Before the release of Apple Configurator on the Mac App Store, there were three other sanctioned applications for interaction with iOS devices: iTunes, Xcode, and iPhone Configuration Utility (iPCU). Xcode had the capability to connect multiple devices simultaneously, but even that functionality was limited for running tests on devices or for restoring a version of iOS. Still, we were without any concept of efficient, directly connected management tools, nor even the hint of integration with a directory service.

When the iPad was released, it did not come with a manual like a lawn mower, which shows you what its intended usage is and how to sharpen the blades. Apple just about said the same thing to its customers that it says to its developers, something to the effect of "we can't wait to see what YOU do with it", as if it was still an open question as to what its most popular use would be. Apple products have, however, historically been used extensively in education and...