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Apple has locked me in the same cage Microsoft's built for Windows 10 users

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161–170 of 369 posts

Re: Apple has locked me in the same cage Microsoft's built for Windows 10 users

#161
post #155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The only reason that "iPads are just unserious computing devices for real work" is because Apple chooses to limit them. That’s their choice to make. As consumers it’s on us to make the right choices. What the author wants is a laptop not an iPad if they want a general purpose computing device The article is just a way to poke the giant that is Apple just like we used to when we wrote Micro$oft

> As consumers it’s on us to make the right choices. Which involves more like this , so that consumers can recognize kinds of dissatisfaction and share that it exists, rightly or wrongly.

Exactly.

Folks downvoting my comment are effectively saying “no I think everything thing should do everything. It has a CPU that can run MacOS then it should! Open up the os, let me do whatever I want. Let me impose my thoughts on a private company. Rawr!”

When instead just don’t buy the iPad if that’s what you want. The MacBook Air is what you want. Or… adapt your computing to use the iPad as it was designed.

The spoon doesn’t bend you bend ;-)

Re: Apple has locked me in the same cage Microsoft's built for Windows 10 users

#162

"My decade-old and very well-travelled Toyota Land Cruiser finally died, and I hoped my new-ish ebike could replace it." How that article sounds. I don't care how fancy they make them, iPads are just unserious computing devices for real work.

> iPads are just unserious computing devices for real work

At the risk of invoking no true Scotsman, I think you need to define 'real' work.

Re: Apple has locked me in the same cage Microsoft's built for Windows 10 users

#163

"My decade-old and very well-travelled Toyota Land Cruiser finally died, and I hoped my new-ish ebike could replace it." How that article sounds. I don't care how fancy they make them, iPads are just unserious computing devices for real work.

Except in this metaphor, the "ebike" has en engine as powerful as a new "landcruiser", and attachment points that could allow quickly/easily adding extra seating or cargo capacity. That such a thing seems absurd illustrates how poorly the metaphor fits. The only reason that "iPads are just unserious computing devices for real work" is because Apple chooses to limit them. I have a laptop which I only rarely use as a l…

The new land cruisers are actually really weak compared to the old ones.

> the formerly beefcake Landcruiser went from a beastly guzzling v8 in 2021 to a weaker v6 in 2022-2023, and now, in 2024, a weak 2.4L supercharged 4-cyl sipper.

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43031218

Re: Apple has locked me in the same cage Microsoft's built for Windows 10 users

#164
post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The author's thoughts don't make sense, though. He's expecting a locked-down tablet appliance to suit the same needs and use cases as a laptop running a general-purpose OS. Or at best, he's not expecting that, but is at least complaining about it, which feels a little pointless. He can get what he wants by buying a new Mac, as he suggests. It's not like what he wants doesn't exist. He's just complaining that some oth…

My understanding is that the post is essentially a complaint about deceptive marketing. iPads are marketed as capable of "doing all the things you love", how it's "so versatile it's up to any task" and so on - leading to perception that it's like a computer, except in a different form factor. While, in reality, of course it's not. Personally, I never found any subjectively meaningful use case for iPads except for por…

Apple is marketing to everyone and not just the HN crowd. For many people their phone is their only computing device and for them an iPad is likely a big upgrade. When I have to proof photos or do a bunch of office type work, an iPad has become my goto device. When I'm programming, not so much. But I don't think that's a big secret to this crowd.

Re: Apple has locked me in the same cage Microsoft's built for Windows 10 users

#165
post #158

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I read it and don't understand it at all. He's bought something whose limitations and target demographic are well known. And then complaining when he hits one of those limitations.

You've never bought anything you knew could be improved?

To paraphrase MKBHD, only buy devices for the features they have right now. Otherwise you will often be disappointed.

Re: Apple has locked me in the same cage Microsoft's built for Windows 10 users

#166
post #94

I'm 10 years in now in not running either Windows or Mac and reading these articles is so uncanny.

As a person who just entered the latter ecosystem as a matter of peer compatibility, after 10 years of Linux, it's miserable and I wish I could go back to what you have. Even with how blighted X86 feels, it feels even worse to have a computer that couldn't do what you wanted to and has the audacity to complain at you that it knows better and you shouldn't be able to alter certain parts of it

I switched my personal laptop to a M1 Macbook Pro (from a Thinkpad running Linux, also after almost 10 years) in 2020, mostly because I had switched to an iPhone a few months prior and was using a Macbook for work.

It was certainly convenient most of the time - most features I wanted worked out of the box, and most dev tools could be managed by homebrew (at least well enough).

But annoyances slowly stacked up over time. Things like so much software being closed source (and often paid), or updates taking too long, or not being able to debug why something didn't work how I expected (eg, sometimes when plugging into my dock w/ monitors, it would decide to put all the windows on different screens than when I unplugged).

I finally broke down last year and bought a new Thinkpad and immediately installed Gentoo. While I've spent a lot more time configuring everything, at least it works exactly as I expect and I can easily debug when something goes wrong.

Re: Apple has locked me in the same cage Microsoft's built for Windows 10 users

#167
I admin 150 Windows machines, have set up Linux servers, TBH I am not religious about OS, though Android is my least favorite.

I recently got an iPad Air and a MacBook Air 15 to replace older devices (2018 & 2012). The MacBook is lighter and has better battery life than the iPad with Magic Keyboard, wasn't expecting that!

My biggest frustration with iOS is how it abstracts & hides away file system access. Especially for producing music across multiple apps I find it much easier on a Mac, same for any programming. Not to mention the dongle-mania for connecting peripherals! An iPad's just an overgrown phone at heart.

And...IME iOS doesn't have the same true realtime low latency performance as OSX. I have been able to flog Mac laptops, iMacs & desktops right up to the edge for audio/video production (Logic, iMovie, FinalCut, Ableton Live) and they'll absolutely keep up (within limits like reasonable audio buffer latency settings for complex projects). While iOS can definitely have audible glitches, especially with multiple apps open.

But I take the iPad out of the house much more. I think Apple could add touchscreens to laptops without destroying iPad sales, but I don't want them to iOS-ify OSX completely.

Re: Apple has locked me in the same cage Microsoft's built for Windows 10 users

#168

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Except in this metaphor, the "ebike" has en engine as powerful as a new "landcruiser", and attachment points that could allow quickly/easily adding extra seating or cargo capacity. That such a thing seems absurd illustrates how poorly the metaphor fits. The only reason that "iPads are just unserious computing devices for real work" is because Apple chooses to limit them. I have a laptop which I only rarely use as a l…

The new land cruisers are actually really weak compared to the old ones. > the formerly beefcake Landcruiser went from a beastly guzzling v8 in 2021 to a weaker v6 in 2022-2023, and now, in 2024, a weak 2.4L supercharged 4-cyl sipper. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43031218

That's the LC250 Land Cruiser Prado in the global market. They still sell the flagship LC300 abroad with both a V6TT gasoline engine, as well as a diesel.

For what it's worth, the previous generation LC200 also sold with a gasoline V6 in the Middle East, producing a whopping 240 HP, which was later increased to 271 HP.

The I4 engine in the Prado (sold as the Land Cruiser in the US) is more powerful than the V6 it replaces.

Re: Apple has locked me in the same cage Microsoft's built for Windows 10 users

#169
post #147
post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Let’s not pretend that Apple could come up with some sort of dual windowing system (or just dual boot) scheme. We’re not limited by drive space anymore. They don’t because it would hurt macbook sales.

Maybe they don't because they've seen what happens when Microsoft tried to build an OS that was both touch screen and mouse & keyboard.

Nah, it's just corporate greed on apple's part. They want to sell you both the MacBook and the iPad.

Apple is the only major notebook manufacturer which still doesn't offer touch on any of their notebooks.

Yes, Windows 8 was a failure, but Windows 10 and 11 are successful products and they are also built around touch + m&k.

GNOME and KDE on Linux also support touch input.

Take a look at this device:

https://rog.asus.com/laptops/rog-flow/rog-flow-z13-2025/

In terms of practicality, ergonomics etc., I think it's a much better proposition than either a MacBook or an iPad.

Re: Apple has locked me in the same cage Microsoft's built for Windows 10 users

#170

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Just because it's commonplace doesn't make it any less hostile to users. Sure, game consoles are user-hostile. They're also great for playing games, and they tend to "just work" with less configuration and customization than a typical gaming PC. Less configuration tends to mean fewer problems and easier tech support, but the primary business reason game consoles are locked town is to make it harder to play unlicens…

> but the primary business reason game consoles are locked town is to make it harder to play unlicensed commercial games on them. Which is user-hostile. The user bought the hardware, so they should be allowed to play whatever they please. Hiding the true cost of the hardware by inflating game prices using licensing fees is monopolistic and an attempt at misleading the consumer. This is the exact same business model a…

If there were no way to know in advance if you were buying a gaming appliance or a gaming computer, you might have a point.

Some people prefer the simplicity and reliability of an appliance.

Some people embrace complexity in the name of having the freedom to do anything (including the freedom to shoot yourself in the foot).

The notion that consumers shouldn't be allowed to make decisions that are different than your own... THAT is user hostile.

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