Core Intuition

Manton and Daniel talk about Apple's September event, and weigh the allure of new iPhones and Watches. They examine the impact of Apple Arcade on game developers, and whether it foretells a future where Apple creates subscription bundles for other types of apps. Manton shares his experience of adding Dark Mode and Sign in With Apple support to Micro.blog, while Daniel prepares for macOS 10.15 Catalina.

Daniel talks to Manton about his decision to open source some Mac software, and making a conscious choice to publish it under the Red Sweater name. They talk about the balance of promoting onself vs. promoting one's company brand. Manton talks about two new features he's added to Micro.blog, and they discuss the fact that the size and impact of features are often unrelated to the amount of time and effort that goes into them.

Manton and Daniel review Apple's updated policies on Siri "grading", how they reflect Apple's values, and the extent to which Tim Cook's personal reputation is on the line. They compare the policies to other companies including Amazon and Faceboo. Daniel catches us up on his further impressions of Amazon's Echo and laments the absence in Apple's product lineup of a "just throw it in your bag" sized HomePod-style speaker.

Danel talks to Manton about his reflections on the merit of seeking to "revolutionize" something with a software product, vs. simply trying to "make a nice thing." They discuss the relatively revolutionary ambition of Micro.blog, and the sometimes non-revolutionary game of catch-up that Daniel plays with MarsEdit. Manton catches us up on his analysis of Tumblr in the wake of the Automattic acquisition, talks about some new features he's building in the wake of that, and takes Daniel mildly to task for comments he made about Micro.blog's viability as an Instagram alternative.

Manton and Daniel react to news that Automattic is acquiring Tumblr. They talk about the potential pros and cons for Tumblr and Automattic, as well as for Micro.blog and MarsEdit. They talk about Matt Mullenweg's optimism about the future of the open web, and the turning tide back towards blogging. Finally, they wonder whether Tumblr will have as much of an impact on Automattic as Automattic has on it.

Daniel catches Manton up on his ongoing VoiceOver challenges with Black Ink 2. Manton encourages him to balance perfectionism with the virtue of getting the update out and “showing his work.” They respond to more follow-up about Manton’s changes to Micro.blog's onboarding process, and Manton reports on the impact of the chagnes on his business. Finally, they look forward to growing their businesses enough to meet financial goals, and perhaps more importantly, earning their ability to comfortably stop working on weekends.

Manton and Daniel react to listener feedback about Manton's new emphasis on asking for credit card information. They assess the challenge of pursuing philosophical ambitions such ass supporting the open web, while also ensuring that sufficient profits are made to sustain those efforts. Daniel recounts his appearance on John Gruber's "The Talk Show", and the two talk more about the implications of Apple's new notarization requirements.

Daniel and Manton review Manton's decision to rename his cross-posting Twitter account in order to emphasize its purpose of promoting his blog. They talk about Manton's decision to be more proactive in asking for the customer's credit card at sign-up, Daniel reflects on his time as a telephone customer service rep, and shares his impressions of the Micro.blog onboarding experience.