iPad2's Limited Operating System

[krewat]

A few thoughts from a newbie Ipad2 owner, but a somewhat long-time Apple user on other devices...

I jailbroke my daughter's iPod touch 2 days after I bought it for her. Having done that, and gotten SSH access to the root shell, I can definitely say it's (basically) a full UNIX implementation, with (as far as I can tell) the same environment as Mac OS X, for example launchd.

The "operating system" is UNIX - and stands on it's own merits for obvious (to me) reasons.

The "user interface" is pure "i" - iPod/iPhone/iPad. There is no way to get to the underlying operating system from the user interface.

And most/all "apps" run in the "user interface" environment. Well, for all intents and purposes, we can use that to describe the "i" behavior

You can justify this as a way to keep viruses away, or use it as an example of Apple's proprietary-ness. Either way, it is what it is.

I have definitely found some things strange, as in "home sharing" doesn't even show up on the iPad unless a computer is on the Wi-Fi network that is home sharing it's iTunes library. If there isn't one around, it's not even a menu option. I understand it from the "dumb luser" perspective, as in why offer the clueless user something that won't work. But using it the first time, it's hard to understand where something might be, and if it's not enabled or working you can't even find it.

The moral of this post: iOS itself is a decent operating system. The user interface is what owners are faced with. The limitations of the user interface are there for a reason, whatever that might be.

Apple is crazy like a fox. There is a LOT of potential in these devices, and they keep people interested by slowly, incrementally, giving more and more versatility to owners. On the one hand, kudos to them for doing it for free with the next update. On the other, well, the developer/tinkerer in me hates the closed environment model.

It stifles innovation. But not for Apple

 

[epb]

Has anyone spotted that all this opinion was generated by a post that mentioned serious failings in iOS but then gave not a single example?

I simply took that to mean that they were obvious and over-stated. I don't disagree with the premise, as it's true - someone looking for a full-featured OS is going to be bitterly disappointed in iOS. But that's like someone buying a Smart Fortwo and complaining it's slow and only has two seats - the critic opens themselves up for criticism for their lack of foresight.

It's like the Flash issue. Someone showing up this late in the game to complain about its absence doesn't make me wonder about Apple; they make me wonder about the decline of education.

 

[takeshi]

Opinions are certainly fine and discussion's a good thing but the OP has omitted much to actually enable a discussion with the OP.

I’ve had my iPad2 for less than a month and have come to the conclusion that it has a lot of potential but is severely limited by its poor operating system. Many Apps use work-a-round methods to try to correct some of the numerous restrictions but many of these are awkward in operation.

Examples of these limitations? I do have to agree that it's a given that IOS is limited so simply stating that it is so isn't a meaningful discussion. I'm guessing that the OP means not that it is just limited in obvious ways but that it is severely limited in some aspects. How so? If you want to spur discussion then you need to include the "why" behind your opinions -- not just the opinions on their own.

I believe these limitations were intentional in accordance to Steve Job’s Apple policy. Granted he was a great business man and forward thinking entrepreneur who greatly impacted the communications world of today but he was also a control freak who jealously guarded his Apple world from outside competition. He put great emphasis style and limited functionality where it strayed from his domain.

What, specifically makes you think that these were intentional and driven by Jobs's "policy"? Your post comes across as arbitrary speculation to me. So far you've only provided a generalization on how you perceive Jobs. Is that all there is to it or is there more?

Do you have some sort of technical understanding of the iPad that explains why you think these limitations were intentional despite the hardware and software being capable of much more?