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A Computer for Everything: One Year of iPad Pro

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Re: A Computer for Everything: One Year of iPad Pro

#31

I'm currently debating to use an iPad Pro for my main workflow. This article is 12 pages long. Lots of solid perspectives. I'm surprised I haven't read more articles like this yet. I'm a math student. I hate the sheer volume of paper I have to lug around. I know the iPad won't replace 100% of my activities as a college student and as an autodidact but I have a sneaking suspicion that the iPad Pro is a solid device, l…

That's interesting to hear, because I've been using a Surface Pro for the last year and never had a similar issue. OneNote (when I use it) has generally been pretty solid sans some weird account issues that didn't take long to solve. I'd never give up my full computer for a tablet to do actual work. It has the flexibility that I can use all the normal dev tools, and then switch over to Gamemaker, etc. I honestly think using an iPad for real development is basically limited to web stuff, because you can't access Xcode to make an iOS app, or Qt for a desktop application, or even Gamemaker/unity for games. It's a "limited" tool. Don't let that single crash taint the surface line of products, because they are solid. A friend even decided to get one over Black Friday and is loving being able to write code again, as his desktop is hooked into a tv for games/entertainment.

Re: A Computer for Everything: One Year of iPad Pro

#32
post #27
post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The author is the one who speaks for everyone. No, he doesn't. He speaks of his own experiences. In fact, he states as much very clearly in the introduction: "The Mac and the iPad can coexist in a market where customers believe one is superior to the other. I prefer working on the iPad; others like their Macs more. And that's fine[...]".

> He speaks of his own experiences. His experiences only work for a few people. For example, Node.js is one the top programming languages being used now, how do you develop with Node.js in the iPad Pro? Java? C/C++? Go?

The same way he did Python, in a console. The only languages which may be a challenge to program in that fashion would be Swift, Objective C, and C# - because they are so tied to MacOS and Windows respectively.

A well set up Vim or Emacs is perfectly capable of writing Node.js, Java, C (side note - hilarious that you tried to use this as an example, given that C and C++ are probably written by a majority of developers in the console) and Go.

Re: A Computer for Everything: One Year of iPad Pro

#33
post #30

It's not a real computer for me unless I can write and run my own software on it.

But you can write and run your own software on iOS platform.

Are you referring to non-published (not in the store) software? You can use TestFlight to run software on your own devise, without releasing, and without any modifications to the OS.

Re: A Computer for Everything: One Year of iPad Pro

#35
post #6

I don't want to sound arrogant, but for everyone who used a ridiculously overpowered computer - 90% of people (?) - for surfing and using Word, yes the iPad Pro is fine - or even overpowered. Using it to develop Python looks intersting, I'd like to know more about what he does (I assume Python works fine, Webpack compile? How is the 'drive'?)

I agree. It would be fine for the vast majority of people, but I can't ever see myself actually writing code on an iPad.

I write code on my on a daily basis. Coda, Swift Playgrounds, or Coda as my ssh client into a linux server and then emacs on the server. As a lightweight LTE capable environment, it's pretty amazing. It entirely depends on what you code but for web application or iOS dev it's pretty damn capable.

Re: A Computer for Everything: One Year of iPad Pro

#36
post #12

I can only think he is joking when he says he develops software using Python. Yes, you can connect to a remote computer via SSH or use a an unofficial (and non-free) Python port. Noawadays developing software also involves using IDEs... just in case the author forgot that part.

That's funny I thought I made my living developing software and I rarely launch an IDE, unless you mean Emacs or Atom or VS Code or Coda on the iPad Pro.

Re: A Computer for Everything: One Year of iPad Pro

#37
post #22
post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Pythonista, Working Copy, Textastic. Now I have local python environment, git integration, and a fairly decent editor. Of course, if I was a complete noob I might need a full-blown IDE but it has been quite a while since I needed training wheels when writing code.

I want to develop in Haskell... give me an option... I can show you a lot of programming languages not available on the iPad.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/haskell-programming-language...

Not my favorite app but proves it's possible. also: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/raskell/id783015132?mt=8

Again not great yet because no one has put in the work to make a great version yet but it's complete possible.

Re: A Computer for Everything: One Year of iPad Pro

#38
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>> Much of the web still assumes that you're using a mouse. Not everything is mobile friendly yet, but do you really meet many mobile un friendly web sites? Most problems I have on phone/tablet are company internal products, where they literally designed the UI before the iPhone existed. I haven't tried those 2-apps-on-the-screen things with iPad Pro. Maybe it works well enough so I could work. Maybe.

There are many, many subtle web interactions that happen on ':hover' when you are browsing the web. It can make new websites difficult to manage whenever you aren't quite sure what to do.

I've never had an issue with hover interactions personally, but perhaps you use some website I don't visit. Hover text is available by long tapping, and every hover action I've ever come across works as expected simply by tapping on it. Sounds like there's something out there you use that needs a design update.

Re: A Computer for Everything: One Year of iPad Pro

#39

I'm currently debating to use an iPad Pro for my main workflow. This article is 12 pages long. Lots of solid perspectives. I'm surprised I haven't read more articles like this yet. I'm a math student. I hate the sheer volume of paper I have to lug around. I know the iPad won't replace 100% of my activities as a college student and as an autodidact but I have a sneaking suspicion that the iPad Pro is a solid device, l…

When I read comments like yours I can't help but feel as if your mind was made up before you gave the device a fair shot. Despite your singular negative experience, even you must be able to concede that it was most likely an atypical issue.

I've had iPad applications crash on me numerous times - but I still think they're great, largely stable devices.

Re: A Computer for Everything: One Year of iPad Pro

#40
post #9

I've been trying to replace most of my daily (chrome-based) browser tasks from my macbook air to an ipad pro 12" for the past 2 weeks. Trying to do anything reasonable on safari/chrome for iOS is a pain in the ass, and is nowhere near desktop replacement level. I really wish it was, and I use "request desktop version" often, but even then so many sites are so broken. Safari mobile is just not ready for this "serious"…

I'm genuinely curious as I've seen a few people say it but I've literally never experienced an issue that couldn't be solved by requesting the desktop version. Could you give an example of a broken site so I can check it out?
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