So in a previous blog post i wrote about my initial impressions on the iPad, listed a few things i missed but it was obvious that i was overall excited about it.

I totally understand it when not everyone is, but now i see some blog posts by some people that make me seriously wonder what kind of koolaid some people are taking and having written about the topic before i feel obligated to go into more detail on some of those than just writing a comment under some of those blog posts (which i also did in some cases).

So i see some articles like thisone

where the author predicts a dark future of closed system computers being the only existing ones

started by the iPad. Even more funny: What she offers as solution suggestion against that is actually buying the iPad but then hacking it. No no, it doesn´t make sense to instead buy systems you like from companies you like or ones you like the philosophy or approach they have

and actually also buy apps, games, music etc you consume on the platforms you like so people actually keep making content for those platforms. No, sure, you should instead buy the system you “don´t support” and then hack it to i guess install stolen apps so at the end everyone looses.

What nonsense..

Then i see something like this

Here the author puts out something like this:

“The thing that bothers me most about the iPad is this: if I had an iPad rather than a real computer as a kid, I’d never be a programmer today. ”

Sure, will give him buzz among bloggers and on twitter (heck, i´m writing about it, too), that doesn´t make it any less total nonsense though.
That´s as if someone in the early computing days said people wouldn´t get into programming when we now switch to more modern systems.

Or no one learns programming anymore because higher Level languages than Assembler are created.

Like, really, seriously?

Of course people will still be interested in creating things, just probably to a good degree for and on different types of devices in different ways.

The iPhone allows total computer newbies to create photos and videos and upload and publish them on the web with the touch of a finger.

Just like that the iPad will make painting and some other things over time more approachable to many than Photoshop etc.

And who then really has interest in going deeper can then get a mac or pc  (if he doesn´t already have one) to create apps and other things for pcs, macs, consoles, iPhone, iPad and whatever.

When one looks at the progress on the iPhone market  the impact the device made has lead to way more people becoming programmers, not less people.

Thousands upon thousands suddenly have interest in creating apps in Objective C, C++, C#, Javascript etc (depending on development tools/environment used) for the Iphone and iPod touch.
Whether one likes it or not there are also many script kiddies trying to get known by trying to get the jailbrake for the newest iPhone OS out the door as first one.

And regarding prophecies that the iPad would lead to a future with only closed systems:

Hardware manufacturers make hardware that sells. If a new device type sells well, they will try to add something similar or better to their portfolio, not suddenly drop their entire existing portfolio of other hardware that still sells well.

[addition] On a sidenote when i first started iPhone development i only had a pc and i bought a mac so i could also create mac and iphone content. Then i also got myself an iPod touch and an iPhone for testing. Now i´ll get an iPad next to those. I know many, many developers who do it in similar way. ..[/addition]

As long as people still buy pcs and macs for work they will also still get made.

The iPad is not perfect by any means, its an 1.0 version.

If someone moans about lack of a camera or multitasking or similar things, no matter if one misses those features or not, those are reasonable complaints.

I think its fine the iPad is a closed system, because it is not meant to replace pcs or macs, its meant as the casual device one uses on the couch while relaxing.

Where i see see a main problem with the app store is not that its a closed architecture itself, its that apple regulates which applications can get on there.

It would be much better if only apps would get blocked which are crashing.

At least they should have a grown up or anything goes section where people get notified that its on own decission to download these apps and then that´s that.

So i totally endorse requests for a more open app store approval way.

But blog posts like those i linked to, man..

Agree, disagree, have another interesting thing to add?

My rants are exactly that:  rants, with my personal view; always eager to hear what others think on such topics though =)

I think where many articles i´ve seen miss the point is: Sure its not better than any console and won´t replace people´s main console or main portable, at least not initially.
And yes, it is not a full fledged pc with a full fledged pc / mac OS one can connect all sorts of devices to and run any app one wants on.
So its also not intended to replace people´s first/ main pc/mac.

What it can do though is become a device which one gets as second or third semi pc type device one has at home. Let´s say the pc is somewhere and this device is on the living room table.
One just uses it in between, and hey, when one already has it there, one can also play a game in between.
It doesn´t run all pc apps, neither is it best suited for gaming or reading books,
but it can be a great device many get because its overall a good package with many features, which then also gets used for those purposes its not best at. Sounds familar?

I think Apple often finds a good balance of price, feature set, polish and a big focus on usability and this could be the next example for that.

I think the ones first to be scared are Nook and Kindle and well, regarding games maybe something similar happens like on the iPhone: Many don´t see most games as as good as on the ds or psp, but i hear more and more gamers who always have their iPhone or Touch with em and therefore automatically play less ds/ psp games.

I´m not sure if it will be the iPad, but i´m sure a device of a similar form factor will be on the living room table in most households in a few years (if technical evolution continues and we don´t have world war 3 ahead ).
And yeah, i think as package overall the iPad is a good contender for that spot on the table.