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I do get your point, but I don't agree it supports the thesis that there's a "regression" happening. Broadly, I could see two situations in which people only g

I do get your point, but I don't agree it supports the thesis that there's a "regression" happening. Broadly, I could see two situations in which people only get a phone and have no computer: either "poor" countries, where they can't afford a computer and will get a phone that's better than nothing, and very affluent ones where they'll just get a phone or tablet and not care. Although I'm not sure that this second category has no computer. While I do sympathize with this, and I think that it would more likely than not allow people to discover this curiosity by, as you say, being fascinated with how flexible phones would be, my point is somewhat different: this isn't "going back". Phones never were open. And I'm pretty sure that the people who can't afford a computer now couldn't afford one in the 90s. As such, for me, this is more of a lost opportunity to progress rather than a regression.

shaan7 6y ago
[for simplicity, I'm using the term "computer" as a desktop/laptop computer] > Phones never were open They certainly were more open than today. It was much easier to fiddle around with the software with smartphones that Nokia used to have, for example. Both iOS and Android were easier in that respect, too. So there's clearly been a regression there. However, if you meant "phones were never as open as PCs", ah yes then I agree. > As such, for me, this is more of a lost opportunity to progress rather than a regression. I would agree with the spirit of that, but the problem is that a lot of computers are actually being "dumbed down" so that they are more similar to phones simply because a larger population is used to them. For example most young people might not find it weird if some day MS or Apple make it painfully difficult to install PC/Mac apps from outside their stores. You're right we are not there yet (yay?), but we seem to be moving towards that.
- Talanes 6y ago
  >It was much easier to fiddle around with the software with smartphones that Nokia used to have Uh, as a young person during that time, I think there may have been one kid in my high school who was the right combination of nerdy and well-off to get a smartphone. It was still cool if your flip-phone came with any internet-connected features at all.

shaan7 6y ago

[for simplicity, I'm using the term "computer" as a desktop/laptop computer] > Phones never were open They certainly were more open than today. It was much easier to fiddle around with the software with smartphones that Nokia used to have, for example. Both iOS and Android were easier in that respect, too. So there's clearly been a regression there. However, if you meant "phones were never as open as PCs", ah yes then I agree. > As such, for me, this is more of a lost opportunity to progress rather than a regression. I would agree with the spirit of that, but the problem is that a lot of computers are actually being "dumbed down" so that they are more similar to phones simply because a larger population is used to them. For example most young people might not find it weird if some day MS or Apple make it painfully difficult to install PC/Mac apps from outside their stores. You're right we are not there yet (yay?), but we seem to be moving towards that.

Talanes 6y ago
>It was much easier to fiddle around with the software with smartphones that Nokia used to have Uh, as a young person during that time, I think there may have been one kid in my high school who was the right combination of nerdy and well-off to get a smartphone. It was still cool if your flip-phone came with any internet-connected features at all.