When the iPad came out, many people worried that it would only be used for consuming content, and if people shifted to using tablets as their only computers, the internet would turn into little more than a glorified TV. Turns out, iPads are great for reading and watching videos, but they’re also great for formatting documents, creating short videos, writing notes and outlines, and even drumming out a new beat in Garage Band.
Web apps aren’t much different. For many people, using the internet is playing by default. In Thai, for example, the very word for using the internet, “????????”, literally means “playing on the internet”. But as we all know, with Google Docs, WordPress, Lucidchart, the Aviary Apps, millions of project managers, and more, the internet can be a very productive place. Most of my work day is spent in a browser, writing or editing in WordPress, corresponding with readers and developers in Gmail, or helping out people with support tickets in Assistly. I’ve even done most of my college work directly in a browser, and when it’s time to quit for the day, chances are I’ll be chatting with friends in Facebook or reading in Instapaper. Of all that, only a little is consuming content, and for the most part, the internet is a productive place to create for me.
How about you? Is the browser your most productive tool, or is it primarily a place to goof off and relax for a bit? Do you ever have trouble with people thinking you’re playing if you tell them you work online?
“crayola paint brush pen” image via monocat on Flickr