Linked by Thom Holwerda on Mon 18th Oct 2010 16:00 UTC
An interesting discussion is currently raging through the world of computing, or more accurately, through the world of bloggers and analysts. It basically comes down to this: should the iPad be included in laptop and desktop sales figures? If it is included - Apple becomes the largest PC manufacturer in the United States. But, if the iPad should be included - why not the modern smartphone?
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RE[4]: It cannot be included
by Drumhellar on Mon 18th Oct 2010 20:10
in reply to "RE[3]: It cannot be included"
Member since:2005-07-12
Atleast in Finland laptop systems without optical drives are becoming more and more common. Are they not PCs then?
Do they meet a significant number of other PC characteristics, such as upgradability, expansion, and choice of software to run?
Everybody in this forum arguing in favor of the iPad being considered a PC seems to be arguing:
There are hard-and-fast rules on what makes a PC a PC, and violation of a single rule makes a system not a PC (Thus making a whole range of PCs suddenly not-PCs, which isn't correct), or, following only a single rule makes it a PC (despite only obeying a rule slightly).
RE[5]: It cannot be included
by WereCatf on Mon 18th Oct 2010 20:18
in reply to "RE[4]: It cannot be included"
Member since:2006-02-15
Do they meet a significant number of other PC characteristics, such as upgradability, expansion, and choice of software to run?
Obviously, a laptop is as upgradeable as a laptop is: you may upgrade memory and internal drives, and connect peripherals, but that's it. And yes, there are Windows, Linux and Mac laptops around, all without an optical drive.
There are hard-and-fast rules on what makes a PC a PC, and violation of a single rule makes a system not a PC (Thus making a whole range of PCs suddenly not-PCs, which isn't correct), or, following only a single rule makes it a PC (despite only obeying a rule slightly).
So, what are the rules and how many of them one must fulfill in order to be a PC, then?
RE[5]: It cannot be included
by Bill Shooter of Bul on Mon 18th Oct 2010 22:22
in reply to "RE[4]: It cannot be included"
Member since:2006-07-14
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2006-02-15
optical drives are standard on desktops/laptops, and to have a system without them is quite uncommon.
Atleast in Finland laptop systems without optical drives are becoming more and more common. Are they not PCs then?
There is also no standard way to operate an FTP server or run Flash on an iPad. It requires jailbreaking, which may void the warranty.
Neither of those things were standard from the get-go. Trying to argue that because one or another specific application is common nowadays and that only those systems which can run it are PCs is a really long stretch. Voiding or not voiding warranty has nothing to do with a device being PC or not.