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> And it's still cuss-word-excruciating to do something as simple as highlight a select few words out of a line (especially if they're in a overflow input field

> And it's still cuss-word-excruciating to do something as simple as highlight a select few words out of a line (especially if they're in a overflow input field), copy and then paste them. vs. > "I think there are lots of kinds of content that can be created on the iPad. When I am going to write that 35-page analyst report, I am going to want my Bluetooth keyboard. That’s 1 percent of the time. " Quoted from OP/Steve's. Aren't the functionality that you mention like highlighting, selecting, pasting text come within that 1% '35 page analyst report' frame that Steve indicated? IMHO, content created via iPad shouldn't be seen through lens of existing content, i.e text (HTML coded characters), images and plugins around it. Keyboard and desktops are good for that type of content. But with the iPad and tablets there could come by another form of content which rides on touches and gestures?

doktrin 13y ago
> Aren't the functionality you mention like highlighting, selecting, pasting text come within that 1% '35 page analyst report' frame Steve indicated? I can't speak for everyone's use case, but cutting and pasting text is certainly not something I only do at work or in 1% of situations. Sure, there are ways to circumvent it by building in functionality directly, but it's a consistent and jarring reminder of a touch screen's current limitations.
- monsterix 13y ago
  Yes, cut-paste is certainly a very fundamental functionality given the existing landscape of computers, existing content and the way people have expressed using the medium so far. I find typing on iPad's virtual keyboard clunky enough that I generally doodle my messages to my friends/wife when on the iPad. Good thing is that I am able to write in Hindi, my mother tongue, by doodling! Cut-paste experience on the iPad is horrible. It's not just clunky rather an impossible feat for my fingers given the text being in a small area that I want select and paste elsewhere.
danso 13y ago
You make a good point, but I'd argue that it doesn't necessarily counter mine. Because it may be that "highlighting, selecting, etc." are "1% functions" because of their physical difficulty. And the more difficult they become, the less likely we are to use them...in the same way that most sophisticated writers can forgive themselves for using "ttyl" when text messaging. Even when using the iPad (as I am now), I reflexively limit the work I put into expressing things...so whereas on a laptop I'd be using more quoted passages and linking to sources, on an iPad, I just avoid making comments that would require such complexities (so apologies for this poorly supported comment :) ) I think content on tablets/mobile should still be judged against content created via any other interface. However, we should recognize that the simplicity of what these touch/mobile devices produce is a strength worth respecting...how many memorable and powerful videos and photos have been captured thanks to the ubiquity and easy of the smartphone that never would've existed were we limited to full size cameras?

doktrin 13y ago

> Aren't the functionality you mention like highlighting, selecting, pasting text come within that 1% '35 page analyst report' frame Steve indicated? I can't speak for everyone's use case, but cutting and pasting text is certainly not something I only do at work or in 1% of situations. Sure, there are ways to circumvent it by building in functionality directly, but it's a consistent and jarring reminder of a touch screen's current limitations.

monsterix 13y ago
Yes, cut-paste is certainly a very fundamental functionality given the existing landscape of computers, existing content and the way people have expressed using the medium so far. I find typing on iPad's virtual keyboard clunky enough that I generally doodle my messages to my friends/wife when on the iPad. Good thing is that I am able to write in Hindi, my mother tongue, by doodling! Cut-paste experience on the iPad is horrible. It's not just clunky rather an impossible feat for my fingers given the text being in a small area that I want select and paste elsewhere.

danso 13y ago

You make a good point, but I'd argue that it doesn't necessarily counter mine. Because it may be that "highlighting, selecting, etc." are "1% functions" because of their physical difficulty. And the more difficult they become, the less likely we are to use them...in the same way that most sophisticated writers can forgive themselves for using "ttyl" when text messaging. Even when using the iPad (as I am now), I reflexively limit the work I put into expressing things...so whereas on a laptop I'd be using more quoted passages and linking to sources, on an iPad, I just avoid making comments that would require such complexities (so apologies for this poorly supported comment :) ) I think content on tablets/mobile should still be judged against content created via any other interface. However, we should recognize that the simplicity of what these touch/mobile devices produce is a strength worth respecting...how many memorable and powerful videos and photos have been captured thanks to the ubiquity and easy of the smartphone that never would've existed were we limited to full size cameras?