I use [Due](https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/due-reminders-countdown-timers/id390017969?mt=8&at=10l5TL)[^f1453] almost the same way as Ben does: When I have a task that I *need* to get completed. I have it set to pop up a modal window every minute until I get the task done.
[^f1453]: Affiliate link.
I am one of the current 246 members of Ben’s site, and have been one since he first started with non-ad supported paywall. I support the site because I think the non-ad supported model has allowed Ben to write better, more in-depth, reviews and articles than the previous ad model allowed.
If you think you might be interested in reading quality writing, from a independent voice, check out a few of my favorite Ben Brooks pieces:
* [Private v. Public Networks](http://brooksreview.net/2013/04/first-class-baby/)
* [The Transporter (the device, not the movie)](http://brooksreview.net/2013/07/transporter-2/)
* [Coffee Shops trying to run off “WiFi Hobos](http://brooksreview.net/2013/07/coffee-shops-look-to-oust-laptop-hobos/)
* [Why Kickstarter’s Apology to the “Seduction Guide” Fiasco was not Good Enough](http://brooksreview.net/2013/06/good-for-nothing-chickenshits/)
* [Tips on Writing](http://brooksreview.net/2013/05/on-writing/)
If you like what you read, then consider [signing up for a membership](http://brooksreview.net/members/).
Ben Brooks, after explaining the difference between public and private golf courses:
> That’s the difference between Twitter and App.net to me. Twitter is the public golf course, the coach seat. It’s where everyone is, and that’s exactly the problem. App.net is where a few people that are invested in the product, its direction, and the overall health of the service, go to socialize online.
He makes a pretty spot-on comparison.
> The worst part about this is that the quality of apps can’t and won’t improve if developers aren’t properly compensated for their time. This worries me the most, that despite my emphasis on paying, in the end it won’t matter because I’m one of the few paying and it won’t be enough to support excellent ad-free apps.
I am with Ben in the group of people more than willing to pay for quality apps. I hope we do not end up in a future where developers are unwilling to create quality apps because people simply refuse to pay more than 99 cents for things.
*NOTE: Lex Friedman’s original article that prompted Ben’s post, [A $5 app isn’t expensive: Customers need to help fix the App Store economy](http://www.macworld.com/article/2032847/a-5-app-isnt-expensive-customers-need-to-help-fix-the-app-store-economy.html), is well worth a read as well.*
A really good discussion between two of the people experimenting with pricing models in the digital space.
A [recent episode of the B&B Podcast](http://5by5.tv/bb/87) and the release of [Instacast 3](http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=r*bqlTuiXSo&offerid=146261&type=3&subid=0&tmpid=1826&RD_PARM1=https%253A%252F%252Fitunes.apple.com%252Fus%252Fapp%252Finstacast-next-gen-podcast%252Fid577056377%253Fmt%253D8%2526uo%253D4%2526partnerId%253D30)[^f1624] made me think about the “memberships” that some sites offer. If you are looking to support people doing good work online and in various app stores, I suggest you become members of the following:
* [The Brooks Review](http://brooksreview.net) – The quality of Ben Brooks’ recent work has vaulted him to the top of the link-blog / tech blog / mac blog mountain. His pieces are getting more in-depth and more insightful. It is well worth the $4 a month to support his site and encourage him to continue doing such quality work.
* [Instacast](http://vemedio.com/products/instacast3/membership) – The recent update to Instacast has solidified its position as *the* podcasting app for iOS. Recently, the developer also announced that there would be a [Mac version](http://vemedio.com/support/instacast#faq3|17) of Instacast to complement the existing iOS versions. An iOS and Mac podcasting ecosystem, held together with [Instacast’s new Cloud Sync](http://vemedio.com/blog/posts/more-about-our-cloud-sync), sounds amazing. By becoming an Instacast member, you can help support the development of the app and the further improvement of the syncing engine.[^fn1]
[^f1624]: Affiliate Link
[^fn1]: One additional member benefit is that members got early access to the 3.0 version, and got the 3.0 version for free when it was released. I am not sure that will happen with the Mac version, but I have heard rumblings that it is the case.
Ben Brooks, responding to [MG Siegler’s widely linked to article on Apple’s strategy of iteration](http://techcrunch.com/2012/09/13/the-iphone-5-event/):
> I think it’s important to remember that iterating to perfection is fantastic just so long as you recognize that perfection may be a completely different device than what you are iterating on today.
> …
> I just want to point out that there’s two types of iteration: iteration for the sake of perfection and iteration for the sake of selling new devices. It’s the latter that we need to be worried about, Apple’s still well in the iterating to perfection mode.
Mr. Brooks is one of the few people I have see who actually provided a counter opinion to what Mr. Siegler wrote. It will be interesting to see if the *next big thing*[^fn1] in the mobile space comes from Apple or some other company.
[^fn1]: I guess I can use the cool buzzword here: “disruption
Ben Brooks on TextMate 2 going open source:
> Unlike so many other people, I haven’t switched to Sublime Text 2 or Chocolat 1 — no I decided to jump fully into Coda 2 and Writer. I haven’t missed TextMate since making the change a while back, but I always held out hope to switch back to it.
I’m in his camp. I use [Coda 2](http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/coda-2/id499340368?mt=12&uo=4)[^aff] for web and most programming work and [iA Writer](http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ia-writer/id439623248?mt=12&uo=4) for almost all of my writing.[^bb] I, however, do not have any desire to switch back to using just a text editor.
[^bb]: I don’t always use a text editor, but when I do, I use [BBEdit](http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bbedit/id404009241?mt=12&uo=4).
[^aff]: Normally I use affiliate links, but that does not feel right when I link to someone else’s content, especially when Ben Brooks [has things behind a paywall](http://brooksreview.net/2012/07/new-tbr/). Therefore, these links are all direct Mac App Store links.
Ben Brooks with his reasons for why we should all support [App.net](http://join.app.net), including:
> Twitter that won’t ever block a third party client.
I added my support some time ago. Unfortunately, it looks like they will not get anywhere near their goal.
If I was writing my [Resurgence of the Email Newsletter](https://johnkiv.us/2012/07/20/the-resurgence-of-the-email-newsletter/) this week, I’d have to add this to the list. I’m looking forward to the release of issue 1, which should be later today.
Ben Brooks makes a great point that I had not considered:
> As for the worry of ‘low-traffic’, well Apple addressed that yesterday — ensuring that the Mac App Store will forever have high traffic: they made the Mac App Store the only place to get your OS updates for OS X, putting a notice in the Notification Center when you need to check for updates. Every Mac user will have to go into the Mac App Store from time to time, and I am certain many will click over to see what apps are featured. I can’t think of a better way to assure an app store of continued traffic.
I like it. Plus, I could remove the [hack I currently have in my hosts file](http://help.duckduckgo.com/customer/portal/articles/255650-hosts-file).