Why PCs Trump iPads For User Innovation

snydeq writes "InfoWorld's Bob Lewis argues that while the iPad may be opening IT's eyes to a new way to encourage end-users to innovate new solutions for their organizations, that work will better be undertaken on the PC. 'When the subject is PCs, the answer is to lock 'em down and run everything in the data center. When the subject is iPads, the answer is that there's an app for that,' Lewis writes. 'Before you decide the iPad is your platform, though, consider the factors that favor the PC. First, it's a sunk cost. Second, it's more capable. And third, your end-users are already familiar with it. Which brings us to what's particularly sad about the end-user innovation situation: Until the iPad resurrected the subject, most IT organizations have actively discouraged it. It goes beyond locking down the devices so that end-users can't install software they might find helpful in their day-to-day work or might increase efficiency in their departments.'"

Comments

Re:Summary

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iPad's "success"

[qxcv]

If it was tl;dr: TFA is a poorly structured rant which is trying to say something, but I'm not sure what. In response to Lewis' "factors contributing to the iPad's success":

1) As anybody who uses an SSD or suspend-to-disk will testify, almost all computers have the capability to boot in 30 seconds (not counting DHCP or NTP - they're both rather slow).
2) The iPad is no smaller than a netbook. I've seen people attempting to use iPads on public transport, and they look rather awkward and out of place.
3) Yes, it's very, VERY shiny. To their credit, Apple also has an excellent focus on PR and advertising.
4) The iPad DOES have a filesystem. It's called HFS.
5) All the software on *my* computer is monetarily zero-cost, and source code is available for everything on my system BUT the graphics card drivers (which are still "free as in beer"). I'm still as productive (if not more productive) than the equivalent Windows "power user".
6) How is "native apps" a selling point? Most PC OSes can do this, Android can do this, WP7 can do this. What's Bob's point?

IMO the only valid factor is 3). Apple tells consumers what they want, and consumers buy it. There's no "user innovation", just aggressive marketing.

So badly misinformed....

[SuperKendall]

And last I checked, a tablet doesn't have any of the typical vi/compiler/linker/debugger toolset, or even a decent terminal and ssh to connect to a real computer.

The iPad has all those things if you jailbreak.

But then I don't check very often, since the lack of a physical keyboard

What a shame you are incapable of even googling to understand that what you perceive to be impossible is quite possible.