Elevators & Airplanes

Designed to perform a multitude of actions, the computer is jack of all trades and master of none. Why should we rethink this idea, and how have apple approached this problem?

“Ed Finkler:

When folks need an elevator, we should give them an elevator, not an airplane. We’ve been giving them airplanes for 30 years, and then laughing at them for being too stupid to fly them right.”

There’s been a lot of talk about the pros and cons of apples soon to be released iPad. Lack of multi-tasking grabing many of the headlines. The above quote I believe highlights beautifully the problem with technology that most consumers have - to do anything, I need to know how to do everything.

If you are a typical computer geek then you will look at the ipad and see limitations. Is that a bad thing? Should we be able to do everything with it we can do with any other computer? I for one am glad somebody has had the bottle to stand up and say “enough is enough”. There are millions of people whose use of a computer consists of :

1) Turn on.

2) Wait for it to boot.

3) Check email

4) Login to facebook

5) occasionally do some online shopping.

6) YouTube/hulu/BBC iplayer

Why should those people be criticised for ‘using an elevator’ when others use an airplane?

A computer is a tool used to do a job, if you were a mechanic doing a job on a car you get the right tool for that task. A computer is no different.