Episodes
Episode 385: Have Some Faith In Myself
Aug 23 2019
Daniel 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...more
Episode 384: A Much Bigger Megaphone
Aug 15 2019
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. http://traffic.libsyn.com/coreint/CoreInt_384.mp3 Download Audio (MP3, 45 minutes) M...more
Episode 383: Working For The Weekend
Aug 09 2019
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 comfo...more
Episode 382: Unlock The Secret
Jul 31 2019
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 as 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. http://traffic.libsyn.com/core...more
Episode 381: Get Invested In This
Jul 18 2019
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. http://traffic.libsyn.com/coreint/CoreInt_381.mp3 Download Audio (MP3, 41 minutes) Many thank...more
Episode 380: A Poetic Gesture
Jul 10 2019
Manton follows up on his efforts to establish regular email newsletters with his customer base, sparking a discussion about finding other ways to reach customers aside from social media. Daniel tries to convince Manton to revive his original Twitter account, Manton leans more toward cutting ties completely, and finally settles on a compromise. http://traffic.libsyn.com/coreint/CoreInt_380.mp3 Download Audio (MP3, 36 minutes) Many thanks to our sponsor this week: Linode: Cloud Hosting for Yo...more
Episode 379: Sifting Down To The Masses
Jul 04 2019
Daniel and Manton react to Jony Ive’s departure from Apple. They remember his achievements, and wonder where it leaves Apple moving forward. Daniel talks about making his Mac crossword app accessible via VoiceOver, and Manton marks the occasion of officially shutting down Tweet Marker. http://traffic.libsyn.com/coreint/CoreInt_379.mp3 Download Audio (MP3, 50 minutes) Many thanks to our sponsors this week: TextExpander: Communicate Smarter. Linode: Cloud Hosting for You. Use promo code...more
Episode 378: Hi, I make Macintosh Software
Jun 29 2019
Manton and Daniel talk about Apple releasing the Catalina public beta, and the relatively high risk/reward ratio to beta testers. They consider the $100/year developer fee required by Apple to ship App Store or Developer ID releases, and whether that imposes an undue burden on amateur developers. Daniel talks about staging a multi-update release day for several apps in order to give Catalina beta-testers early compatible versions. http://traffic.libsyn.com/coreint/CoreInt_378.mp3 Download Aud...more
Episode 377: Just A Tiny Company
Jun 20 2019
Daniel and Manton talk a bit more about WWDC announcements, and about having the discipline to put off playing with shiny new technologies while focusing on making progress with current projects. They talk about the practicality of adopting Catalyst in the short term, while SwiftUI may still be best to put off. They react to the Mac Pro and debate the merit of Apple selling to such a high end segment of the market. Finally, Manton admits that he’s trying again to embrace direct email marke...more
Episode 376: I Had A Vegan Quesadilla
Jun 12 2019
Manton and Daniel catch up after WWDC. Daniel’s talks about coming to terms with Apple’s size and power after visiting Apple Park. They revisit their opinions about San Jose as a city for conferences, and agree the electric scooters are a nice touch. Finally, they get into the keynote announcements, mostly focusing on SwiftUI and Catalyst. http://traffic.libsyn.com/coreint/CoreInt_376.mp3 Download Audio (MP3, 49 minutes) Many thanks to our sponsor this week: Linode: Cloud Hosting for ...more
Episode 375: This Podcast Goes To 11
May 30 2019
Daniel and Manton celebrate 11 years of publishing Core Intuition. They recall the earliest years, and answer listener questions pertaining to the anniversary. The discussion includes wondering how they’ve lasted this long, examining the ways they’ve influenced each other over the years, and what it would take for them to abandon Apple’s platforms. Finally, they look forward to traveling to San Jose next week for WWDC! http://traffic.libsyn.com/coreint/CoreInt_375.mp3 Downlo...more
Episode 374: Good Thing I Have A Calculator
May 23 2019
Manton talks with Daniel about Micro.blog’s mention in The New Yorker, which leads into a discussion about being on the lookout for PR opportunities, and “answering every call” even if you don’t particularly feel like talking to the press. Daniel reviews his experiences with Setapp, one week into listing MarsEdit on the subscription service, and the two reflect on the virtue of investing in multiple sales channels as a way of diversifying the opportunity for lucky breaks....more
Episode 373: The Two Dollar Referral
May 19 2019
Daniel talks to Manton about his experience adding MarsEdit to the Setapp subscription software service, and connects it to a general thrust of trying new things to expand his indie business revenues. They talk through a number of issues relating to Setapp, and delve again into questions about balancing efforts invested into development vs. other activities such as marketing. http://traffic.libsyn.com/coreint/CoreInt_373.mp3 Download Audio (MP3, 39 minutes) Many thanks to our sponsor this we...more
Episode 372: Tech Support For All Problems
May 11 2019
Manton checks in with Daniel’s impression of his Amazon Echo after finally cracking it open. They compare and contrast with the HomePod/Siri experience. In response to a listener question, they talk about the tradeoffs of being publicly accessible to users, and the impact that has on free time for “real work.” Finally, they talk a little bit about “bad customer behavior” when it comes to support inquiries. http://traffic.libsyn.com/coreint/CoreInt_372.mp3 Download Audi...more
Episode 371: Time’s Gonna Fly
May 04 2019
Daniel and Manton continue looking forward to expected WWDC announcements, while also keeping their hopes and dreams in check. They discuss Steve Troughton-Smith’s adaptation of several 3rd-party iOS apps to Marzipan. They explore the changes Apple might make to iOS APIs to allow for more automated compliance with Mac UI standards. Finally, Daniel still hasn’t opened his Amazon Echo, and Manton wishes he had an in-car Alexa device. http://traffic.libsyn.com/coreint/CoreInt_371.mp3 Downl...more
Episode 370: Just Fix It And Ship
Apr 26 2019
Manton and Daniel talk about keeping in the indie software release habit even while much of your time is taking up by a “day job.” They discuss the merit of optimizing release workflows to remove friction from shipping. Manton talks about Micro.blog’s great new window resizing ability, and Daniel gives him an inordinately hard time about this one little limitation. http://traffic.libsyn.com/coreint/CoreInt_370.mp3 Download Audio (MP3, 36 minutes) Many thanks to our sponsor ...more
Episode 369: Little Steps In The Right Direction
Apr 19 2019
Daniel and Manton react to a 9to5Mac article detailing purported changes coming in iOS 13. They weigh the significance of multi-window support on the iPad, and what it means for Marzipan and the future of the Mac. Daniel anticipates using his unopened Amazon Echo, getting the two off on a discussion about Siri’s continuing shortcomings, and whether WWDC will bring any major new updates to the technology. http://traffic.libsyn.com/coreint/CoreInt_369.mp3 Download Audio (MP3, 42 minutes) ...more
Episode 368: Everybody Has A Story
Apr 11 2019
Manton and Daniel catch up after Manton’s road trip to the Peers Conference in New Orleans, and his simultaneous launch of a major new video upload and hosting service for Micro.blog. Daniel talks about his efforts so far to balance the time demands of his indie software development with his new full-ish time job. The two motivate each other, and everybody listening to blog more, and finally they talk about the rumors of iTunes being broken up, and apparent impact Marzipan will have on App...more
Episode 367: This Is Impossible
Apr 07 2019
Daniel and Manton talk about Apple’s cancellation of AirPower as a rare example of Apple failing to deliver on a high profile product. They compare with more fraudulent examples of vaporware such as the medical products promised by Theranos. Manton hints at a new feature coming to Micro.blog that will require simultaneous updates to all his apps at once. http://traffic.libsyn.com/coreint/CoreInt_367.mp3 Download Audio (MP3, 41 minutes) Many thanks to our sponsors this week: TextExpand...more
Episode 366: We Kind Of Weren’t Surprised
Mar 27 2019
Manton and Daniel react to Apple’s March Special Event. They question the merit of Apple Card with it’s higher-than-expected interest rates. They weigh the benefits of a closed system like Apple News versus the completely free web. They talk about Apple Arcade, how it will impact existing game developers, and whether it will take precedence over the current Games category. Finally, they wonder whether Apple’s wide range of subscription offerings will finally push the company to offer...more
Episode 365: A Pretty Big Update
Mar 21 2019
Daniel talks to Manton about shipping a substantial MarsEdit update in the wake of being busy at his new job. They talk a little bit about one of the Micro.blog features MarsEdit now supports, and how MarsEdit still needs to support a jumble of loosely related blogging APIs. Manton talks about shipping Sunlit 2.4 with a redesigned posting interface. They reacted to Apple’s “week of product announcements”, and talk about the merit of remaining frugal even when you suddenly have ...more
Episode 364: The Normal Job Part Of It
Mar 14 2019
Manton catches up on Daniel’s impressions after working the first few days at his new job, which is a “perfect fit” in many ways. They react to Spotify’s “Time to Play Fair” public challenge to Apple, and question how Apple might react to it. They touch on other public trends against Big Tech, including Elizabeth Warren’s suggestion that Apple and other companies should be broken up. http://traffic.libsyn.com/coreint/CoreInt_364.mp3 Download Audio (MP3, 37 minute...more
Episode 363: An Edge Case On An Edge Case
Mar 09 2019
Daniel reveals to Manton that he’s (on the verge of) taking a part-time job. They assess the likely impact on Red Sweater, and how it might affect Daniel’s self image as an “independent developer.” Manton talks about updates he’s making to Micro.blog’s billing infrastructure, and how small improvements can lead to recurring increases in revenues. Finally, Daniel reviews his plans for the upcoming 4.3 release, and questions whether having less time to work on R...more
Episode 362: Existential Business Crisis
Mar 03 2019
Manton and Daniel talk about how IndieWebCamp Austin went, and reflect on the virtues of the diverse “open web” community. They react to a debate between Jeff Atwood & David Heinemeier Hansson about their purportedly different approaches to business. Finally, they talk about Daniel’s increasingly glum feelings about his business, Daniel makes some self-assessment of shortcomings, and the two of them talk about making small, productive tweaks to increase revenues. http://t...more
Episode 361: This Is An Opportunity
Feb 20 2019
Daniel and Manton talk about this weekend’s Austin IndieWebCamp, and new rumors about Apple’s plans to support a single binary format for apps to run on Mac, iPad, and iPhone. They explore the possible impact such plans would have on Micro.blog for Mac, and on Daniel’s iOS aspirations. Meanwhile, Daniel bemoans the ongoing challenge of figuring out what to focus on when nobody’s forcing him to focus on one thing. http://traffic.libsyn.com/coreint/CoreInt_361.mp3 Download Aud...more
Episode 360: That’s Not Really The Business
Feb 17 2019
Manton and Daniel react to MacRumors’s discovery that WWDC will likely be held on June 3. They talk about the increasing price of hotels in San Jose, some options for more affordable accommodations, and the impact of high cost on the diversity of attendance. Manton prepares for IndieWebCamp Austin, while Daniel comes to term with the possibility of dropping support for Blogger, and thinking about ways to expand the appeal of MarsEdit. http://traffic.libsyn.com/coreint/CoreInt_360.mp3 Do...more
Episode 359: Quote-unquote Free
Feb 10 2019
Daniel returns from Paris and Manton shares his plans for WWDC 2019 accommodations. They talk about Spotify’s acquisition of Gimlet and Anchor, and the possible implications for the diversity of podcasting ecosystem. Finally, they react to Angela Ahrendt’s departure from Apple, and what it means for the future of Apple Stores. http://traffic.libsyn.com/coreint/CoreInt_359.mp3 Download Audio (MP3, 58 minutes) Many thanks to our sponsors this week: PDFpen: Edit PDFs with ease! Lin...more
Episode 358: Accidental Dark Mode
Jan 26 2019
Manton finishes Dark Mode support for the Mac Micro.blog app. He and Daniel discuss the merits of supporting bleeding edge features, and the difficulty in gauging demand for features that people want but are not complaining about. They speculate about when Dark Mode will come to iOS, talk about the Release Notes conference coming to Mexico, and Daniel’s last-minute preparation for dotSwift in Paris. http://traffic.libsyn.com/coreint/CoreInt_358.mp3 Download Audio (MP3, 39 minutes) Many...more
Episode 357: It Was Actually Kinda Fun
Jan 20 2019
Manton’s premature release of Micro.blog for Mac with Dark Mode enabled release spurs him to work on an official update that supports it. DuckDuckGo announces they are now using MapKit JS for their maps, reminding us that Apple offers a web-based mapping service. Finally, Daniel and Manton start to look forward to WWDC 2019 and the greatness that may await. http://traffic.libsyn.com/coreint/CoreInt_357.mp3 Download Audio (MP3, 31 minutes) Many thanks to our sponsor this week: Linode: ...more
Episode 356: Reach For The Stars
Jan 10 2019
Manton and Daniel talk briefly about Apple’s revenue shortfall, and then more extensively about Apple’s announced deals with Samsung and other television makers to bundle iTunes and AirPlay 2 functionality. They talk about the company’s shift towards being a media conglomerate and how their so-called core values will be reflected in that area. Finally, Daniel catches Manton up with his progress on the iOS version of Black Ink, and reacts to a listener tweet criticizing his alle...more
Episode 355: Stupidly Confident
Jan 05 2019
Daniel and Manton greet the New Year with a vague sense of optimism, as Daniel moves closer to serious iOS development, and Manton remains confident and focused on Micro.blog. They talk about finding a balance between optimistic enthusiasm and realism about chance of failure. Finally, Daniel talks about his shifting plans for Black Ink 2 and the possibility of co-launching it with an iOS version. http://traffic.libsyn.com/coreint/CoreInt_355.mp3 Download Audio (MP3, 56 minutes) Many thanks t...more
Episode 354: Undeveloped Piece Of Land
Dec 22 2018
Manton and Daniel discuss the expansion plans of Amazon, Apple, and Google, as they add office space in cities around the United States. Following up on last week’s rundown of Riverfold Software’s product lineup, Manton takes Daniel on a talk-through of his current lineup of apps. http://traffic.libsyn.com/coreint/CoreInt_354.mp3 Download Audio (MP3, 59 minutes) Many thanks to our sponsor this week: Linode: Cloud Hosting for You. Links: New Campus in Austin – Apple press...more
Episode 353: It Had A Lot Of Potential
Dec 14 2018
Daniel regales Manton with tales of his latest “waste of time,” as he spends days trying to put the finishing touches on a FastScripts feature 12 years in the making. They talk about the balance of time invested in actual development vs. fighting to get code working in the context of a closed system. Manton explains his decision to shut down his Tweet Marker service, and Daniel asks Manton to reflect on the many indie software products that Manton has developed in the past. http://...more
Episode 352: It Could Be Useful For People
Dec 09 2018
Manton and Daniel respond to listener feedback about focusing more on marketing and self-promotion of our apps rather than ourselves, and compare the virtues of the two types of promotion. Daniel talks about his decision to do more public speaking, and promotional benefits of that. They talk about whether the lack of journalistic coverage of Mac software is contributing to marketing challenges. Finally, they talk about WordPress 5.0, Gutenberg, and their hope that the dramatic changes might send...more
Episode 351: Here’s The Downside
Nov 23 2018
Daniel and Manton talk about Panic’s release of Transmit for the Mac App Store, and the gradual evolution of Apple’s stance on sandboxing. Daniel talks about his dubious prioritization of quieting deprecation warnings. They both take stock of progress on MarsEdit 4 and Micro.blog around one year after their release. Finally, they muse about the relative profitability of certain software products and whether some apps are inherently bad ideas from a business point of view. http://tr...more
Episode 350: Inspired To Look At This
Nov 15 2018
Manton reports back to Daniel about the first week after adding Mastodon integration to Micro.blog. They talk about the merit and necessity of spending time marketing after all the coding work we do. Daniel talks about his recent struggle implementing support for Google’s OAuth2, and finally they talk about Apple’s new Hardened Runtime and the associated app notarization service Mac apps that are distributed outside the Mac App Store. http://traffic.libsyn.com/coreint/CoreInt_350.m...more
Episode 349: Too Ambitious And Crazy
Nov 09 2018
Daniel catches Manton up on his experience at Swift by Northwest, and about his positive outlook on public speaking after participating in the show. They talk about accepting their role as the increasingly “old guard” in a community that is always gaining new developers. Manton announces Mastodon integration for Micro.blog and describes his unique approach to integrating Micro.blog without literally being a Mastodon instance. Finally, they react to the October 2018 Apple Special Even...more
Episode 348: A Surprising Amount Of Success
Oct 19 2018
Manton and Daniel check in on the eve of Daniel’s Swift by Northwest speaking engagement. They talk about the challenge of biting off topics for speaking, articles, books, etc., that sound good but turn out to be harder to pull off than expected. Manton catches us up on the challenges of finding time to finish his newest features for Micro.blog, and the two talk each other down from stressing out too much about the relatively low-severity things they’re worrying about. http://traff...more
Episode 347: One Of Those Time Warps
Oct 12 2018
Daniel and Manton talk about Daniel’s recent blogging series on Dark Mode. They encourage each other not to get too bogged down worrying about the impact of doing the work we want, whether that’s blogging, developing software, or whatever. Daniel frets lightly about his upcoming talk, and they compare notes about coming up with a better strategy for both being prepared to give talks and ensuring you’re giving them to the right audience. Finally, Manton announces his decision to help ...more
Episode 346: Doing The Best I Can
Oct 06 2018
Manton and Daniel talk about coming to terms with the challenge of juggling too many things, making our indie businesses more efficient, and the tough question of how to cut projects and commitments that are stealing time from the main focus. They also touch on the challenge of taking criticism for focusing on what you do well, while others wish you did something else. Finally, they talk about Apple’s new requirement that all App Store submissions link to a Privacy Policy, and how that has...more
Episode 345: I Can Haz Blog?
Sep 29 2018
macOS Mojave is out! Daniel and Manton talk about the ephemeral nature of App Store features, and the wisdom of not investing too much stock in being featured, or any other external recognition. They catch up on the state of the Mac App Store and wonder about the expected App Store versions of BBEdit and Transmit. Finally, they talk about their own continuing plans for supporting Mojave, particular with respect to Dark Mode. http://traffic.libsyn.com/coreint/CoreInt_345.mp3 Download Audio (MP...more
Episode 344: No Time For Betas
Sep 21 2018
Manton and Daniel follow-up on their scrutiny of Apple’s new Watch-based EKG feature, and try to evaluate whether the hype surrounding it is warranted or not. Manton reports back after finally installing iOS 12, and Daniel talks about putting the finishing touches on MarsEdit 4.2 in time for macOS Mojave’s public release. http://audio.coreint.org/CoreInt_344.mp3 Download Audio (MP3, 44 minutes) Many thanks to our sponsor this week: Linode: Cloud Hosting for You. Links: De Novo...more
Episode 343: I Am Now An Expert
Sep 13 2018
Daniel and Manton react to Apple’s September 2018 event, announcing the Apple Watch Series 4 and new iPhones. They compare notes about appreciating the new products but feeling relatively unpressured to upgrade. Finally, they talk about the incentives for developers to adopt new OS features and aim to release updates to coincide with OS updates. http://audio.coreint.org/CoreInt_343.mp3 Download Audio (MP3, 51 minutes) Many thanks to our sponsor this week: Linode: Cloud Hosting for You...more
Episode 342: Complaining For Ten Years
Sep 07 2018
Manton and Daniel catch up after a couple weeks off. They talk about Manton’s release of Sunlit 2.2, and return to inevitable complaints about App Store Review uncertainties. They compare notes on their mutual lack of interest in developing for Android, and the extent to which an unliked programming language can affect interest in platforms. Finally, they talk about the leaked details of the forthcoming iPhone and Apple Watch. Does it hurt Apple, and should we care if it does? http://aud...more
Episode 341: This Went Pretty Viral
Aug 20 2018
Daniel and Manton follow up on RapidWeaver 8 shipping without Mac App Store support. Daniel talks about his recent work on FastScripts, and they talk about the sometimes surprising value of “less successful” apps. They react to Marco Arment’s announcement that Overcast will support podcasts embedding a “payment” tag in show notes, and indulge in a little analysis of Twitter’s handling of the fiasco around Alex Jones. http://audio.coreint.org/CoreInt_341.mp3 ...more
Episode 340: Going Back To Blogging
Aug 12 2018
Manton and Daniel react to sandboxes woes for RapidWeaver 8 on the Mac, and speculate about changes coming in Mojave that might have enticed Panic and Bare Bones to return to the Mac App Store. They talk about Twitter’s continued support for Alex Jones, and the resulting backlash that is driving some users to Micro.blog and to MarsEdit. Finally, they make a philosophical analysis of the state of social networks, and evaluate their feelings about Twitter’s struggle to maintain community sta...more
Episode 339: Now’s The Time To Do It
Aug 03 2018
Daniel and Manton react to Apple’s latest earnings announcement, on the eve of the company reaching a $1 trillion valuation. They assess the company’s rising services revenues, and how it relates to Apple’s 30% App Store cut, and stingy pricing for consumer-facing cloud services. Daniel reports on his resumption of iOS development and the feelings of being a relative newbie on the platform. Finally, they talk about the importance of focusing on a smaller number of features that...more
Episode 338: I’ll Try Not To Do That
Jul 28 2018
Manton and Daniel talk about the new MacBook Pro, and how it affects Manton’s purchasing plans for his daughters’ college computers. Daniel talks about his experience with macOS Mojave, the increasing stability of the OS, and the improvements to dragging from Photos.app. http://audio.coreint.org/CoreInt_338.mp3 Download Audio (MP3, 41 minutes) Many thanks to our sponsors this week: Linode: Cloud Hosting for You. Links: Apple Updates MacBook Pro – Official PR from Apple a...more
Episode 337: A Quote Unquote Blog
Jul 19 2018
Daniel and Manton react to rumors that Apple has site-licensed 1Password to its entire workforce, and what such a move might mean for the future of Apple’s own Keychain features. They talk about the recent uptick in Lime and Bird-style scooter and bike sharing, and how bigger players like Lyft and Uber are starting to get involved. Finally they brainstorms ideas for Manton to market upcoming changes to Sunlit … on a budget. http://audio.coreint.org/CoreInt_337.mp3 Download Audio (...more
Episode 336: Bringing Webrings Back
Jul 13 2018
Manton and Daniel talk about migrating Manton.org to run on Micro.blog. They reflect on the nostalgia and inspiration of old web conventions like webrings and blogrolls. Finally, they talk about macOS Mojave’s forthcoming AppleEvent sandboxing and the effect it has on a wide variety of apps. http://audio.coreint.org/CoreInt_336.mp3 Download Audio (MP3, 47 minutes) Many thanks to our sponsors this week: Jamf Now: Set up, manage and protect Apple devices in minutes. Linode: Cloud Hostin...more