A Multi-Touch iPhone OS Layer On Top of Mac OS X?

[Eso]

Because novice users have money to spend.

Money has nothing to do with it.

I'm certainly not a novice, and I love to hack the hell outta my stuff, but for my day to day computing outside of the fun stuff, simple works just fine.

Of course it does, but how is a standard OS not simple enough? As far as I can tell, it's as simple as can be: turn on the computer, it boots to the desktop, you double-click the icon for the web browser. Click the red button to close it, and press the power button to turn it off (it will shutdown for you).

A child can use an iPhone with no real instruction, try that with a laptop.

To do what, exactly?

My point is there will always be what we the readers of this forum use, the "old" style computer, but more and more the simple devices that do what we need quickly will prevail.

The one thing I will give you is that the simple OS is quicker to boot and is more appropriate for instant-on devices like the iPhone.

 

[notjustjay]

Despite the fact that not everyone can learn to play the guitar, we still make guitars for those who can. And for those who can't, they make Guitar Hero so those folks can pretend to play a guitar.

But I get the impression some would argue that we should stop making (real) guitars altogether...? Because doing so would somehow help those who can't learn to play guitar?

But using your own example, this would be like every guitar coming with a free Guitar Hero set. Built in. But hidden somewhere so it doesn't get in your way. If you know how to play the guitar, then do so. If you don't, then you pull out Guitar Hero. Nobody's talking about replacing real guitars. Just adding another option for those who can't, won't, or don't want to learn to play, or want to use the "toy" as a stepping stone toward learning to play the real thing.

 

[FrankieTDouglas]

The one thing I will give you is that the simple OS is quicker to boot and is more appropriate for instant-on devices like the iPhone.

Ummm... when I open my Macbook, it instantly wakes up. Are other people spending long amounts of time waiting for their computers to come on?

 

[localoid]

But using your own example, this would be like every guitar coming with a free Guitar Hero set. Built in. But hidden somewhere so it doesn't get in your way. If you know how to play the guitar, then do so. If you don't, then you pull out Guitar Hero. Nobody's talking about replacing real guitars. Just adding another option for those who can't, won't, or don't want to learn to play, or want to use the "toy" as a stepping stone toward learning to play the real thing.

Build a "real" guitar that also has a "free Guitar Hero" built in and the only people that it would appeal to are those who couldn't play a real guitar. So why bother? You'd end up with a real guitar that more expensive but was less playable and it would look like a cheap toy...

Weird Al might use an real accordion so equipped with Guitar Hero "toy" accordion, however... for a spoof.

 

[burro]

Need. External. Keyboard.

WHEN is Apple going to enable iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad users to use an external docking or BT keyboard?

With global entry/editing?

Don't they realize the audience they are missing?!

 

[arn]

As an example, to everyone who thinks that computers aren't hard to use for a lot of people. This recently happened a few weeks ago.

So Google has started listing "News" results in their search results. This blog post "Facebook Wants to Be Your One True Login" was on top of the search results for a while for "facebook login":

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/facebook_wants_to_be_your_one_true_login.php

The result was 1800+ comments from people complaining that they can't log into facebook. Those people typed in "facebook login" into google, and just went to the first link. not realizing that it was NOT the login page for Facebook.

Examples of the comments:

"I just want to log in to Facebook - what with the red color and all? LOLLLOLOL!!!!!111"

"What is going on? You are totally confusing me. Knock-knock. Anybody there? Let me in. Katherine"

"This is such a mess I can't do a thing on my facebook .The changes you have made are ridiculous,I can't even login!!!!!I am very upset!!!"

 

[mmk]

Are you guys serious?

The guy who said that must be on crack. So must you all who believe all this crap about the touch "MODE".

So what, I press a button now and start the "touch mode" where I can start the "touch iwork" and do stuff with my finger, then I exit the touch mode and start the "normal iwork" where i do stuff with the mouse ? Are you serious? Then you have the "touch finder" and "normal finder", "touch safari" and "normal safari" and so on for all applications?

Then how, you need to buy 2 versions for each app, touch and non-touch?
And in the "touch" mode the apps w/o touch won't work, right?

BTW, Frontrow is no "MODE", it's just a FULL-SCREEN APP. Just like, say, World of Warcraft. You don't have dock and menubar in there, but i would not say WoW is a "MODE". Or any other full-screen app. Get a brain ppl PLEASE.

 

[burro]

.

 

[chaseerry]

That's it. I'm switching to Windows.

 

[localoid]

As an example, to everyone who thinks that computers aren't hard to use for a lot of people. This recently happened a few weeks ago.

So Google has started listing "News" results in their search results. This blog post "Facebook Wants to Be Your One True Login" was on top of the search results for a while for "facebook login":

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/facebook_wants_to_be_your_one_true_login.php

The result was 1800+ comments from people complaining that they can't log into facebook. Those people typed in "facebook login" into google, and just went to the first link. not realizing that it was NOT the login page for Facebook.

Here in Appalachia, there's an old phrase that polite women frequently used in days gone by that seems appropriate -- "bless their hearts".

Sounds like the people you cited need the 1995 version of AOL.

 

[Eso]

As an example, to everyone who thinks that computers aren't hard to use for a lot of people. This recently happened a few weeks ago.

So Google has started listing "News" results in their search results. This blog post "Facebook Wants to Be Your One True Login" was on top of the search results for a while for "facebook login":

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/facebook_wants_to_be_your_one_true_login.php

The result was 1800+ comments from people complaining that they can't log into facebook. Those people typed in "facebook login" into google, and just went to the first link. not realizing that it was NOT the login page for Facebook.

Examples of the comments:

Actually, there were only 200 comments to that effect. There are 400 million facebook users.

Now, we don't have stats for how long the article was the top Google result, how many facebook users log in during that time period, how many people logged in without leaving a comment, or how many people got to the page and immediately realized it wasn't the facebook login.

But at least so far we can use 0.00005% of total facebook users made the mistake as a baseline.

Now suppose that 5x as many people logged in without leaving a comment while 1 million users signed into facebook during that time. That's as high as 0.1%. Do you know what IQ score reflects 0.1% of the population? A score of 54, on a scale where 100 is roughly average and anything less than 55 is classified as moderate retardation, requiring supervised care for their entire lives [Feldman, Robert S. Understanding Psychology, McGraw Hill, 2008, p. 308].

For example, none of the 200 or so confused Facebook users who commented on our earlier post read the post itself

- Follow up Post by ReadWriteWeb

Source:

 

[theBB]

As an example, to everyone who thinks that computers aren't hard to use for a lot of people.

Sign of a true geek is the inability to put oneself into the shoes of a non-geek. Sometimes it presents itself as social ineptitude, but this is par for the course.

After seeing three year olds using iPhones with such ease and enthusiasm, I can imagine that multi touch interface will be a lot more widespread on regular computers in the next few years. Think of it as the Mapquest vs Google Maps five years ago. Mapquest let you pan or zoom in and out by just clicking on arrows and plus-minus signs, but Google Maps was so much more practical as the user could just pan by holding down the button on the mouse and move. If you think only in terms of lists of features, they both had panning and zooming, but the users overwhelmingly preferred Google Maps even though it had fewer other features than Mapquest.

 

[CIA]

Ummm... when I open my Macbook, it instantly wakes up. Are other people spending long amounts of time waiting for their computers to come on?

Money has nothing to do with it.



Of course it does, but how is a standard OS not simple enough? As far as I can tell, it's as simple as can be: turn on the computer, it boots to the desktop, you double-click the icon for the web browser. Click the red button to close it, and press the power button to turn it off (it will shutdown for you).



To do what, exactly?



The one thing I will give you is that the simple OS is quicker to boot and is more appropriate for instant-on devices like the iPhone.

You both seem to be missing my point. The mere fact that you are on this forum puts your overall computer knowledge beyond the average computer user. My mom and dad know how to use macs. Our house has been through probably 10 different ones since our first 512ke. I gave mom my iPhone to check out and without even seeing one before she was all over it in 2 seconds. It took me 2 months to drill home the basic operations of Video iChat to her.
I'm not bashing OSX, but for most users, an iPad and it's simple OS will cover the day to day internet life we live in now.

Simple for most people is better.
Not for always for me, but for average people, it's better. Just because the iPhone/iPad OS isn't for you doesn't mean you have to attack it. They can live in harmony. The problem is most of Apples attention is on the iPhone/iPad OS. It may not be the best for US, but it's the best for average people.
When I said it's all about money, it is. Apple can make a device for $200, and sell it to AT&T for $600, who sells it back to us with subsidy for $200. That's a lot of margin, and iPhones are selling like hotcakes. There's the money, and there's where Apple is focusing. They are still a company that wants to make money.

 

[Dekka]

Yawn!

Pointless post. This is speculation without purpose.

 

[RT2020]

As an example, to everyone who thinks that computers aren't hard to use for a lot of people. This recently happened a few weeks ago.

So Google has started listing "News" results in their search results. This blog post "Facebook Wants to Be Your One True Login" was on top of the search results for a while for "facebook login":

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/facebook_wants_to_be_your_one_true_login.php

The result was 1800+ comments from people complaining that they can't log into facebook. Those people typed in "facebook login" into google, and just went to the first link. not realizing that it was NOT the login page for Facebook.

Examples of the comments:

I guess I don't see much of a difference between an idiot-proof device, and a device designed for idiots...

For example, you can take right-click away to make computer simple for people to can't handle that level of complexity. If you take my right click away, I'm going to be even severely effected.

iphones and ipads are one thing...but I think where OSX is at now, its a very good compromise for both simple and sophisticated users. I hope whatever they do, they at least offer something for more sophisticated users. Otherwise, I won't have a choice but to look elsewhere..

 

[arn]

I guess I don't see much of a difference between an idiot-proof device, and a device designed for idiots...

Here's what's funny about all this. This same arguement was had in the 1980s. There were people on fido and local bbs's at the time arguing that the Mac with it's windows/mouse interface was inefficient and for stupid people... while the real power was in MSDOS/CPM and other command line operating systems.

You, my friend, with your two button mouse are one of those "device designed for idiots" people in the mind of the geeks that came before you.

arn

 

[Scottsdale]

If Apple determines it can sell more products at higher margins with an iPhone OS on the Mac, the iPhone OS will reign!

It all comes down to what will make the most money for Apple. The thing about the iPhone OS is it's a no brainer. Anyone can learn how to use an iPhone/iPod/iPad in five minutes. That is why the iPhone/iPod dominates, and that's why the iPad will dominate... and one day the iPhone OS will dominate on a Mac. The current gap in computing comes from people not wanting to learn a different platform than they already know. Think how many Macs Apple could sell if everyone that owned an iPod, iPhone, iPad could buy a Mac and was guaranteed instant knowledge to use it.

There will probably be a layer added to the iPhone OS to allow the computer to act "stupid" for us dummies that want to interact with a Mac OS X like platform. There the added layer will be Mac OS X not the iPhone OS.

 

[billystlyes]

I don't even want the iPhone OS on an iPad.

 

[FrankieTDouglas]

OSX being dumbed down for people to use a computer. And that this runs the risk of becoming the default OS at some point in possibly the near future.

Imagine if Photoshop was dumbed down?

Or AutoCAD?

Or Final Cut Pro?

 

[AgingGeek]

wait os x supports multitouch at all? Where was I when this happened?!?!?

Yeah! Open a terminal, touch the keypad twice, on the "L" and "S" keys, and you get a directory listing.... <snicker>

 

[RT2020]

If Apple determines it can sell more products at higher margins with an iPhone OS on the Mac, the iPhone OS will reign!

It all comes down to what will make the most money for Apple. The thing about the iPhone OS is it's a no brainer. Anyone can learn how to use an iPhone/iPod/iPad in five minutes. That is why the iPhone/iPod dominates, and that's why the iPad will dominate... and one day the iPhone OS will dominate on a Mac. The current gap in computing comes from people not wanting to learn a different platform than they already know. Think how many Macs Apple could sell if everyone that owned an iPod, iPhone, iPad could buy a Mac and was guaranteed instant knowledge to use it.

There will probably be a layer added to the iPhone OS to allow the computer to act "stupid" for us dummies that want to interact with a Mac OS X like platform. There the added layer will be Mac OS X not the iPhone OS.

Noticed your signature...here's an Einstein quote for you...

"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler."
~Albert Einstein

Arn... I think it all comes down to this: We have to ask ourselves what we use our computers for?

My needs, I will admit are of a very small minority. Unfortunately, I cant see how I can use my finger to use AutoCAD or SolidWorks. I don't see how I can do my work without having 5-6 things running at once.

I don't mind 'touching' my emails...or even being forced to download applications from itunes so don't get a virus. I just hope apple continues to build computers for me as well....but I'm increasingly less confident in that.

 

[arn]

Arn... I think it all comes down to this: We have to ask ourselves what we use our computers for?

My needs, I will admit are of a very small minority. Unfortunately, I cant see how I can use my finger to use AutoCAD or SolidWorks. I don't see how I can do my work without having 5-6 things running at once.

no one's really asking you to.

arn

 

[localoid]

Here's what's funny about all this. This same arguement was had in the 1980s. There were people on usenet and local bbs's at the time arguing that the Mac with it's windows/mouse interface was inefficient and for stupid people... while the real power was in MSDOS/CPM and other command line operating systems.

The GUI vs. DOS debate was bogus -- but a GUI vs. a *nix command line was another point altogether, and is still valid today.

Your forum software runs on a command line system, based on an OS concept dating back to the 1970s. There is still a level of "real power" in the "old" command line systems that can't easily and effectively achieved otherwise. Adding a GUI to a *nix based OS (that retains its command line) offers an even great possibility of power for doing more than just tcp/ip networking however.

I'm all for people having an easy to use appliance to access the Web and perform offline task, along with them having access to an easy to use OS that runs that appliance. I just don't think trying to develop a appliance/computer hybrid is the way to go...

 

[mdriftmeyer]

Another former Apple programmer I consulted pointed out that Mac OS X is a “kludged mess of code from past operating systems.” The programmer added that if Apple could start over with the desktop OS, it “would take into consideration that Google’s Android OS is going to look and work almost exactly the same on computers and mobile phones, and it won’t have a desktop feel.”

If that isn't biggest bitter rant of BS from a Java programmer complaining about Apple putting Java last and ObjC first then I'll eat my hat.

 

[2contagious]

What exactly is this "easier computing paradigm?" As it is, I can control my computer with 4-5 inches of mouse movement of from the 3 inch touchpad. I'm trying to grasp how touching all over a 13-27 inch surface is "easier." Big buttons doesn't mean easier.

Apple knows why: it's "because you don't even think anymore, you just- do!" lol