This really. If you invest just a little bit of time to understand a workflow you may find you actually are able to work better with iOS.
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what does ipad/ios need to make it a full computer replacement?
- Thread starter mrklaw
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This really. If you invest just a little bit of time to understand a workflow you may find you actually are able to work better with iOS.
Agreed!
I remember about 20 years ago when my old school car mechanic told me how annoyed he was that all the new cars were coming with computers in them and now you could not just perform repairs as easily as you could in the old days, and you instead had to hook the car up to a computer to perform diagnostics.
I remember thinking that maybe it was easier in the old days for him because he knew his way around the engine, but for me who knows nothing, I'd rather have the computer that tells me when there is a problem instead of ending up stranded on the side of the road with a dead car.
As the progression of computers has occurred over the past 40 years, many people have become experts at tinkering and managing these complex beasts, myself included. We have gradually gone from a point where only computer programmers and experts were using computers to a point where everyone in society is using one.
The best computer would be one that doesn't require tinkering nor does it require a person to be trained for years to use it. The best computer would be one in which any novice can just pick up and do what they need to do. Simplicity does not have to mean it's not as capable. You just have to change your old habits and workflow.
That's great! I've waited so long. Now waiting for 9.3 to come out...
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Yeah, I don't think people are too willing to invest in a new system. And I can understand their sentiment sometimes. If it's not broken, why fix it? To some people, it's easy to switch over to a mobile platform when there is little adaptation required. Those with more complicated processes, will definitely need to invest more time to figure out how. In my personal past, I've tried many times to convert to iOS as my main device, but it was so much compromise, so many workarounds that needed to be done; things would take 15 steps instead of 3. It just didn't make sense.
I will say though, iOS is making some good headway on expanding it's practicality and functionality for more and more people. iCloud Drive was a biiiiiig improvement, consolidating all my personal files into one app, it's much more productive. I'm still trying to get the best use now out of iOS, but I'm still struggling with some things. There are several workflows to rip audio from YouTube videos, but they rarely work. And when they do, I still can't get them into the music app. The only real game for me on iOS is bioshock (console/pc level gaming). When steam allows me to start installing my games on iOS, then I'll be really impressed!
iOS is relatively new when compared to desktop OSs that have had over 2 decades to evolve to get to this point. I think iOS is heading in the right directions, but they will need to do some more improvements to the operating system of iOS, and developers will need to focus on creating desktop-level apps in a mobile form without sacrificing functionality. Hardware is also a concern, computers are utilizing 8-16GB of ram standard, i5/i7 class processors, and some with dedicated GPUs. Some people utilize all of this hardware for the software they use. And iOS and iPad hardware have room to grow to get to this level.
In 5 - 10 years, I think desktop software could be what DOS is to us today.
The thing is we can all have what we want now. For the simple folk...iOS works as it does now. For those of us we get advanced features. Little icon for a file manager....we'd open it up. Others if no need just ignore it. Or bury in system menu options. Have it password locked even so you have to with deliberate intent get into there. You can't accidentally fall into the scary place when its the only other menu option beside phone lock that asks for a password.
Apple has done this already. They have made an OS that for the casual user "just works" no muss no fuss. But it also gives power users their freedoms.
Its called mac os. Some mac users I know have never opened up terminal to use CLI in their life. Me...I am in CLI several hours a week. I have modified underlying CLI, I have homebrew installed to enhance it, installed apps from source tarballs, etc.
Apple has hidden the underlying bsd CLI core so well most users never have a need to touch it. For those like me we get access. Win win really
They have even hidden vital application files. Want to hit application support files you need to press alt in finder to see the library folder to see them. I do this often. Now another mac user content to install and happy it "just works" never has to see this hidden folder or its contents. Win win again.
they could just work that here. It be the same iOS...it has 2 things now different. Don't need to use them...well apple could make it so you don't have to.
that and the alternative ways mentioned don't work ideally for some. I for example have been told about the wonders of the cloud and to use it. I have a NAS. I basically made my own cloud in my house. SAN also says hi for enterprise level stuff. SharePoint also says hi. yes I know its icky M$ stuff. it is however common for file share/collaboration. Wiki's and such not much different though...need file access to upload to them all the same.
iOS to cloud, cloud to computer, computer to actually desired location or straight shot to that location....which one of these is more streamlined?
What i wish the iPad had:
So i can use it as a tablet, get to my desk, plonk it down on a charging pad, have it wirelessly tether to a keyboard and mouse or trackpad, and run applications on it on my monitor, either via VDI or natively. Leave work for home? Pick up tablet and walk off with everything still running.
This is what microsoft are trying to do with surface, but they have no decent touch apps.
Apple, with the iPad are 90% of the way there for a large number of users.
I did actually use an iPad mini in this way for a week to see if it could be done for my job as a network admin. Not quite.... too many problems with non-iOS supported keys/key combinations when running VDI...
- trackpad support
- proper, full keyboard support where ALL the function keys and all key combinations work (this may well be the case, i haven't tested this bit since 2013)
- mouse pointer support
- inductive charging
- better saving of state / multitasking in background of network connected apps
So i can use it as a tablet, get to my desk, plonk it down on a charging pad, have it wirelessly tether to a keyboard and mouse or trackpad, and run applications on it on my monitor, either via VDI or natively. Leave work for home? Pick up tablet and walk off with everything still running.
This is what microsoft are trying to do with surface, but they have no decent touch apps.
Apple, with the iPad are 90% of the way there for a large number of users.
I did actually use an iPad mini in this way for a week to see if it could be done for my job as a network admin. Not quite.... too many problems with non-iOS supported keys/key combinations when running VDI...
Please describe the file structure of the CDC 6600.
How does that help? Does every file have a unique file name that I have to memorize? Do I have to memorize a unique phrase so I don't get 50 hits? What do I do if the file isn't text searchable?
How would you find it if all of the files in those folders nested 10 deep were in a single folder? At the top level, search on "*" - that will display all of the files in all of the folders - just like they are in a single folder. Folders nested that deep is unusual and not a very intelligent use of a system.
Really? You're bringing into this discussion a 50-years old mainframe? How did that work? I imagine someone entered some instructions somewhere, to be executed by the computer. If the operator had a notebook where he or she wrote different subroutines to be executed by the mainframe, that was a "file system". A box filled with punched cards was also a file system. A closet used for storing magnetic tape rolls was also a file system.
Sorry, this sounds like trolling now.a file browser.
I have done everything on my ipad pro since launch day (never once touched a computer for my business work). A file browser, however, is really necessary imho.
I have done everything on my ipad pro since launch day (never once touched a computer for my business work). A file browser, however, is really necessary imho.
If Apple was smart, they would buy out Readdle and make the Documents App into an iOS Finder app and include it as standard software on all iPads and iPhones. Then they could make all native software be able to open and save files from Documents much like you already can with iCloud.
You can already sort of do that with Documents, but you must play the "Open With" game to pass the files back and forth between the apps and Documents.
You can already sort of do that with Documents, but you must play the "Open With" game to pass the files back and forth between the apps and Documents.
Couldn't your own argument here be used against itself?
You say things had evolved to using better file systems and shouldn't go back to how it was before then. The exact same can be said now in that things are once again evolving (away from a file system and even using a mouse) and doesn't mean we should go back to using those moving forward.
Kids today who are 10 years old (and some cases even younger) are growing up on tablets and touch first operating systems. They aren't growing up using full computer file systems or even a mouse. They will be the ones in 15+ years from now designing all the software based on how computers (tablets) functioned for them as kids. Full access file systems and mice will be the new rudimentary ways of the past to them.
That may be possible in 15 years but we're not there yet.
Simplicity works for operating systems designed around content consumption, but when you start creating more and more files you just can't let the operating system decide what do to with them.
Very true, we're not there yet but touch first OS's are where it's beginning to shift/evolve to. I'm sure Apple sees that kids today (basically anyone born after 2005) grow up using tablets, iPod touch/iPhones/Android phones (any touch device) so that's probably why they see that as the future of computing.
Microsoft's hybrid approach is tailored to pretty much everyone born prior to 2005. They grew up using full fledge computers with full file systems and a mouse (Especially anyone born before 2000.) those people want what they are used to.
Microsoft's approach doesn't have staying power in the long run vs Apple's approach. Because more and more people will be growing up with touch only and less and less will be still around who grew up with full file systems and mice.
It's anyone's guess who's approach is right for today. One could say Apple is too early trying to popularize touch only on large tablets as possible laptop replacements, thus not giving what people want today. But the benefits could pay off down the road that they would have all the foundation set and years of true tablet touch OS in their belt and years of developers thinking about and making professional quality apps. Microsoft doing a hybrid today kinda make devs lazy in that they just make Windows 10 desktop apps and not bother thinking about true touch only (biggest complaint on SP's is touch based apps aren't plentiful or even all that greatly optimized for touch) Which could hurt them down the road when the possible shift actually does happen. They would be "late to the game" so to speak. Apple and even Android will have these early years in advantage.
However, traditional full fledge desktop computers will probably have a place for a long time still, because they don't have to be portable or "easy". But things like tablets will probably for sure take over for traditional laptops in the "somewhat" near future.
I agree. The simplicity used to work, but now people want to do more and more demanding things on tablets and iOS's file management is so simple it complicates things.
All is needed is for the iCloud Drive App to be expanded in functionality- for example to able to automatically store on the device (so you don't need to download every freaking file), better support for downloading files in safari, good third party support, support for external storage amongst other things.
Other things I believe iOS needs for better productivity include:
- Preview for better PDF management
- Multitasking improvements (3 Apps?, Floating other windows, minimising of windows?)
- Deep search improvements? I was so excited for this one, but I can't for example search for a setting from the spotlight screen, iWork apps don't seem to support it, most third party apps have very limited support for this.
- Backup to time machine?
- Multiple user accounts
- Set default apps
I often have ideas and thoughts on what would help, but I forget what they are.
Disagree, in all likelihood they will both continue to have a presence and coexist as they do now. Whether laptops are as prevalent as they are now will probably depend on how far iOS and Android have converged to a point with traditional Desktop OS functionality and feature wise while they continue to evolve in their own way. Tablets for a lot of people can fulfil all their computing requirements but in comparison to devices with a desktop OS and a range of ports, it is still very limited in its use cases for serious work.
A mouse pointer..
It´s the only thing I really can't find a usable workaround for..
Office work needs a mouse since pointing with your finger is a huge workflow killer.
For just entering info to word/excel the onscreen keyboard is fine.
But if you want to edit misstakes or just rework a spreadsheet then it´s basically hell..
3D-touch and the latest software will probably solve a lot of this..
It´s the only thing I really can't find a usable workaround for..
Office work needs a mouse since pointing with your finger is a huge workflow killer.
For just entering info to word/excel the onscreen keyboard is fine.
But if you want to edit misstakes or just rework a spreadsheet then it´s basically hell..
3D-touch and the latest software will probably solve a lot of this..
- Window Manager (at least opening 2 Safari Browser side by side)
- Open App Store (Missing filesharing applications)
- Development IDE (Xcode)
- Remote Screen (Access iPad via Teamviewer for example)
- Screenrecording
- Better process management (send heavy tasks to background)
- Open API for 3rd Apps (PiP for VLC for example)
- Fully featured iWork Suite (Pages for example can't manage Table of Contents in iOS!)
- And now, don't hit me: File Manager I still can't get my head around this. For example you are downloading a 600MB WMV file with Application "Documents" (because ****** Safari has no Download Manager) and now you want to view it in VLC (because VLC can open WMV). This means now that VLC takes a copy of the file (makes a total of 1,2GB). It's absurd.
It doesn't seem that bad to me. Tap on the cell, tap again inside the editing field, edit. It's two taps vs. a double click with the mouse. I can live with that.
This works, but if you have the keyboard attached and with the iPP sitting on a desk, having to reach out to touch the screen is very annoying if you have a lot work to do with it. A cursor would simply this greatly and not detract from the user experience.
You can use the keyboard cursors. Doing it all the time. Works great. Actually I am doing the same in my spreadsheets on my Mac.
1. Professional apps, excel is a joke.
2. The thing is, the quality of iOS depends on your and your companies workflow. And if it doesn't fit, you need a developer, there are rarely workarounds. That's very annoying.
4. Don't need a file system.
For the moment iOS is pretty for bosses reading a mail.
2. The thing is, the quality of iOS depends on your and your companies workflow. And if it doesn't fit, you need a developer, there are rarely workarounds. That's very annoying.
4. Don't need a file system.
For the moment iOS is pretty for bosses reading a mail.
