Folks either don't realize or seem to forget that MacOS is a 'traditional' file/directory operating system architecture wherein data files are stored separately from the apps and can sometimes be opened by more than one kind of app, VERSUS, iOS and iPadOS that are newer APP-based architectures wherein the data 'files' are stored within the app structure that totally controls their usage; i.e. app A's files cannot be opened by app B, etc. This newer app-based architecture facilitates their ease-of-use on touch-screen devices like the iPhone and iPad. Because MacOS is based on a form of the 1960's UNIX architecture [called MACH], most people also don't realize that Macs, MacBooks and iMacs provide a window into the earlier command-line architecture through the Terminal app. For fun, open the Terminal app and type in "man find" that asks for the UNIX manual page for the 'find' command ... interesting stuff is revealed. And there are hundreds of manual pages built in. It gets way more interesting: MacOS can have multiple users accessing the same computer with their own logins and passwords and workspaces. As such it's useful to have a separate admin login distinct from the individual "regular" user(s). For advanced users, there's even the uber-superuser called ROOT that can be assigned a separate login. This makes Macs, MacBooks and iMacs similar to professional "workstations". In contrast, iOS and iPadOS can have only 1 user who is also the admin; i.e. each device has its own assigned user/admin. Further, the desktop screen on a Mac, MacBook or iMac is actually 1 of 16 of the separate desktop screens that are available thru the Mission Control app: each screen can have its own background and facilitates work on parallel projects in their own work areas for the same user ... so cool. iOS and iPadOS do not have this kind advanced usage capability. Basically what this all comes down to is that if folks only need to work with emails, texts, games, and browsers with some basic 'office' writing and table functions thrown in, then an iPad with a keyboard is MORE than sufficient. But even an iPad Pro with maxed out memory and storage cannot begin to compare to the VAST POWER and FLEXIBILITY of the Mac operating system with all of its depths, that are very important to professional users and programmers.
