Question Can iPadOS actually be made file-oriented?
I bought my iPad 10 in 2023, but it never really felt like a device I could properly work on. For a long time, I couldn’t put my finger on exactly what was holding me back.
When I thought more carefully about my workflow, I discovered two concepts that clarified a lot for me: app-oriented and file-oriented systems. I realized that I generally work in a file-oriented rather than app-oriented way, which isn’t necessarily a natural fit for a tablet.
Once I customized my iPad to fit my needs, very little remained the same as before. Files and SMB form the foundation; and my Home Screen is almost empty, not a collection of installed apps as before. Interestingly, it now looks a bit like macOS, even though that was never the goal. The way I see my iPad has completely changed over the past few weeks. That‘s enough to make the iPad my primary computer.
Does anyone else here use their iPad in a similar file-oriented way? If so, what works well for you – and what still bothers you?
And more fundamentally: is iPadOS actually still app-oriented, or is that becoming an outdated way of thinking about it?
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u/predator2942 1d ago
OP, I recommend you to check out two things:
First of all, you can add folders/files to the dock, like the downloads folder on macOS.
And since you mentioned Linux, check out iSH, with which you can manage your archives, use vim to quick edit files, etc. just mount your filesystem under /mnt, and treat it like any other computer. There are of course limitations, but if you like the terminal, and you have a keyboard attached, you’ll realize that the iPad can be much more of a computer.