As a part of the MacStories Apps Tree event (where you’ll find a huge giveaway worth $10.000 of 450 Mac and iPhone apps licenses) I had the chance to interview Dustin MacDonald, the developer of Times and Wallet, two cool applications for Mac OS X and iPhone.
This is 7th of many interviews and guest posts I’ll publish on MacStories during this week.
Enjoy!
Hi there! Can you please introduce yourself to MacStories readers and tell us something about your work?
Sure, my name is Dustin MacDonald and I started up Acrylic Software in 2008. I’m responsible for most of the design and engineering work behind Wallet and Times.
When did you first think of Times? How did it come to life? And what about Wallet?
The idea for Times was born a few years ago and came from my general distaste from the available lineup of RSS readers. Though I’m a big news buff, keeping track of many different sites is simply too overwhelming using just a web browser, as many have realized. The problem is that RSS readers typically treat news like email, where each story is equal and must be “read” before going away. That’s great for your favourite blogs, but horrible for news sites that post large numbers of stories each day. Times aims to be the best of both worlds - a place to easily scan headlines and keep track of your favourite news sites, without being a needless chore.
Wallet has been around a while longer, but again came from my own personal needs - this time for a place to securely keep and organize those bits of personal information. Serial numbers, web accounts, passwords, etc. It’s steadily grown over the years with features like AutoFill and MobileMe Sync, and is currently at version 3.1. There’s also a companion iPhone app.
When did your interest in Mac software development exactly get started?
I’ve been interested in technology and computers for as long as I can remember. I began tinkering with developing software when I was 12 or so, starting out with tools like GameMaker and AppleScript, moving my way up to REALbasic, and finally taking the plunge and learning Cocoa and Xcode. I’m currently 21, to give that some perspective.
Which are the favorite apps of a Mac developer? Can you please tell us something about your workflow?
Xcode and Photoshop, of course! Aside from that, I don’t use too many third-party apps. For the web, Panic’s Coda and Transmit come in handy. Versions is a really well done app for Subversion. I use and enjoy CoverSutra and Tweetie as well.
Have you ever thought of a mobile version of Times? I think it would be awesome.
It’s definitely a popular request! Right now we’re focused on improving the Mac version first. I will say that unlike Wallet, the idea of Times isn’t as easy to translate to a mobile platform from a design standpoint. But it’s not completely out of the question.
What’s your experience with the App Store? You know, the approval process and stuff..
We’ve had a few hiccups, and there’s certainly room for improvement as far as speed and transparency go. Still, I feel like developers are a little too hard on Apple. It’s hard to say the App Store has been anything but a wild success, especially when it seems like every day we hear about great new apps and iPhone success stories. The majority of apps get approved in a timely fashion, and many that aren’t are later accepted. I believe the kinks will be ironed out soon enough.
Speaking of Mac OS X..Is there something you’d change in the UI? Many people wanted a total graphical refresh for Snow Leopard, but it didn’t happen. I believe it’s going to come with 10.7 though. What do you think?
Yeah, history tends to repeat itself. 10.6 was of course a bit of an oddball with its “no new features” mantra. I predict we’ll once again see some graphical tweaks in 10.7, similar to the upgrade from 10.4 to 10.5, with the OS adopting some of the newer graphical elements in iPhoto and iTunes. I wouldn’t expect anything too drastic, though.
I bet you have something big in store for the future. Can you give us a hint? ;)
Though it may seem like it, we haven’t forgotten about Times. Big changes are on the way, so stay tuned.
Thanks for chatting with us!
Thank you!
