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No, it was just plainly a bad idea. It removed the physical function keys, which is a huge no-no overall. The initial version also lacked a physical Esc key.

No, it was just plainly a bad idea. It removed the physical function keys, which is a huge no-no overall. The initial version also lacked a physical Esc key. But the bigger issue was the notion that it was created in spite of having a conventional touchscreen on the laptop instead. Apple has been rather weird, petty, and immature about putting touch on Macs, stemming from Jobs' ill-conceived "your arm gets tired if you have touch on a laptop, boo hoo" speech which has never been correct and continues to be misconstrued as scientific when it isn't. Luckily, the market soundly rejected the Touch Bar and Apple is now due to release Macs with proper touch on them. It took a while, but this era of pretentiousness is over.

RattlesnakeJake 2mo ago
> Apple is now due to release Macs with proper touch on them. I'll believe this one when I see it. "The Year of the Touchscreen Mac" has been confidently predicted for almost as long as "The Year of the Linux Desktop."
- RattlesnakeJake 2mo ago
  ...and that just triggered a memory of the ModBook, a pre-iPad aftermarket conversion service that turned white MacBooks into large tablets: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modbook https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modbook
- LoganDark 2mo ago
  We're starting to see software-level touch support, things like screen mirroring being able to accept touch from iPads rather than only pen. So we are at least closer than we've ever been.
ranger_danger 2mo ago
I love the touch bar on my M2 and I'm sad that more software isn't aware of it. In my own applications I often put common functions on the touch bar and I like the convenience of it in that way. I think most people simply don't use the F-keys much so it's not usually that big of a problem.
sandcat_ 2mo ago
The main objection to touch on MacBooks so far is the software, by far. Apple may now, just about, be in a place where they could support it due to Catalyst, Apple Silicon and some of the latest UI changes in Tahoe. Back then, when they released the touch bar, they weren’t even close. Neither was Windows, though they shipped it anyway.
- happymellon 2mo ago
  What does Apple Silicon have to do with this, or are you saying that touch screens are impossible without that level of "innovation"?
  - deleted 2mo ago
    [deleted]
  - sandcat_ 2mo ago
    It allows iPad apps to run natively on macOS. Before Catalyst and later Apple Silicon, there were no touch-native apps for macOS.
gherkinnn 2mo ago
> It removed the physical function keys, which is a huge no-no overall. Is it? Really? I'd wager most touch bar users never used the F keys and use the volume, media playback, and screen brightness mapping instead. Inb4 it says "pro" on the lid
- carlosjobim 2mo ago
  But you lose those keys as well. A volume roller on the side of the laptop would be nice.

RattlesnakeJake 2mo ago

> Apple is now due to release Macs with proper touch on them. I'll believe this one when I see it. "The Year of the Touchscreen Mac" has been confidently predicted for almost as long as "The Year of the Linux Desktop."

RattlesnakeJake 2mo ago
...and that just triggered a memory of the ModBook, a pre-iPad aftermarket conversion service that turned white MacBooks into large tablets: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modbook https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modbook
LoganDark 2mo ago
We're starting to see software-level touch support, things like screen mirroring being able to accept touch from iPads rather than only pen. So we are at least closer than we've ever been.

ranger_danger 2mo ago

I love the touch bar on my M2 and I'm sad that more software isn't aware of it. In my own applications I often put common functions on the touch bar and I like the convenience of it in that way. I think most people simply don't use the F-keys much so it's not usually that big of a problem.

sandcat_ 2mo ago

The main objection to touch on MacBooks so far is the software, by far. Apple may now, just about, be in a place where they could support it due to Catalyst, Apple Silicon and some of the latest UI changes in Tahoe. Back then, when they released the touch bar, they weren’t even close. Neither was Windows, though they shipped it anyway.

happymellon 2mo ago
What does Apple Silicon have to do with this, or are you saying that touch screens are impossible without that level of "innovation"?
- deleted 2mo ago
  [deleted]
- sandcat_ 2mo ago
  It allows iPad apps to run natively on macOS. Before Catalyst and later Apple Silicon, there were no touch-native apps for macOS.

gherkinnn 2mo ago

> It removed the physical function keys, which is a huge no-no overall. Is it? Really? I'd wager most touch bar users never used the F keys and use the volume, media playback, and screen brightness mapping instead. Inb4 it says "pro" on the lid

carlosjobim 2mo ago
But you lose those keys as well. A volume roller on the side of the laptop would be nice.