Linux 2013

[madoba]

This article makes no mention of Linux moving to tablet PC's. To me this is where the PC market is moving in 2012. The personal computer in my opinion, will continue to fall out of favor for smaller more mobile touch screen devices and move more people to the cloud.

Look at all the tablet PC's they are now availabe with android?

After reading the article linux 2013, the article will be obsolete by 2013.

[Ram]

You've got to be joking... its bad enough I have to keep cleaning my phone screen, I don't want to start doing that every 5 minutes on my Desktop, Laptop or Netbook.

I don't own a tablet and I currenty don't intend getting one.

[Marrea]

You've got to be joking... its bad enough I have to keep cleaning my phone screen, I don't want to start doing that every 5 minutes on my Desktop, Laptop or Netbook.

And I thought I was the only one! I used to freak out at work if I came back to my desk and found someone had stuck a post-it note right in the middle of my monitor screen. I had to display a notice permanently by my computer saying if you must leave a post-it note on my screen please stick it on the surround, not on the surface of the screen itself.

I too cannot summon up any enthusiasm for tablets or, for that matter, mobile devices generally - apart from possessing a fairly basic mobile phone which I use purely for making and receiving phone calls and sending the odd text now and again. Sad I know, but there it is.

But then I suppose I am of the wrong generation to be excited by such things!

[Rhakios]

I'd offer to lend you Asus tablet to change your mind, but I like it too much.
Tablets aren't good for everything, even the Transformer I have, with the keyboard attached, isn't much fun for large amounts of typing, but it does make NetBooks redundant. They are however, good for causal sitting-room web browsing, reading (though probably not for hours at a time), having something to hand around to show people pictures or film clips and the like.
Depending on what someone wants from a computer, then in some cases a tablet would be adequate. I regard mine as a pleasant addition to my collection.

[heiowge]

If I had a choice between a touchscreen interface for my desktop and a keyboard / mouse interface, I wouldn't touch the tablet with a barge pole. Sure it can be useful, but Its rubbish for precision.

I'm far better at angry birds on the PC than on the tablet (my brother has one).

[madoba]

I'd offer to lend you Asus tablet to change your mind, but I like it too much.

or an iPad 2 would change their mind. I just got one for christmas. It's awesome and I'll admit, it's the motivation behind my post. I've been reading linuxformat for about a year and never understood why someone would want to use the cloud, but now I see the light.

In the future the only ones to touch a Desktop will be computer Geeks, IT workers and computer Science Majors; the masses will soon be leaving it behind. For most people, and for most activities, (social media, communications) and with the cloud offering storage and processing for music, photos and documents, a small portable device like the Ipad is the wave of the future.

Another point, why would poor developing nations want to adopt old bulky linux computers for the classroom, when they can get a slick cheap tablet complete with textbooks.

And now Google is entering the market and will be coming out with a $200 Google/Motorola Tablet in 6 months.

These developments are so not so good for the Linux Desktop, but on the bright side it's not good for windows either.

[Bazza]

I'm with Ram on this one.

My mum has just got an iPad2 and she loves it - ATM!

But I still cannot see what it can do my netbook can't.

My netbook _CAN_ certainly do things that the iPad can't...

Arduino USB/Serial is but one...

And the day a portable, (read mobile, /Me shakes my head),
'phone can measure DC/AC Volts, Amps, Resistance and
Capacitance and other related measurements will become
the day of the Second Coming...

(My netbook can with _ultra-simple_ home brew add-ons and
even more _ultra-simple_ software using text mode Python.)

I await the Second Coming with the iPhone(infinity)........

But I guess I'll be dead before then...

[Rhakios]

I wouldn't touch the tablet with a barge pole.

Of course not, that just wouldn't work... unless you put a sausage on the end of the bargepole.

[Rhakios]

My netbook _CAN_ certainly do things that the iPad can't...

Arduino USB/Serial is but one...

You did notice what the OP said about geeks being one of the exceptions?

[Bazza]

Hi Rhakios...

> You did notice what the OP said about geeks being one
> of the exceptions?

I did, but I just had to put in my two pennoth. ;o)

However what can any _pad_ do that my netbook can't?

[Marrea]

or an iPad 2 would change their mind.

No sorry, I'm afraid it wouldn't!

In the future the only ones to touch a Desktop will be computer Geeks, IT workers and computer Science Majors;

I am none of these and I sincerely hope for some considerable time yet I will have the option of being able to use a conventional computer for my main tasks of word processing and digital imaging.

a small portable device like the Ipad is the wave of the future.

Not for me. Absolutely useless for doing detailed selections and other such intricate photoshop work.

[PCNetSpec]

For me .. until someone comes up with a "good" replacement for a physical keyboard and mouse, tablets will remain a gimmick.

Yes I know there are Bluetooth/USB keyboards and mice, and cradles for the tablet, but then they're no longer so portable and have lost any benefit over a netbook or laptop.

Useful toy, yes .. Serious workhorse, nah.

Though it has been pointed out to me that they can be ideal for lugging around to monitor server connections/status, etc.

[Rhakios]

However what can any _pad_ do that my netbook can't?

It can do less - and as you should know, often less is more.
<insert mock-cryptic smilie here>

[Dutch_Master]

unless you put a sausage on the end of the bargepole.

But don't complain about thick fingers then...

[nelz]

However what can any _pad_ do that my netbook can't?

Display hi-res video. The display on my Transformer is far superior to any netbook I have used, both in quality and resolution.

It is also substantially lighter and thinner and has a MUCH better battery life. All of these are important for a mobile device.

That said, I'm sending this from my netbook, horses for courses and all that.