Some of you may recall I got an iPad III about a year ago, after selling
my Mac laptop to a friend. I figured the iPad would be a decent
replacement for the laptop I only used on occasion for work-related
purposes while traveling.

I did like the iPad, and thought it was more than sufficient for
informal web browsing and to write or answer emails, and for
entertainment, too, but the few times I needed a “computer” handy while
traveling to write or edit a text for work, I found it a colossal pain
in the ass for two main reasons:

1. the “file” system on these tablets is counterintuitive and you can’t
simply store or retrieve files from folders the way you do on a “real”
computer. I recall this was true on Android OS systems, too. It’s a real
hassle for someone like me who has dozens of text files he is juggling
at one time, and for several clients, too. Storing working files in “the
cloud” has little appeal for me.

2. though I had a nice ZAGG external keyboard and cover for the device,
there was no way to use a mouse and therefore cutting, pasting,
clipping, saving, inserting, deleting - the whole catastrophe involved
in serious writing and editing - wasn’t working for me. Too much
“touchy, feely touchscreening” for my taste and patience.

Another aspect of the device that annoyed me was that you really
couldn’t see much of its screen out in daylight. This is pretty much
true of all these portable devices. I’m not sure why it is, because even
relatively inexpensive screen devices for boats - GPSs, fish finders, et
cetera - are pretty much easily readable in sunlight.

After careful consideration, I put the iPad up for sale on an affinity
discussion board for a reasonable price and it was “gone” the same day.

So, now, I’m moving back to a “regular” laptop computer. One with a file
system I can use and a pointing device that works the way I want it to work.

I’ll have to find myself a Luddite tee-shirt.