Apple, Hire Me

At Macworld Expo, I was talking with someone (who shall remain nameless, unless he wishes otherwise) and I found myself giving standard rant #17, version 6a: "Why Apple should hire me." He said (in much nicer words), you know, you may be right, but no matter how many people you rant to, you're probably not getting the message to the right ones. Put it up on your blog instead.

So, here goes:

Apple, you need a JavaScript/Widget/Client-side Web Evangelist. And I'm the person to do it.

Evidence that there's a hole that needs filling:

1. Apple released the Dashcode Beta on 20 December. I mentioned it here on 21 December. It was first mentioned by an Apple employee on the Apple-run Dashboard-dev List on 4 January.

2. Apple posted a Dashcode Overview as part of their Leopard Technology Series for Developers on 9 January (yay documentation!). Mention on the Dashboard-dev list to date: none.

3. Unsurprisingly, participants on the Dashboard-dev list are hot to know more info about those widgets that Steve showed on the iPhone. The response from Apple (paraphrased, but not much): discussion on this topic is not allowed here or now.

4. Last post to the d-d list by the Apple employee with "Dashboard evangelist" in their title: 28 August.

5. Apple has been doing a series of Leopard Tech Talks around the US since the beginning of December, including a session on Dashboard Widget Development with Dashcode. Mention to date on the d-d list: none (which particularly annoys me, because I really would have liked to have attended the one in SF!)

6. The W3C is now working on recommendations for Client-Side Web Applications (Widgets) Requirements, but if you take a look at the acknowledgments, no one from Apple is listed as having contributed.

7. Last November, the Widgets Live conference took place in San Francisco. Representatives from Microsoft, AOL, Adobe, Google, and Yahoo all spoke — but no one from Apple.

To take the points above separately:

1. If it was worth mentioning here, it was definitely worth mentioning on the d-d list. I would have.

2. Ditto.

3. I've been a list-mom for about eight years. Telling people who are hot about a topic that they cannot discuss it on-list never works. There are a number of things that Apple employees could/should have done, but this wasn't the approach to take.

4. I'm not actually sure if he's still the Dashboard evangelist, but no one else with that title has posted to the d-d list.

5. You'd think that this would have been worth mentioning on an Apple developer list, wouldn't you?

6. Apple wasn't the first to come out with widgets, nor are they the last — but I suspect that as of the date of that recommendation (9 November) they were the only one to have widely distributed a widget platform. This is a place where Apple could and should contribute and lead, as they've got experience that no one else has.

   Clearly, it's not in Apple's best interest for a W3C recommendation to come out and have other companies ahead of them in implementing it. Or worse, have it be completely incompatible with their current Dashboard widgets.

7. Again, this is a place where Apple needs to take on a role. Every other company with an interest in widgets/gadgets was represented there (not to mention sponsoring). Apple needs to be part of the community.

I think that what Apple needs is an evangelist to help get their message out; approximately, a JavaScript equivalent of Sal Soghoian. Why I'm the right person for the job:

• I've been writing about JavaScript and the Web since 1997 (and the Mac even before that).

• I've been a leader in my field, including being a member of the Web Standards Project Steering Committee since 1998. I'm also currently co-chair of their DOM Scripting Task Force.

• I've been speaking at tech conferences since 1998, most recently at Macworld Expo, where I led the Web Designer/Developer BoF this year (the tenth year straight I've spoken at Macworld Expo SF). At Macworld Expo in 2006 I led the Dashboard Widgets Developer BoF.

• I've taught JavaScript classes at a wide variety of venues: from Cal State Long Beach to Pasadena City College, from the Getty Museum to NASA/Ames. I've participated in conferences such as Thunder Lizard, Web Builder, SxSW, and Webstock, among others, including the upcoming Ajax 2007 in London.

• I'm available to travel (especially after Santa Rosa airport re-opens in March).

Please note that I'm not applying for just any Apple job; I've actually got enough on my plate now to keep me plenty busy (although I admit I'd be tempted by this one). I think that Apple really needs someone in this role as far too many opportunities both within and without are being missed, and I think that I'm one of the best qualified people around to do it.

Apple, call me. I know you've got my contact info in your databases.