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***Email with Nagel
Over the last week I've been exchanging email with Dave Nagel from Apple Computer. I don't know Dave real well, but I sense that he would be a good person to have as a friend.
He's very open and straightforward with his opinions. This is good, because when people aren't straight with you, misunderstandings can happen, people end up assuming you're doing something for one reason, when something else is really behind it.
Dave is the top development guy at Apple after the latest reorg. Dan Eilers is the top marketing guy. I wish both Dave and Dan the very best, I've said that before and I meant it. Even though I've been generally negative on Apple, I remain bullish on the Mac platform, and I hope someday to understand Apple, and to be understood by Apple, at least at this level -- I'm a Macintosh software developer, I will fight for the platform, and do my best to develop its potential in areas where I can make a contribution.
In the past, Apple has gotten in my way. I forgive them for doing that. I let it happen, mostly due to a lack of self-respect on my part. In the future, I will be clear about respecting myself, and hopefully from that I will gain the trust and respect of others, perhaps including the top people at Apple.
If not, well, there are always other fun things to do!
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***Dig We Must!
Another random note -- I hope to expand this into a full DaveNet piece sometime in May.
At UserLand, we've made a decision to reorganize our business.
An overview of the change -- we will stop selling Frontier thru commercial software channels. We have four products now, Frontier 3.0, AutoWeb and two unannounced products which are getting very close to the 1.0 level. One of them is a breakthrough, I believe, for the client side of the worldwide web. It was developed with cooperation from Netscape, with supporting features in Netscape 1.1, but it should be usable in later versions with web browsers from other vendors.
In earlier DaveNet pieces I counseled high tech investors to reorganize their businesses around the boom in online software. I failed to heed my own advice! We continued to butt our heads against the retail distribution system, a system which is rapidly becoming obsolete, IMHO.
Our Frontier scripting software deserves to grow at a rate faster than the rate that can be supported by the retail distribution system. We've been stalled for a few years, while Apple bundled AppleScript for free, we charged a premium for Frontier, because it is a premium product. This approach didn't work.
Now we have four products, any one of which could support a growing software venture. So we will free Frontier from the constraints of the commercial world and make it available thru the Internet. How will we make money from Frontier in that world? Stay tuned.
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***Tom Mandel
Late yesterday afternoon, after taking a walk with my friend Bernie Dekoven, drfun@global.california.com, I was cruising around America OnLine, reading the online version of the New York Times, when I came across an article about the death of Tom Mandel, a DaveNet subscriber, and a very respected person in the Bay Area online community. Tom used all my software products over the years, so I also felt a connection to Tom that way.
It was a very moving piece, about the death of warm man, struggling with his own mortality, and doing it in a public way, sharing his last experiences in life with all who were interested. The Times piece really moved me. I recalled the email I got from Tom late last year, requesting that I remove him from the DaveNet list, because he was about to resume his medication, and wanted to reserve his inbox for personal mail only. I could read between the lines. Tom has cancer. I wished him the best, and told him that as soon as he wanted back on the list, to just say the word.
To Tom, in heaven now, for sure, spiritually you will always be on my list! You did something great by sharing your life with all of us.
We miss you!
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***I Turn 40
This wouldn't be DaveNet if I didn't tell you that next week is a very big week in my life -- Tuesday is my fortieth birthday! I'm going on a trip, so don't expect much DaveNet stuff next week. Or maybe there will be a lot of DaveNet stuff. Who knows? We'll see.
What does turning 40 mean? A bunch of stuff, I'm sure.
One of the things I'm enjoying this week is the novelty of being in my thirties. By this time next week my thirties will be a memory.
By 40, you've learned that people come and go from your life. That security is an illusion. That love and fun and sharing is what life is about. Try your best to be in *this* moment, not in future moments, not in past moments. Keep the lessons, throw away the experiences.
Another thing about turning 40 is respect. The world cuts you a wider path as you get older. You have to explain yourself less. People assume more often that you know what you're talking about. You don't have to struggle as much to get people's attention.
In many ways I am a younger person as I turn 40 than I was when I turned 30. I'm not scared of living. Not scared of learning about myself.
My thirties were a period of great accomplishment. I made some great products! I did very well financially. I bought my first house in my thirties. I made a lot of friends, and lost a few too. I fell in love a few times, also had my heart broken a few times. I got my share of the ebb and flow of life.
I look forward to my forties!
Who knows what adventures await me?
Let's have fun!
Dave Winer