inessential by Brent Simmons

3/01/02

This is my last day at UserLand. My decision to resign is for personal reasons, and has nothing to do with the company, its software, its people, or its mission—regarding all of which I have high opinions.

I’m proud of the work I accomplished over the last five years—I’m proud of the work the entire team accomplished. So many more people write for the Web now than did five years ago, because of the work of UserLand and others, and this gives me immense personal satisfaction.

I’m grateful to UserLand, and to Dave Winer in particular, for teaching me how to be a software developer. It reminds me of the old days when, instead of going to college, you would join a trade guild as an apprentice and learn your craft from a mentor. I got a great education.

I learned that being a software developer is more than just about programming—it’s also about respect, empathy, and integrity.

So... what’s next for me?

I’ll be doing software for Frontier and Radio. I’ll still be on the same mailing lists, reading the same discussion groups. I’ll continue doing this weblog and mac.scripting.com.

In other words: I’m still here.

Thanks to everyone for the notes of thanks, via email and the Web. I appreciate it very much. It means alot to me, more than you probably imagine.