My buddy Kevin Lipe nails it again:
Nobody needs to progam a Mac to enjoy using it, except it’s the ability to run whatever software I want that makes a computer a useful tool to me. Nobody needs a computer that comes with schematics (like the original Apple II and II+) except the people who make expansion cards (like synthesizer cards, Z-80 cards, you know, the things that let you use an Apple II for whatever you want to use it for). Nobody needs to make an airplane out of bicycle parts, except the Wright brothers. […]
A computer is a tool, just like a screwdriver. I wouldn’t buy a #1 Phillips from Snap-on if it were unable to open up guitar effects enclosures because those circuits are sometimes patented and/or copyrighted. The iPad is an elegant machine, and I’m convinced its a landmark in the evolution of human-computer interaction. But, even with thousands of apps available, there may be a point at which I’m not allowed to do something I want to do with it, so it’s easier for me to just use a computer with which I can.