The Changelog: Software Development, Open Source

Two decades as a solo indie Mac dev (Interview)

Jun 10, 2022

Jesse Grosjean, a solo indie Mac developer since 2004, is known for his innovative apps like WriteRoom and TaskPaper. He shares insights on navigating the indie development landscape, including the challenges of income variability and user engagement. Jesse discusses his approach to app design, emphasizing simplicity and usability, and reflects on the evolution of Markdown tools. He also explores the balance between open-source philosophies and maintaining unique offerings in the competitive Mac app market, underscoring his commitment to quality and user experience.

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ANECDOTE

Jesse's Background

Jesse Grosjean's interest in visual design led him to study computer science and studio art.
Early work at a visual startup and a human-computer interaction lab shaped his approach to software design.

INSIGHT

Simplicity over Complexity

Zooming interfaces and other complex designs often hinder basic productivity.
Simple text editors provide a powerful foundation for many tasks.

ANECDOTE

WriteRoom's Impact

WriteRoom's unexpected success, despite its simplicity, highlighted the power of minimalist design.
This experience significantly influenced Grosjean's subsequent projects.

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This week Jesse Grosjean joins us to talk about his career as a solo indie Mac dev. Since 2004 Jesse has been building Mac apps under the company name Hog Bay Software producing hits such as WriteRoom, Taskpaper, and now Bike. We talk through the evolution of his apps, how he considers new features and improvements, why he chose and continues to choose the Mac platform, his business model and pricing for his apps, and what it takes to build his business around macOS and the driving force of the App Store.

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Featuring:

Jesse Grosjean – Website, GitHub, X
Adam Stacoviak – Website, GitHub, LinkedIn, Mastodon, X
Jerod Santo – GitHub, LinkedIn, Mastodon, X

Show Notes:

Editor’s note: Technically Jesse has been doing Hog Bay Software for 18 years (since 2004). We rounded up to 20 years (2 decades) for the title’s sake.

Something missing or broken? PRs welcome!