Why I'm not buying an iPad (and think you shouldn't either)

[Techhie]

BoingBoing's Cory Doctorow gives a very insightful look at the iPad and its media from "outside the reality-distortion field."

Worth a 5 minute read, it was a breath of fresh air in sorting through all of the hype surrounding tomorrow's launch. Nice to see a sensible person on the other side of the fence who doesn't belong to the "It's just a Big iPhone" camp.

link

 

[samcraig]

BoingBoing's Cory Doctorow gives a very insightful look at the iPad and its media from "outside the reality-distortion field."

Worth a 5 minute read, it was a breath of fresh air in sorting through all of the hype surrounding tomorrow's launch. Nice to see a sensible person on the other side of the fence who doesn't belong to the "It's just a Big iPhone" camp.

link

Loved the article to show balance. However - this article will NOT sit well with the masses on this forum. Prepare...

 

[calderone]

I, for one, thought it was a horrible article. Not insightful. And I found the air surrounding it rather... not fresh.

 

[diabolic]

I think he sounds more like the tech gadget guy worried about the inevitable mass marketization and dumbing down of the computer as a household appliance. It's going to happen no matter what.

In describing the "contempt for the user" that he attributes to Apple I see the same contempt for Apple I've seen on a lot of the tech blogs and sites.

 

[Techhie]

I think he sounds more like the tech gadget guy worried about the inevitable mass marketization and dumbing down of the computer as a household appliance.

Not necessarily. It seemed ad though he was more worried about Apple's influence on open code and hardware now that they are the biggest fish in the tank. It is something to think about, just look at their advocacy of unrestricted development in the 80s as compared to today's "Big Brother knows what's best" attitude.

 

[nissan.gtp]

He has some good points. I wish the iphone/touch/pad ecosystem was more open, but that's mainly on principle; my feeling is that I should get to decide for my device. And I sure wish Apple would resurrect and update Hypercard, it was very .

 

[Nebrie]

RT @Chartier:" Something sharing something Cory Doctorow blah everyone should be a geek like me blah iPad blah something your mom is stupid blah the end.

Cory went way, way beyond "it's not open." He said iPad isn't for anyone, slammed Apple's ability to innovate. He's frothing."

I think he did a great job of winning people who already vehemently hate the iPad.

 

[RebelRed]

Um, so?

The article feels like just someone rambling on about a product not built specifically for them. /yawn

If it does what I want it to do and fits what I need, it's a good product. And the iPad fits the bill for me. If it doesn't for someone else, who cares.

Don't buy the iPad because you can't share comics. LOL

 

[HXGuy]

Um, so?

The article feels like just someone rambling on about a product not built specifically for them. /yawn

If it does what I want it to do and fits what I need, it's a good product. And the iPad fits the bill for me. If it doesn't for someone else, who cares.

Don't buy the iPad because you can't share comics. LOL

Exactly! Some people like to tinker with their stuff...whether its their car...their cell phone...or their computer. I have a non-jailbroken iPhone and any mods I've done to my car have all been OEM products. That's just how I am. The iPad works for me.

 

[shrimpdesign]

This is the same kind of argument that the Internet is anti-social and will turn everyone into hermits who play World of Warcraft all day in their underwear.

Extremism doesn't look well on Cory Doctorow.

 

[dblake15]

He sounded to me like he is not willing to roll with the times and change with the times. yes change is hard, but overall it is good. And you have a choice. But to piss and moan because you cannot then go get a comic book and trade it with your friends like when you were little. Please.

It just sounded to me like someone needed either some attention or a hug. I am all for constructive criticism but I saw none in that article.

 

[meagain]

I saw that article earlier today and actually read 1/2 of it. I'm still upset with myself that I spent the time to read that 1/2.

 

[Techhie]

"...Cory went way, way beyond "it's not open." He said iPad isn't for anyone, slammed Apple's ability to innovate. He's frothing."

I think he did a great job of winning people who already vehemently hate the iPad.

No, I was considering buying one, until this article presented a new side of the argument. I'm not saying that he single-handedly reversed my decision, although many of his points are very accurate and, yes, insightful.

Some of the article may seem accusatory towards Apple's ability to innovate within their own white knuckled grip on everything, but it seemed as though he presented his arguments with reasonable assumptions and ideas. It's not a stretch to say that Apple's tendency to be a control freak might negatively impact the industry.

 

[undrpsi]

Hahah...you're kidding right?...Seriously...right?

Talk about whining

I'll agree with the poster who said he sounded "..more like the tech gadget guy worried about the inevitable mass marketization and dumbing down of the computer as a household appliance..."

How can that be bad?

Oh...I know...when you think YOU are a prophet to the unwashed masses. How dare they revolt and choose something easy to use? What infidels they are questioning how their High Priests go about their daily rites? Who shall they call when a virus invades them? Where will they go to offer their tithes and offerings? Have we not sacrificed for them? Shorn ourselves of dignity by providing council at the Holy Temple of Best Buy? Worn sack clothe suites with arcane markings such as Geek Squad displayed upon them? Who are this miscreants who question the mysteries of USB, CD-ROM, or the holy .dll files themselves? HERETICS! BLASPHEMERS! UNHOLY QUESTIONERS OF THE FAITH OF GATES...They shall be punished! Hacked open and have the mark of the Apple burned into their flesh. We will not allow this defilement! We will flame...we will proclaim...we will teach them that the holy writs are for the initiated only...The common man has no business here...it is the domain of the priesthood!

(Note: if you look into the reformation of the christian faith, one of the things the priests didn't want to happen was for the 'common man' to be able to read and understand the bible. It would allow them to make their own choices about their faith and what they thought the bible really meant...I thought it was funny that the article the OP wanted us to read could easily have iPad removed and anything inserted in it's place. I mean, they talked about how the CD-ROM changed things...I am still trying to follow how that led to the iPad being an instrument of change...and an instrument of the Devil )

 

[3N16MA]

Steve Jobs: "I will choke the life out of you with my bare hands if you don't buy an iPad."

 

[Khurram]

Cory Doctorow will be eating his words
in one year.

 

[lotusindigo]

To be fair, I think the site is for techies and so he was talking to his fellow techies. It makes more sense from that angle, because his audience isn't mainstream users who only want the iPad for browsing, email, media, etc. So in short, he's not talking to most of us.

I don't think the open market will see its demise through Apple. Freedom is persistent that way.

 

[undrpsi]

This is the same kind of argument that the Internet is anti-social and will turn everyone into hermits who play World of Warcraft all day in their underwear.

Uh...wouldn't that apply more to the author than iPad users?

 

[GeekLawyer]

The irony, I guess, is that Xeni Jarin, in boingboing's official iPad review, had glowing praise for iPad.

And in each of her subsequent iPad app reviews.

See: http://www.boingboing.net/2010/03/31/a-first-look-at-ipad.html

 

[nateharr]

I read the article. And although a lot of it was insightful, I got the vibe that the writer was complaining about how humans are complacent and we should unite and "fight the man."

The iPad offers plenty of creative apps for content creation. And yes, all of those apps were sifted through by Apple to make sure they were approved, but that's not a solely bad thing.

I admit that our society has become far too focused on consumption. But whining about it doesn't fix anything.

 

[czachorski]

This guy was making CD-Roms just before the www took off, and now he is on the wrong side of the iPad phenomenon. Enough said.

 

[miles01110]

Not necessarily. It seemed ad though he was more worried about Apple's influence on open code and hardware now that they are the biggest fish in the tank.

2007 called, it wants its concerns back.

It's not like these concerns are new. Apple really started locking down on things with the 6th-gen iPod classic/iPod touch.

 

[Bytor65]

Cory Doctorow will be eating his words
in one year.

Unlikely, it is just an unfocused kind of anti-corporation rant. It is the kind of thing fitting for the sub 1% of the population that only use linux/android and won't allow a "commercial" OS to taint their computers.

The success of the iPad won't change anything for that population, they will just gnash their teeth even more, and possibly have an aneurysm, but they won't change their opinion.

 

[Techhie]

I don't think the open market will see its demise through Apple. Freedom is persistent that way.

Yeah, same here. Before the App Store came along, and development of any makeshift apps for the iPhone platform was discouraged, let alone difficult, we saw the explosion of the early jailbreak community with hundreds of homebrew gizmos and games who's popularity most likely inspired the SDK. Without those brave hackers, many of the "innovations" we've seen in past iPhone OS updates wouldn't have been thought of.

The irony, I guess, is that Xeni Jarin, in boingboing's official iPad review, had glowing praise for iPad.

And in each of her subsequent iPad app reviews.

See: http://www.boingboing.net/2010/03/31/a-first-look-at-ipad.html

Funny how there are such diverse opinions within the same staff. It's nice to know that opposing views do exist outside of the "I hate Apple" crowd.

 

[budman1961]

IMHO, i believe that most folks that are bitching against the iPad, and are preaching we shouldn't get one either, basically cant afford one, and dont want anyone else to have one either.

If I have offended you, too bad. I dont want you telling me I cant/dont need/are being bamboozled into wanting one any more.

I am getting one, too bad for you, go buy an MSI Wind or whatever, quit trying to spoil it for us all.

Andy