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This is a big complaint I have about iOS. One day I get a notification telling me that my cloud drive is almost out of space so I go to clean it out using the f

This is a big complaint I have about iOS. One day I get a notification telling me that my cloud drive is almost out of space so I go to clean it out using the finder, and I find like 4 empty folders. An hour later I realize I have a bunch of photos synced, but I they're only viewable/removable through the photos app (somehow this includes images that I downloaded). It feels like such a poorly designed system.

zepto 5y ago
Yes, the finder predates cloud syncing and is not designed for managing storage space. iOS has a built in tool for managing storage space, which is much better.
- superbaconman 5y ago
  What tool is that? It sounds useful.
  - fouc 5y ago
    I think they're referring to Settings > General > Storage or something like that
- yboris 5y ago
  It might be much better, but it's atrocious! I open up storage and it shows 10+ GB under "other" with zero transparency and no method for cleaning anything out.
  - zepto 5y ago
    Presumably that is system stuff that can’t be deleted without causing problems. I don’t see what is wrong with reporting that to you.
    - asdff 5y ago
      In my experience usually its cache from installed apps. It would be nice to clear it or see which applications it belongs to easily.
      - zepto 5y ago
        Well, clearing it depends on whether the app is designed to handle that. Since iOS gives app developers the option, we must assume that what is in that area is not designed to be cleared. I agree it would be nice to see more detail about it, but for almost nobody is thus actually relevant.
        Nevermark 5y ago
        > we must assume that what is in that area is not designed to be cleared. > it would be nice to see more detail about it, but for almost nobody is thus actually relevant. It is relevant to anyone running out of storage. And it is always actionable to know which apps, services or system features are using how much. Also, transparency, as usual, applies constructive pressure on developers inside and outside Apple to be more efficient when users can look over their shoulders at the user resources they are taking.
        zepto 5y ago
        > Also, transparency, as usual, applies constructive pressure on developers inside and outside Apple to be more efficient when users can look over their shoulders at the user resources they are taking. You can’t be serious that this is a major concern for either users or developers.
        Nevermark 5y ago
        Knowing how much storage an app uses, or how much battery power an app uses isn't relevant to users or developers? Have you heard of mobile computing? Of course people care.
tyingq 5y ago
I am curious about how far Apple might delve into the iOS-ification of their MacOS line. Mac is a much smaller amount of revenue, probably at a much lower margin than everything else they make money on. I think for least at some leaders at Apple, MacOS is "the thing that runs Xcode to make apps for iOS".
- billiam 5y ago
  Until Xcode is sucked into Github Codespaces.
  - DelightOne 5y ago
    How does that work?
  - pjmlp 5y ago
    You mean Xcode Cloud. :)
jqpabc123 5y ago
It feels like such a poorly designed system. Or how about a system designed with intentional obfuscation as a means of selling more storage?
- robbedpeter 5y ago
  1. Claim users can't be trusted not to screw things up. 2. Prevent users from learning how to properly use their device. 3. Exploit the resulting user ignorance. 4. Profit!
  - jqpabc123 5y ago
    Yes, that sounds like the plan. Fortunately, I was exposed to this early on when a family member wanted to move their music from iTunes to a non-Apple phone. You would think storing music would be fairly simple and straight forward --- sorted by artist, album and track or something similar. Not so with Apple. What came from iTunes was so arcane and obtuse that I was convinced it could only be intentional obfuscation. And I decided then and there to avoid playing in their sandbox.
ryandrake 5y ago
It's as if developers have this internal conversation: "Hmm, I need a way to store user- and system-provided data persistently to disk. They need to be looked-up by name, and maybe searchable. Some kind of 'system' for storing 'files'. Hmmmm... If only the computer had something like this... Oh, I know! I'll put them in a sqlite database!" Facepalm

zepto 5y ago

Yes, the finder predates cloud syncing and is not designed for managing storage space. iOS has a built in tool for managing storage space, which is much better.

superbaconman 5y ago
What tool is that? It sounds useful.
- fouc 5y ago
  I think they're referring to Settings > General > Storage or something like that
yboris 5y ago
It might be much better, but it's atrocious! I open up storage and it shows 10+ GB under "other" with zero transparency and no method for cleaning anything out.
- zepto 5y ago
  Presumably that is system stuff that can’t be deleted without causing problems. I don’t see what is wrong with reporting that to you.
  - asdff 5y ago
    In my experience usually its cache from installed apps. It would be nice to clear it or see which applications it belongs to easily.
    - zepto 5y ago
      Well, clearing it depends on whether the app is designed to handle that. Since iOS gives app developers the option, we must assume that what is in that area is not designed to be cleared. I agree it would be nice to see more detail about it, but for almost nobody is thus actually relevant.
      - Nevermark 5y ago
        > we must assume that what is in that area is not designed to be cleared. > it would be nice to see more detail about it, but for almost nobody is thus actually relevant. It is relevant to anyone running out of storage. And it is always actionable to know which apps, services or system features are using how much. Also, transparency, as usual, applies constructive pressure on developers inside and outside Apple to be more efficient when users can look over their shoulders at the user resources they are taking.
        zepto 5y ago
        > Also, transparency, as usual, applies constructive pressure on developers inside and outside Apple to be more efficient when users can look over their shoulders at the user resources they are taking. You can’t be serious that this is a major concern for either users or developers.
        Nevermark 5y ago
        Knowing how much storage an app uses, or how much battery power an app uses isn't relevant to users or developers? Have you heard of mobile computing? Of course people care.

tyingq 5y ago

I am curious about how far Apple might delve into the iOS-ification of their MacOS line. Mac is a much smaller amount of revenue, probably at a much lower margin than everything else they make money on. I think for least at some leaders at Apple, MacOS is "the thing that runs Xcode to make apps for iOS".

billiam 5y ago
Until Xcode is sucked into Github Codespaces.
- DelightOne 5y ago
  How does that work?
- pjmlp 5y ago
  You mean Xcode Cloud. :)

jqpabc123 5y ago

It feels like such a poorly designed system. Or how about a system designed with intentional obfuscation as a means of selling more storage?

robbedpeter 5y ago
1. Claim users can't be trusted not to screw things up. 2. Prevent users from learning how to properly use their device. 3. Exploit the resulting user ignorance. 4. Profit!
- jqpabc123 5y ago
  Yes, that sounds like the plan. Fortunately, I was exposed to this early on when a family member wanted to move their music from iTunes to a non-Apple phone. You would think storing music would be fairly simple and straight forward --- sorted by artist, album and track or something similar. Not so with Apple. What came from iTunes was so arcane and obtuse that I was convinced it could only be intentional obfuscation. And I decided then and there to avoid playing in their sandbox.

ryandrake 5y ago

It's as if developers have this internal conversation: "Hmm, I need a way to store user- and system-provided data persistently to disk. They need to be looked-up by name, and maybe searchable. Some kind of 'system' for storing 'files'. Hmmmm... If only the computer had something like this... Oh, I know! I'll put them in a sqlite database!" Facepalm