Skip to content
May 2 / Barry

Short Thoughts: laptops and the top of your lap

The ‘desktop’ in computer lingo refers to two separate ideas: the fact that a desktop computer isn’t portable (it sits on your desktop) and visual metaphor of the interface (the opening screen with your files sitting on it is your metaphorical desktop.)

The laptop computer doesn’t have the same relationship – sure, you can use it on your lap – but it still uses the desktop metaphor for the computer interface. You can’t lay out all your real-life files on your lap as you can on your desk.

In this respect, I think the move away from multitasking on the iPad represents a genuine ‘laptop’ computer. Singular focus, relaxed usage, in line with how you would actually work when you’re on the couch.

Filed under short-thoughts
  • Unless you're someone like me who is typing this (and pretty much everything else I type) from my laptop which is perched on my lap. Keeping my chiro in business is all part of the plan...
blog comments powered by Disqus