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voidfuncyesterday at 12:20 AM6 repliesview on HN

What youre describing is called iOS on a large iPad. Everyone from 4 year olds to my 77 year old computer illiterate Dad can figure it out.

This doesn't look very usable at all by someone who isn't basically a computer nerd.


Replies

Nextgridyesterday at 1:25 AM

True in theory, but in practice due to our economy being based on growth at all costs, iOS doesn’t really fit the bill anymore.

Nowadays even iOS will randomly change its UI and send you “notifications” or “suggestions” (modern euphemism for “ads”) to subscribe to Apple TV* or iCloud.

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hu3yesterday at 12:06 PM

You mean the OS that "upgraded" to transparent background, sometimes hard to read text by default?

I can't recommend those in good concience ton elders anymore.

Kids always figure it out tho.

bitexplodertoday at 3:15 AM

iOS is tremendously more complex than it used to be. Still relatively easy to use but it has definitely lost the simplicity edge.

Razenganyesterday at 5:41 AM

> What youre describing is called iOS on a large iPad.

iPad was my gateway drug into Apple when I got it as a gift for my aunt and saw how easy and intuitive it was to use, and also to develop for.

Then after Jobs' whip fell from his cold hands they went into the realm of "mystery meat" menus and arcane gestures where swiping from seemingly every different angle of the screen edge does something different. Swipe from the top-right corner to get the Control Center, but swipe from the center-top to see the Notifications?? Yeah not gonna bother training an elder on that. I can't dare get my mom a modern iPhone now where she has to swipe up to unlock: it has be an iPhone SE, the last iPhones with a Home button.

I am the filthiest of nerds but I still can't get myself to remember how the heck iPad multitasking works. Apparently they can't either, they changed it again in 26 and now I can't easily get Notes etc. by swiping in from the side when watching a video etc. and I haven't bothered to look up how to do that now.

In any case all this only shows that attempting a one-size-fits-all UI can't really go all the way. iPhones/iPad have had a respectable run, they were lucky to have an OS Usability tyrant in charge, but maybe it's time to accept that UIs need an option for Simple vs Expert or something.

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honeybadger1yesterday at 12:39 AM

I agree with you. I see this as a passion project, and I think it's really cool.

hulituyesterday at 7:57 PM

> What youre describing is called iOS on a large iPad.

Is iOS able to work with files ? Asking for a friend. /s