I haven't found the ability to use it much in the same way I use my Air. Perhaps I didn't try hard enough or don't know the right setup. But given the computational power of the iPad and the limited tasks I use my Air for (browsing the web, slide making, latex writing, minor computational tasks, etc), I see no reason why I shouldn't be able to do all this on the iPad just as easily.

I know some will say "well that's not what an iPad is for" and I just have to ask "why not?" I think there are a lot of people that want some machine where there's a detachable keyboard, can work mostly like a computer, but also can work like a tablet. When tablets were first made, they had to make compromises because of the computation and architecture limits. But those limitations don't really exist anymore.

Also that tablet functionality shouldn't be weirdly hindered. Like why can't I draw on the screen? I can do that on my computer with my mouse but not the device where they sell a $100 pencil? Shouldn't that be the "magic" where I can present anything and communicate better? What if I want to pull up a webpage and then we need to highlight or talk about things? Why do I need a ton of apps to do what one of the key points the iPad is literally marketed for? Taking notes? Who doesn't have GoodNotes or Notability? (both of which strangely lack features) That's a low fucking bar and even the new OS doesn't do a great job. But this should have been there on day 1. Seriously: give me a way to make folders and organize (mine does not let me have subfolders! If you want to go all out, allow me to connect notes to PDFs! Even better if I can link note sections to PDF sections!), and just give me a few modifiable templates (blank, lines, grids. Then let me change the two colors and spacing. You can't tell me this isn't trivial to expose to the user. We're programmers, this shit doesn't need to be hard coded, though presets are good to have). And give me an infinite scrolling sheet too. That's all I need. Other things are nice, but this core functionality is missing in the Apple native Notes and Pages (but more exists if I simply open up a PDF directly, though what do I do when I can't write in the margins?!). I don't get where the disconnect is. I often hear these same complaints from other academics and from students. It just feels like the people in charge of making decisions aren't actually using the product.

And the worst part of it all is, why isn't anyone making a different better product? It seems like Microsoft, Google, and Samsung are stuck in the same similar feedback loops.

I don't know about you all, but the reason I started programming and the main reason I still program is because I need to make things that don't yet exist. Sometimes it can be a small specific task. Maybe it is that I need something to function differently than it does because I have unique situations or tastes. It used to be that companies couldn't keep us out from modifying things. But it begs the question as to why keep us out in the first place? Especially Apple. To market themselves as the brand of creativity, yet there is only "The Apple Way." You'd think that those that grew up hacking machines and seeing the power and utility in modifiability would take those lessons and build them into the core of products. I understand protecting dumb users, but you can have advanced menus. But it is that exploration and adaption that is at the core of humanity and creativity. That's why I'm passionate here. Because tech can do so much more.