As the iPad prepares to debut on the scene, we've been given some time to think about the implications and think we have! I've read numerous opinions on what the iPad should be vs. what it will be. While I think some opportunities have been missed, I think overall the concept of stripped-down computing for the masses is right on track. The more I envision a world where the leisure computing we do is done not on overly-complicated, full-blown Operating System approaches but instead on slimmed-down devices where the true OS evaporates and leaves simply the application experience.

When I say leisure computing, I'm talking about most of the time we spend online doing personal things on Facebook, reading new sites, posting photos or any of the other platform agnostic things we do for fun, relaxation or enrichment. We don't need Windows or even Mac OS X or Linux for these things, so why over complicate it? Why throw up all these roadblocks to doing really simple functions for the non-computer savvy audience? I want my mom to be able to accomplish menial tasks online like being able to view pictures of her granddaughter without having to go into a dissertation on social networks and interface design. I want it to be natural for people that have never touched a computer before to be able do all the same things we take for granted when sharing ourselves online. Not all people with useful thoughts to share are fluent in using a personal computer.

Making computing simple and natural is the goal. We've attempted this before with Graphical User Interfaces. Microsoft has been at it for two and a half decades trying to achieve this and Windows still leaves a vast majority of people mesmerized about the most aspects of the OS. Many users use a fraction of the OS's capabilities. OS X is much the same story and let's not even talk about Linux. Still, the number of users today that are at least competent at basic tasks is a testament to what the GUI has given us. The success of the GUI in making computing accessible to hundreds of millions of people was a huge accomplishment but it is not the be-all, end-all of computing evolution. It's clear now that simplified platforms are going to be the next wave in making computing accessible to even more people. I'm not saying the iPad is going to be a huge success and the leader for this movement, but it definitely has lit this fire under the seats of many tech companies and got the ball rolling.

This movement will not be the death of what we know today as desktop or personal computing. There will always be a need for those complicated, full-featured environments, especially by technical professionals, engineers and scientists. Think of it as more of an extension of computing just like the GUI was more than 25 years ago. The command-line interface didn't die, it just got relegated to being used by people who needed it or even preferred that it was "harder to use". Much like the GUI, this approach may take up to 10 years to reach critical mass and get right. I think it will go much quicker and smoother than that however. Those distraught about the loss of control are missing the point of simplified computing. More restrictive interfaces and devices don't mean you're getting screwed or that the evil empire wants to control everything you do. It's merely a by-product of guiding less familiar users down the path of computing and making the experience easier and more enjoyable all around.