Calibre *really* shows that it was created by programmers (yes, I know, duh). It's such a versatile program for editing (things like content flow and structure), converting between formats, and getting your new version on whatever device it's needed. It has an effective but obtuse UI itself, and shows little to no effort put into beautifying eBooks. I am always satisfied that my converted eBooks are easy to read on my android phone, but also always a little disappointed in their lack of aesthetic.

I was getting ready to proclaim this the most off-topic Slashdot discussion ever, then I finally saw mention this mention of typography. Yes, there are more further down, but I'm already burnt out on all this UI and usability talk. The article is about eBooks, not readers or tablets and especially not desktop environments or word processors. When reading a book, UI and usability don't come into it -- those things are already fixed into the platform on which I'm reading the book.

I definitely agree that tablets are presently only handy at a few things. I can easily imagine a way that might change, though. Mr. Dell points to the college student as why tablets are no threat to PCs, but peripherals can change. It's hard to envision an exact form, but as computers get smaller and faster (laptops, tablets, and phones included), it makes a sort of sense to have one device at the centre of it all. A smartphone or tablet powering what amounts to a desktop computer once you dock it, or a laptop computer once you slide it in.

In any case, certainly tablets are no immediate threat to the pc market, just denting laptop and especially e-reader sales.

Coding within an established body of legacy code in the office can be a mentally separate activity from branching out into a new area in which one doesn't yet have any experience. I might spend all day at work trying to figure out where another programmer's bug is using a 3rd party API, and find I can spend time a few days a week learning about developing for a platform I haven't worked in professionally. It's never a guarantee, though, I'm definitely inclined to agree with your main point. It's worth mentioning and then emphasizing, because if it works, it works.

I find myself in much of the same situation as the submitter, and when feeling burned out inspiration is the single hardest thing to find. My suggestion, and also what I've been exploring myself, is finding other people in my local area that are interested in collaborating on a fun project. I'm in something of a college town, so younger, less-experienced programmers rife with enthusiasm (and eager to work with someone with 10 years on them) are about, making it really more about finding a project and time we can all get together.

I believe those systems fall into the "wait for the bang" category mentioned, which, of course, is less than an ideal combat situation.

As silly as it sounds to me to say it, but ditto, and, um, yay.

Love, hate, or don't care about Flash, it's nice to have the option.

Delete your account. Then promptly give your email address to anyone who complains and tell them to write some actual correspondence once in a while. If a photograph isn't worth attaching to an email and including a personalised message relevant to it, I don't see any merit to complaints that I'm not there to "Like" it.

I often liken Facebook to a bulliten board located at a hypothetical YMCA (or some sort members-only place, I've never actually seen a YMCA). It'd be ridiculous for me to write a Christmas letter to all my family and expect them to all become members, go to the Y, and read it. Or if you like, it'd be ridiculous for my sister to only post pictures of my niece there, and expect me to get a membership and visit to see it. Bulliten boards, and Facebook, are good for events or notifications, but I don't sympathise with any notion of Facebook replacing personal communication. I'm quite content catching up once in a while rather than a constant, less-personal drip of information.

Oh, and get off my lawn maybe? I'd like to think I have a justified distaste for the Facebook model, rather than being a grumpy old man in his 20s.

Honestly, I don't care about a fluff piece or negative feedback. If I decide I want a tablet in my life, all that I care about is demo distribution. I don't mean picking one up in a best buy that may or may not turn on. Can I actually demo one, which, as far as I can tell, means taking it home, using it, and seeing if it meets the expectation of being useful (and returning it at no cost to myself otherwise). That may sound like asking a lot, but I don't think it is for any company with faith in their product.

I'm sure people will have given specific reasons where a "tablet" fits in, but let's be honest: it's a gadget. If you have the money and desire, it takes little effort to find a way that it fits into your life. How many of us need $80-$90/mo cell phone plans? Speaking for myself, I didn't need a laptop, but the sofa and bed are more comfy than my desk (at least after sitting at my desk for long enough).

If you pull the "do we need this" argument, then there's not much to argue. I live with 7 irresponsible housemates (at my age, it's embarrassing but true), and no one wanted to take responsibility for PG&E, which is gas and electricity for those not residing on the US west coast. I warned power would go out eventually, and it did. Unfortunately no one learned a lesson in paying bills, but after a weekend without power, I learned that almost every power source we leave on (every light but the lamp next to anyone included), really isn't necessary. When power was restored, it almost felt wrong to turn any lights on.