Core Intuition

Daniel and Manton react to the promo trailer for Planet of the Apps, and discuss whether it lives up to Apple’s name? They compare the show with other reality television such as the Great British Baking Show and Project Runway. Then they revisit the Siri/Alexa comparisons in response to Eddy Cue’s recent comments on the subject, and debate the wisdom or foolishness of Apple’s conservative approach with SiriKit intents.

Manton and Daniel talk about MarsEdit's selection by The Sweet Setup as the "Best Mac WordPress Client," and reflect on the psychological boost of having one's work appreciated. They talk about the potential upside to Mac development and the privilege of having a head-start as long-time Mac programmers. Finally they discuss rumors of Apple's "Spaceship" office building and what the office layout is rumored to be.

Daniel and Manton reflect on Manton's successful Kickstarter, and talk about how he’s planning to move forward. They also react to Apple’s earnings, and consider the implications for Mac, iPad, Services, etc. in the future.

Manton closes in on the last week of Manton’s Kickstarter, and Daniel catches up on his progress. They discuss new beta updates from Apple for both Mac and iOS. The react to Apple’s forthcoming review prompting system for iOS, and the ability for developers to respond to reviews on both Mac and iOS. Finally, they debate the merits of Siri vs. Alexa on grounds of reliability and viability as an international, long-term success.

Daniel asks Manton about his Kickstarter progress, two weeks in. Manton talks about marketing for the Kickstarter, how many people watch the video, and how to transition from marketing the passionate philosophical backers, to making a case for the sheer utility of the product. They talk about modern advertising technology that allows hyper-focused delivery, and follow up on Chris Lattner's departure from Apple, and the exciting opportunities he will likely have at Tesla.

Manton and Daniel react to Chris Lattner’s departure from Apple to Tesla. They ponder the consequences to Apple of having open-sourced Swift, and how important it was for Lattner to see it done before he left. They indulge in imagining what Apple might have offered to try to keep him, and how Elon Musk may have pitched him to leave. Finally, the two react to Medium’s layoff announcement, and hints of a new business model for the company.

Daniel and Manton celebrate Manton's successful Kickstarter debut, speculate as to whether he should have offered higher pledge levels, and consider the benefits and challenges of receiving feedback from potential customers who don't understand your product yet. They close the show by discussing the value of taking time to promote your work and get to know people face to face in user groups and other social settings.

Manton and Daniel talk more about the forthcoming Setapp Mac software subscription service, and compare notes on ambitions for major software software releases they plan to make in early 2017.

Daniel asks Manton for the latest on his Micro.blog Kickstarter plans, discuss the merits of waiting to ship until after the holidays, and the discipline that waiting requires. They go on to talk about macOS 10.12.2 and the challenges that even minor OS updates can bring when maintaining existing apps.

Daniel and Manton talk about coping with disappointment of failing to achieve goals in an expected length of time, recognize the differing demands of building software for different markets, and talk about tricks for managing lack of enthusiasm for finishing projects. Finally, they answer a listener question about how to get started with consulting, and planning for maintaining a suitable income when you "quit your day job."