[favokus]

Man, I've been struggling to integrate my iPad Pro into the rest of my life since I bought it in 2016. I've given up. There were too many things I still needed my Thinkpad with Linux for and it was impossible to properly integrate the iPad into my existing workflows to use practically as a supplemental device. I've bought a Galaxy Tab instead, because Android at least gives me the freedom to (for example) sync folders between the devices without any input from me.

It's particularly frustrating because I love the iPad. Like, it's one of the few devices I really, really, really enjoy in so many ways and I just wish it was better than it actually is. It's maybe the only device I own that I really do love. The Tab is a poor substitute and I really hate using it, but at least it fits with the rest of my tools in a sane way and gives me the freedom to customize it according to my needs.

Also, Notion. Another tool that I love the idea of, but hate the implementation. There are too many restrictions on the data model that make it frustratingly unlike any normal relational database and frustrating to use, and makes me wish somebody would just make a lightweight relational database with a friendly, practical wiki-like UI for building a knowledge base.

[zrobotics]

Take a look into the Surface. The interface isn't always 100% touch optimized, but I'll take that vs being locked into mobile apps. I've been really enjoying WSL, I have my Linux terminal without having to deal with Linux GUI. I ran desktop Linux for 10 years, but I just want my computer to work and not spend all my time playing sysadmin.

This is personal opinion, but I compared the Surface to the iPad pro and to me the iPad felt much more like a toy than a serious tool for getting work done.

[favokus]

My problem with Surface is the lack of apps that properly support a stylus. I don't like OneNote for a number of reasons and there are no decent alternatives. Also, from the stories I've heard, QC on Surface Pros is abysmal, as is support from MS.

[zrobotics]

I will agree on the lack of other apps (MS whiteboard is a joke), but I happen to really like OneNote. I will say, at least from my experience support is good. My power supply had a failed main cap and was arcing badly when plugged in. MS support shipped me a new one, and asked I ship the old one back when I received the new one.

I hate to say it, as I used to be part of the Slashdot anti M$ brigade, but they made a solid piece of hardware. The only thing I can fault it for is lack of a trackpoint; I spent too many years getting used to my fingers not leaving the home row to move the mouse.

[zigzaggy]

This makes me terribly sad to hear. I also want to integrate an iPad into my workflow, but it just doesn’t work. Everyone of my customers are HIGHLY dependent on MS Office products, to the point that every step of the job occurs on some MS product -

PowerPoint meetings on Teams, about Word and Excel docs stored on the SharePoint site.

I’m encouraged by MS’s recent moves into Linux / open source, but my gut tells me we’re a long way from properly functioning MS apps on iPad.