Other people have already beat me to the punch today, but I decided I would still throw this out for the world.
The iPad is perfect for a lot of people. As my brother pointed out,
App Store issues aside, Apple appears to have invented a “computer for the rest of us” for the second time. – David Hjelle
because
The iPad is much more akin the the original Macintosh’s outer simplicity than, say, Mac OS X. – David Hjelle
I think this is quite true. As I have helped people with their computers (with Computer Services at Dordt College and family/friends) and am now teaching people about computers, I have come to realize something about the way people use computers. Most people get a computer to get on the Internet. Pure and simple. They access webmail, they visit YouTube, they read news, and they play games. Occasionally people want to write a paper or make up a spreadsheet, but those are much smaller in comparison. I’ve even realized that when I’m on the go, I don’t care about spreadsheets or word processing; I care about getting my email, checking Twitter, checking the news, checking the weather, and other things that rely on Internet access.
Any computer that someone may buy can access the Internet, and many will be capable of more than the iPad due to the ubiquitous nature of Adobe Flash. Granted. But there’s more than just having Internet access. Most people don’t understand computers. They don’t know how to use folders, they don’t know what files are, they don’t know where their files are, they don’t know how to install programs, they don’t know how to uninstall programs, they don’t understand how they get viruses or what they can do about them, etc. The list is tremendously long. I would argue that part of this is because people are not taught how to use computers (correctly or at all) and because computers have become complex enough that it is hard to come in at this point and understand what’s going on (compared to those of us who have been using computers since the 80s and have watched the whole progression).
For people in both camps, the iPad (and similar devices and OSes like Chrome OS) are perfect. It has Internet access that is easier to deal with than a typical desktop computer. It takes away a lot of the complexity of computers; it offers the simplicity that someone new to computers wants (just like someone new to calculators only needs a 4-function calculator, not a TI-92). Filesystem? Hidden. No folders or files to worry about. Programs? All right there in front of you or on the Internet. Installation? The App Store takes care of that for you. Viruses? Well, not impossible, but less chance. Certainly less concern about anti-virus programs, etc.
The point is that this is exactly what a lot of people want. They don’t want to worry about viruses or finding programs to do what they want. They want to use the Internet; they want everything in front of them, not hidden in contextual menus or folders or bundles or behind other windows, etc. This is the kind of computer that people understand.
