The difference between iPhone + Android: Great since day one

The hatred of linux on the desktop is terribly cliche, especially on a site targeted towards hackers. Linux on my desktop is the greatest development environment I've ever used, having played extensively with OSX and Windows as well. I can easily install new libraries and "apt-get source" allows me to tinker with existing software easily and immediately build and execute the results. All of the development environment is thoroughly documented.

But now, some influential people start saying how much better their version is. Specifically their closed, sealed-off, experience-driven version. Arguing "ease of use" and "shiny end user experience" rings really hollow to me. I use vim -- think I care about easy to use or shiny user experiences? -- and I use it because it's a powerful tool for its job. I just don't get it when hackers start telling other hackers that they should use a more restrictive environment because it'll make them feel better or is easier to use. Instead, ask yourself: is it the most powerful tool for the job?

So sure, tell your parents and siblings to buy an iPhone. Hell, use your iPhone for anything you can -- it's a fantastic device. But stop telling future developers that it's worth giving up control for rounded corners and subtle shadows. And stop comparing its competition negatively to an environment that I, and others, find superior to any other.

The Linux on the desktop comparison feels right to me for a variety of reasons but there are two important differences that create a more level playing field: 1) Android comes preinstalled on the devices 2) People don't expect 10-15 years of legacy compatibility from SmartPhones. When you erase those two barriers there's a lot more room for choice.

Just because iPhone doesn't have a physical keyboard - doesn't make physical keyboards evil. Similar logic for trackball.

I have tried using physical keyboard on Blackberry and I felt pretty comfortable. I bet other manufacturers would come out with better physical keyboards. My flatmate has a Thinkpad with a trackball. Initially it was pretty tough to control it. Trackball and physical keyboard isn't bad just because I think it's bad.

So much from a Tumblr lead dev! I expected better.

> Because you can't just get an Android phone and use it and be happy with it. There's always some hipster or yuppie or desperate-to-be-cool nerd that'll start going on and on and on about how amazingly great their iPhone is, was and always will be and how they have taste which you, as a non-Jobs product buyer, obviously don't.

This should only be a problem if your happiness completely depends on seeking validation from others.

You know why people make stuff like this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAOtC9QfXac

Because you can't just get an iPhone and use it and be happy with it. There's always some hipster or yuppie or desperate-to-be-cool nerd that'll start going on and on and on about how amazingly great their Android is, was and always will be and how they have features which you, as a Jobs product buyer, obviously don't. A lot of people like me switched from the Android to iPhone because we like it better, get over it. Also, there'll be more people that like and use iOS than Android, get over that as well.

--

Transcribes quite nice to iPhone too, don't you think? What you have explained is the concept of fanboy, which I believe both exists in the iPhone and Android community.