The Touch Bar was a good idea. Replacing the F-keys with it was a _terrible_ idea.
If they would've just added the bar above the normal F-keys, everyone would've either embraced or ignored it. But taking away function keys was just too much for pretty much everyone - especially ESC (which they rectified in a later iteration).
I actually think normal users would be fine or even happy with it instead of the F keys.
But it was expensive. So it was only all the more expensive models, the ones that professionals and programmers used. And a lot of them hated it.
I don’t mind it that much personally. My work laptop has one and it can be nice on occasion. But when I switch to a laptop that doesn’t have one I don’t miss it at all.
(I have the hardware escape key. I think without that it would truly drive me nuts.)
