"What's a computer?"
Apple iPad Pro TV Commercial - What's a Computer? [2017] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfR_Jj4grZE
Buying an iPad Pro for coding was a mistake
341–350 of 533 posts
Re: Buying an iPad Pro for coding was a mistake
#342> But if you need to run Xcode, VSCode, WebStorm, or Intellij than as far as I can tell the iPad is a no go. > It's expensive. After buying a powerful pro model, a decent keyboard, and a pencil the price ended up being MORE than a laptop I could have used for even more coding activities. 5m of research could have shown this... i think this product is only good for artists who needs a specific ipad app or someone who…
This. Plus, going a step further...
Development using those IDEs are not well suited to inputs from anything other than a keyboard (or keyboard-translator.) Too many functions tied to keys and such.
I'm uncertain why anyone would think this somehow magically changes because of the tablet form-factor.
Re: Buying an iPad Pro for coding was a mistake
#343Boggles the mind why people still fall for the iPad Pro as a serious work machine beyond writing meme. The fact that Final Cut launched on it recently and while its exporting you have to sit there leaving the app open you can't go do something else is the punchline of the decade for the lie that this is a serious machine. This is before we get into the comical evolution from "You just need the touchscreen" to "Actual…
> how good the M1 MacBook is The primary deficiency of the macbook, and about 95% of all modern laptops, is the keyboard. Primarily the height reduction of the up/down arrows in the arrow key cluster. Nothing is more maddening for code navigation than these terrible, terrible keyboards. Same with the Esc key on many laptop keyboards, in which they are either size-reduced or eliminated entirely. (yes, I know I'm "supp…
Personal preference, small arrow keys don’t bother me at all. Regardless, 90% of the time I’m working on my laptop it’s plugged in at a desk where I can use whatever keyboard I want.
Re: Buying an iPad Pro for coding was a mistake
#344I am a cloud developer and i must say i quite like the ipad experience. I have a server, which runs coder[1] (basically vscode). I also tried to play around with the vs code tunnels, but they did not feel very stable.
Because it doesnt have public IP i access it using Tailscale[2].
I especially like the pen, which allows for nice notes and also diagrams.
The other nice thing is, that even when i work from some place with bad wifi. I can still download and upload large files because the server is connected to optics.
[1] - https://coder.com/ [2] - https://tailscale.com/
Re: Buying an iPad Pro for coding was a mistake
#345Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't know, when I impulse bought my iPad Pro a few years ago to supplement my laptop that stopped charging, I did about 15 minutes of research and found a lot of people claiming that you can comfortably code on an iPad Pro. That turned out to be completely untrue for my use cases, but it would've taken a lot more than 5 minutes to figure that out. That said, the iPad Pro is my biggest mistake I've never regretted.…
> That turned out to be completely untrue for my use cases, but it would've taken a lot more than 5 minutes to figure that out. Couldn’t you figure that out when you noticed that it doesn’t have any IDE you’ve ever heard of, and no compiler or runtime for anything? I know there are iPad for coding advocates out there, but it really doesn’t even take 5 minutes to figure out that the developer experience is completely…
My use case didn't require an IDE. My main intent was to remote into my batteryless laptop, so in principle the iPad didn't need much functionality of its own.
That said, I don't know what you mean by "the lack of any developer tools". There are absolutely code editors, IDEs, SSH clients, and even runtimes for iPadOS. There are also lots of web-based IDEs and editors now, even self-hostable ones like code-server. Obviously I wouldn't have bought mine if those didn't exist.
Re: Buying an iPad Pro for coding was a mistake
#346The iPad is awesome for reading, browsing the web, playing games and texting.
It can be used to some extent for work, like taking notes or using some business related (web) apps.
But it just can't replace a general purpose Windows/Linux/macOS laptop. It just can't, it's not designed for that. Some marketers try to position it for that, but that's another story.
Re: Buying an iPad Pro for coding was a mistake
#347Disclaimer I code for the web, so I wouldn't be affected by the SwiftUI part. Trying to make the iPad thing work for almost 10 years, I finally gave up and bought a Surface Pro (7 first, and upgraded to 8). People use to joke about the length iPad user go to execute simple tasks. Like logging to a remote server to reboot it. You can do it on an iPad, you just need an SSH app, share your keys with it, and you're done.…
I do web development on an iPad Pro, using Blink.sh and a remote server. Not a bad experience, really. Works better with an external monitor hooked up for live-reloading, and not having a real, proper web inspector is a drawback, but it works.
You are right, the lack of dev tools in a browser is probably one of the biggest drawbacks of working on ipad.
Re: Buying an iPad Pro for coding was a mistake
#348Earlier quoted context omitted.
Or you want a 14 hour battery life, doesn’t sound like a 747 when you open a few Chrome tabs. Not to mention the fact that a Mac laptop won’t fry your nuts when you put it on your lap.
As surprising as you may find it, Apple doesn't have a monopoly on good hardware. The stereotype of any non-macbook being a toaster is practically a strawman at this point (while people are so quick to forget the atrocity of the i9 macbook).
Show me the laptop that is as good or better than the new 15” MacBook Air at the same price. Needs the same or better specs, build quality, and local in-person support (i.e. a worldwide dense network of retail stores). Good luck!
Re: Buying an iPad Pro for coding was a mistake
#349I love ipads but they are 100% for consumption, but productive work can involve consumption, reading pdfs etc.
But otherwise I've given up even trying to use the pencil productively.
Still love it though and expect to love vision pro for similar reasons
Re: Buying an iPad Pro for coding was a mistake
#350Boggles the mind why people still fall for the iPad Pro as a serious work machine beyond writing meme. The fact that Final Cut launched on it recently and while its exporting you have to sit there leaving the app open you can't go do something else is the punchline of the decade for the lie that this is a serious machine. This is before we get into the comical evolution from "You just need the touchscreen" to "Actual…
Boggles the mind why people still don't see how an iPad Pro is a GREAT tool for things far beyond writing. I shifted my photography workflow to the iPad, and it's been an unalloyed success, for example. I no longer travel with a laptop unless it's explicitly a work trip. Further, the iPad is pretty GREAT at remote access for Linux or Windows hosts. If you need to do remote admin work, and you want to travel light, it…
> iPad Pro is a GREAT tool for things far beyond writing. [...] Further, the iPad is pretty GREAT at remote access for Linux or Windows hosts.
I try and I try and I try because lots of tasks can be done and I want to like it. But I run into this certain problem that I also get with a laptop. I’m going along fine getting shit done then hit a stretch of work with a cognitive load/interaction balance where I start thinking “this would be easier with a mouse.” On a laptop I can grab an external mouse and in either case if that kind of workload keeps going I start thinking “why am I hunched over like this?”
I think I'm just a sucker for the marketing. This thin, lightweight, extremely portable, cute little rectangle can be my interface with professional life. I can do everything on the go and be free in life. I don't have to be a nerd that likes, or just be some rube stuck with being tethered to eyesore equipment in one physical location. ...but it's not working. My ergonomic keyboard, eye-level 27 inch screen and physical mouse are productivity.
And there's a nagging fear at the back of my mind that statements about "you can make it work and be more productive" are true when someone tells me to put time into learning vim and a tiling window manager controlled entirely by keyboard shortcuts, but false when said about finding a mobile workflow.