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I used my wife who is an assistant, not a developer or engineer. Exactly what jobs that currently utilize a personal computer do you see being able to be move e

by ebbv 9y ago

I used my wife who is an assistant, not a developer or engineer. Exactly what jobs that currently utilize a personal computer do you see being able to be move entirely to a smart phone? If you're so insistent they exist, please supply some examples. > You see that once you have to build solutions for the masses. I have been a professional software developer for 20 years, my friend. I have worked on products at every level. Please stop being so patronizing.

ThomPete 9y ago
And I have been working with this for 25 years so what? That's not relevant as this is a fairly recent development. You keep missing the larger point and you are mixing two discussions. You wrote and I quote "Good column but this ongoing idea that the smartphone is the new personal computer is wrong. It's a different type of device." What you are forgetting in all this is that people who never used computers before for their work are now using smartphones and tablets instead, what they are replacing is mostly pen and paper. Construction sites, drivers, inspectors etc. They skipped the personal computer and moved directly to smartphone. No one is claiming that people don't use computers, what is being claimed and what is right is that people are increasingly using smartphones for things they used to use computers for and that some people are going directly to smartphones instead. Which means that in the overall economy which is what Mossbergs article was about, the phone is the primary computation device for most people and that even in areas where the computer is a primary device the mobile takes over more and more of that work. Thats the point and isn't negated by some notion that your wife use a computer for some of her work. With regards to whether the smartphone is a different device then you are arguing against yourself as you just said your wife uses it for things she also do on her computer. Not sure where you get the patronizing tone from. The numbers speak for themselves both when it comes to webstats, sales stats, usage etc.
- kpxxx 9y ago
  > Not sure where you get the patronizing tone from. This would be a start: > Most people doesn't have your or my kind of work. And even those that do will be able to use their phone on any screen at some point. Nice assumption there. > The numbers speak for themselves both when it comes to webstats, sales stats, usage etc. How so... You make it sound so obvious. Webstats, sales stats, usage... you'll need to elaborate. The sales stats of smartphones vs desktop/laptop really doesn't by itself prove declining use or a shift in use. In my industry (which is not tech BTW, so stuff that notion), almost everything across levels in mostly desktop and average age of devices nearing 10 years - this refutes the relevance of sales stats. Primary software is all "native desktop", and real desktop, not some fucking Electron app, not a web app. There are players in this industry that are trying to shift to tablet/smartphone with cloud apps, but they have made little actual conversion - ie it is a rounding error. Webstats are not an issue. No the numbers don't speak for themselves. Continue implying I'm an idiot that knows nothing outside tech (ha!), or explain. > some people are going directly to smartphones instead. "some people" are always doing something. > primary device the mobile takes over more and more of that work. The other argument is that mobile devices have augmented many things without significantly replacing existing systems. And really, while that is all fine, if critical things are still dependent on the "old tech" than it is a counter to the significance of a mobile invasion. From personal experience, in a few industries, in 2017, you could make all the smartphones disappear and people would be sad and there would be some significant efficiency losses, but things would move one. On the other hand, make the old PC infrastructure disappear and everything goes to hell. That I felt was, in part, the gist of the OP's arguments and I agree. I think you're a prick. You certainly come off that way in text. > You see that once you have to build solutions for the masses. Oh and I'm going to opine based on your generalizing assertions that your definition of masses must be more limited than you think. Unless you mean masses as "media consumers", in which case I'll just say it is not a small industry, but it is a minor part of the economy.
  - ThomPete 9y ago
    So instead of arguments you resort to name calling. Oh well. Have a great day. Must be nice to have two handles so you can downvote arguments you dont like.

by ebbv 9y ago

ThomPete 9y ago

And I have been working with this for 25 years so what? That's not relevant as this is a fairly recent development. You keep missing the larger point and you are mixing two discussions. You wrote and I quote "Good column but this ongoing idea that the smartphone is the new personal computer is wrong. It's a different type of device." What you are forgetting in all this is that people who never used computers before for their work are now using smartphones and tablets instead, what they are replacing is mostly pen and paper. Construction sites, drivers, inspectors etc. They skipped the personal computer and moved directly to smartphone. No one is claiming that people don't use computers, what is being claimed and what is right is that people are increasingly using smartphones for things they used to use computers for and that some people are going directly to smartphones instead. Which means that in the overall economy which is what Mossbergs article was about, the phone is the primary computation device for most people and that even in areas where the computer is a primary device the mobile takes over more and more of that work. Thats the point and isn't negated by some notion that your wife use a computer for some of her work. With regards to whether the smartphone is a different device then you are arguing against yourself as you just said your wife uses it for things she also do on her computer. Not sure where you get the patronizing tone from. The numbers speak for themselves both when it comes to webstats, sales stats, usage etc.

kpxxx 9y ago
> Not sure where you get the patronizing tone from. This would be a start: > Most people doesn't have your or my kind of work. And even those that do will be able to use their phone on any screen at some point. Nice assumption there. > The numbers speak for themselves both when it comes to webstats, sales stats, usage etc. How so... You make it sound so obvious. Webstats, sales stats, usage... you'll need to elaborate. The sales stats of smartphones vs desktop/laptop really doesn't by itself prove declining use or a shift in use. In my industry (which is not tech BTW, so stuff that notion), almost everything across levels in mostly desktop and average age of devices nearing 10 years - this refutes the relevance of sales stats. Primary software is all "native desktop", and real desktop, not some fucking Electron app, not a web app. There are players in this industry that are trying to shift to tablet/smartphone with cloud apps, but they have made little actual conversion - ie it is a rounding error. Webstats are not an issue. No the numbers don't speak for themselves. Continue implying I'm an idiot that knows nothing outside tech (ha!), or explain. > some people are going directly to smartphones instead. "some people" are always doing something. > primary device the mobile takes over more and more of that work. The other argument is that mobile devices have augmented many things without significantly replacing existing systems. And really, while that is all fine, if critical things are still dependent on the "old tech" than it is a counter to the significance of a mobile invasion. From personal experience, in a few industries, in 2017, you could make all the smartphones disappear and people would be sad and there would be some significant efficiency losses, but things would move one. On the other hand, make the old PC infrastructure disappear and everything goes to hell. That I felt was, in part, the gist of the OP's arguments and I agree. I think you're a prick. You certainly come off that way in text. > You see that once you have to build solutions for the masses. Oh and I'm going to opine based on your generalizing assertions that your definition of masses must be more limited than you think. Unless you mean masses as "media consumers", in which case I'll just say it is not a small industry, but it is a minor part of the economy.
- ThomPete 9y ago
  So instead of arguments you resort to name calling. Oh well. Have a great day. Must be nice to have two handles so you can downvote arguments you dont like.