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>they're not designed to work that way. It would be more accurate to say that they are designed not to work that way. In modern times, every limited-purpose in

>they're not designed to work that way. It would be more accurate to say that they are designed not to work that way. In modern times, every limited-purpose internet-connected gadget is actually a general-purpose computer that has been deliberately crippled. The reason you can't run arbitrary software on "your" iPad is because they have locked it down so Apple owns the hardware, not you.

amelius 2y ago
Yes, the iPad is a vending machine, owned and run by Apple, but paid for by you, the customer.
- scarface_74 2y ago
  I have the option of paying for every subscription service I use on my iPad without paying Apple a dime - ChatGPT, Google drive, Office 365, every streaming service, Kindle books etc
  - NoPicklez 2y ago
    So do I, I just don't sign up for the subscription through Apple's services but natively through the provider.
    - scarface_74 2y ago
      Yes. But if the price is the same, it’s much easier to manage subscriptions through Apple. Many don’t allow you to subscribe through Apple.
      - NoPicklez 2y ago
        Many don't allow you to subscribe through Apple because Apple charges them a fee for doing so. Even as an Apple fanboy I can understand why they would pull native sign ups through Apple.
  - amelius 2y ago
    That's because the content provider is forced to pay Apple, and they are doing it with your money of course.
    - scarface_74 2y ago
      That’s just the point - when you pay outside the App Store, Apple gets no money for the subscription
  - ForHackernews 2y ago
    Can you even use an iPad without an Apple cloud account? Can you install anything on it?
    - scarface_74 2y ago
      What’s wrong with using thier “cloud account”? The issue I was addressing is that subscription based services and software can be paid outside of the App Store and a lot of them don’t have an option to pay through the App Store like Netflix and Spotify.
NoPicklez 2y ago
I think we need to look at this in terms of what was the stock product originally designed to do, as opposed to with unlimited skills and expertise what COULD I do with this general purpose computer that most others wouldn't be doing. A Macbook is a laptop, an iPad is a touch screen tablet. It doesn't matter how much I COULD rip it apart and reshape it, they were originally intended to be used differently. Buying one and expecting it to function the same way as the other is fine, but if it doesn't who is to blame. I could buy a hatchback to travel and sleep in, but I'd probably need to buy a caravan and perhaps replace the engine to tow it and add a tow bar. Whereas I could just buy a caravan. Complaining I can't convert the hatchback into a capable van is beside the original point.
- aleph_minus_one 2y ago
  > Complaining I can't convert the hatchback into a capable van is beside the original point. This is Hacker News. A hacker is someone who tries to find a way to make toast using a coffee maker.
  - NoPicklez 2y ago
    Right, but we're not discussing an article written by someone on Hackernews but The Register
    - aleph_minus_one 2y ago
      But we are discussing the article on Hacker News. :-)
- ForHackernews 2y ago
  The form factor is irrelevant: an iPad, a macbook, a tivo, a smart fridge, a raspberry Pi - they're all Turing-complete systems that can (in principle) execute any arbitrary code that can be compiled for that architecture. It has nothing to do with ripping out engines or tearing anything apart. If Apple didn't deliberately prevent you from installing unsigned software or operating systems, you'd be able to do that. A much better analogy would be the engine governor installed by manufacturers to prevent a car from going as fast as the hardware otherwise could.
throwaway290 2y ago
> In modern times, every limited-purpose internet-connected gadget is actually a general-purpose computer that has been deliberately crippled. The reason you can't run arbitrary software on "your" iPad is because they have locked it down so Apple owns the hardware, not you. So you also blame Microsoft or Samsung for not letting you do this on an xbox or some fridge with a screen?:)
- ForHackernews 2y ago
  Yes, of course. I try to avoid buying nerfed toys. I'm mildly concerned that general-purpose computers able to run unsigned code will disappear from the marketplace in the next 15-20 years.

amelius 2y ago

Yes, the iPad is a vending machine, owned and run by Apple, but paid for by you, the customer.

scarface_74 2y ago
I have the option of paying for every subscription service I use on my iPad without paying Apple a dime - ChatGPT, Google drive, Office 365, every streaming service, Kindle books etc
- NoPicklez 2y ago
  So do I, I just don't sign up for the subscription through Apple's services but natively through the provider.
  - scarface_74 2y ago
    Yes. But if the price is the same, it’s much easier to manage subscriptions through Apple. Many don’t allow you to subscribe through Apple.
    - NoPicklez 2y ago
      Many don't allow you to subscribe through Apple because Apple charges them a fee for doing so. Even as an Apple fanboy I can understand why they would pull native sign ups through Apple.
- amelius 2y ago
  That's because the content provider is forced to pay Apple, and they are doing it with your money of course.
  - scarface_74 2y ago
    That’s just the point - when you pay outside the App Store, Apple gets no money for the subscription
- ForHackernews 2y ago
  Can you even use an iPad without an Apple cloud account? Can you install anything on it?
  - scarface_74 2y ago
    What’s wrong with using thier “cloud account”? The issue I was addressing is that subscription based services and software can be paid outside of the App Store and a lot of them don’t have an option to pay through the App Store like Netflix and Spotify.

NoPicklez 2y ago

I think we need to look at this in terms of what was the stock product originally designed to do, as opposed to with unlimited skills and expertise what COULD I do with this general purpose computer that most others wouldn't be doing. A Macbook is a laptop, an iPad is a touch screen tablet. It doesn't matter how much I COULD rip it apart and reshape it, they were originally intended to be used differently. Buying one and expecting it to function the same way as the other is fine, but if it doesn't who is to blame. I could buy a hatchback to travel and sleep in, but I'd probably need to buy a caravan and perhaps replace the engine to tow it and add a tow bar. Whereas I could just buy a caravan. Complaining I can't convert the hatchback into a capable van is beside the original point.

aleph_minus_one 2y ago
> Complaining I can't convert the hatchback into a capable van is beside the original point. This is Hacker News. A hacker is someone who tries to find a way to make toast using a coffee maker.
- NoPicklez 2y ago
  Right, but we're not discussing an article written by someone on Hackernews but The Register
  - aleph_minus_one 2y ago
    But we are discussing the article on Hacker News. :-)
ForHackernews 2y ago
The form factor is irrelevant: an iPad, a macbook, a tivo, a smart fridge, a raspberry Pi - they're all Turing-complete systems that can (in principle) execute any arbitrary code that can be compiled for that architecture. It has nothing to do with ripping out engines or tearing anything apart. If Apple didn't deliberately prevent you from installing unsigned software or operating systems, you'd be able to do that. A much better analogy would be the engine governor installed by manufacturers to prevent a car from going as fast as the hardware otherwise could.

throwaway290 2y ago

> In modern times, every limited-purpose internet-connected gadget is actually a general-purpose computer that has been deliberately crippled. The reason you can't run arbitrary software on "your" iPad is because they have locked it down so Apple owns the hardware, not you. So you also blame Microsoft or Samsung for not letting you do this on an xbox or some fridge with a screen?:)

ForHackernews 2y ago
Yes, of course. I try to avoid buying nerfed toys. I'm mildly concerned that general-purpose computers able to run unsigned code will disappear from the marketplace in the next 15-20 years.