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15/05/2002 Interview with Scott Maxwell- ace developer of WordSmith
What were your original intentions when developing WordSmith- did you want loads of features or simple useability?
We wanted to make a real word processor on the Palm. The goal was to take a document from Word, edit it and send it back with 95% of the original formatting.
How does it feel to have created what most people consider to be the best program in it's field?
Excellent. Of course we worked hard to get here. I think part of the secret is that we actually use the product constantly.
What are you working on at the moment (are you able to say)?
I can't really say. I am creating some new technology that will hopefully revolutionize handheld shareware.
If you had 6 months added to your life to design any dream program you like what would it be and why?
Hmm, tough question. At this point I would probably say an e-book reader. I do all of my book reading on WordSmith now but with 6-months to devote to a standalone reader, I am sure I could come up with something fantastic.
What one feature would you like to see in a next generation PDA?
I would like to see the larger resolution and virtual silk screen area of the new Sony NR70 become standard.
What PDA do you use and why?
The Sony NR70. It took about a day to modify WordSmith to support the virtual silk screen. Since it has a keyboard, the silk screen area is really unnecessary so I end up with almost 50% more screen space.
What's the best film you have seen and why?
Last year my favorite movies were Moulin Rouge and A Beautiful Mind. Fellowship of the Ring was great, too, but I already knew the story
Do you think there's room for another player in the PDA market to squash Palm and Microsoft?
Yes. I would say that Symbian is the one to watch. It is likely to either do nothing or take over. If all of the cell phone manufacturers adopt Symbian, many people could end up owning a PDA whether they mean to or not.
What's the best piece of feedback you have received for WordSmith?
I can't point to any single piece of feedback. User feedback has always been a major factor in the quick evolution of WordSmith.
Did you ever dream that WordSmith would be as successful as it has been?
Yes. In fact, when we started on WordSmith, there was really no competition. I had hoped to be retired by now
What other programs have you developed for the Palm?
Quik Budget and Quik Tax & Tip, plus quite a few custom applications for companies such as Symbol. We are about to release an update to Quik Budget that takes even better advantage of the virtual silk on the HandEra and Sony NR70 devices.
Thanks to Scott for taking the time to do the interview. More information on the wonderful WordSmith is available at Blue Nomad. If you want to see more of Scott's work see quiksense.com