world of trucks is slowly coming to an end. There will still be trucks, but they will mainly be used by the folks on this list. The car will soon be what Normals drive. The iPad, or something very similar, looks to be that car. /vjl/
