Touch Me, Touch Me, Touch Me, TouchMeeee...

People are stupid.

Correction: people allow, invite or even intentionally place obstructions in the way of clear thinking, thus allowing, inviting or even intentionally making themselves stupid.

So many Macworld Expo predictions about products. So many wishes for touchscreen this and touchscreen that: well, if the iPhone does it, why not my iMac or my MacBook Pro or my MacBook Air?

This one is so simple to answer, and by answer, I mean demonstrate:

You're holding your iPhone in your hand and you touch the screen to launch (and now move!) app icons on the main screen. You "pinch" to resize. You "swipe" to move screen to screen. You "flick" to scroll.

So why the hell not build this touch sensitivity into Cinema Displays and MacBook screens? Easy! Your arm weighs too much. Try holding your arm out to touch the computer screen you're in front of. You don't have to touch the screen if you're worried about smudging it, because it's not about touching the screen. Go ahead, do it. Hold your arm out. Hold it there for 60 full seconds. Simulation touch gestures if you must, but keep your arm out from your body.

How's that feel, kids? Arm tired? Shoulder muscles aching? Keep holding your arm out. Now imagine doing that for eight hours a day.

Don't be stupid, people. It doesn't take much to actually think something through—and that's saying something given diminished capacity.

With an iPhone or and iPod touch, your arm hands and your not working muscles except the fine and quick muscles of your thumb and index fingers.

And don't be stupid. Like this guy, who accuses Apple of just following others because “the incredible touch interface is relegated to an extra large touchpad.”

There's a reason that the trackpad is on the base and not above (or even below) the screen on a portable.

Supposedly, there's also a reason that industry pundits exist. But I'm stumped on that one.