I’m not a big fan of large corporations in general - especially when it comes to software companies. When small startups or so-called “indie” developers make a name for themselves they usually bring a personality that is very close to those of their key employees and it shows in how they conduct business. They’re not stuffed shirt, collar and tie, business speak and double-talk. One that has always impressed me is the Australian developer, Shifty Jelly.

Why I love Shifty Jelly is mostly about their attitude and an app of theirs I use constantly is Pocket Weather AU. When updating today to version 2.4.5 I came across the following text in their description update: (I haven’t asked for their permission however I can’t see them complaining - SJ: Let me know if this is okay)

“- Fixed iOS 3 radar crash. So now we want to talk to you people who still run iOS 3. Everyone else, you’re excused. No really this is a private conversation, go send some Twitterz or something. Off you go.

Ok, now that we’re alone with our iOS 3 friends, let’s talk.

At first we thought about being smug with you: ‘2009 called, it wants it’s OS back’, but that seemed nasty.

Then we considered the helping approach: ‘You know pretty soon all apps including our are going to required iOS4’, but that sounded patronising. Then we pondered the angry approach: ‘Frickety frick frick people, update your fracking devices! Can’t you do anything right?!’ but that had 3 fricks (and one frack!), which is at least 2 more than any sane person would ever use, unless they were from the Balkans, in which case we’d have needed 32 of them.

Then we considered compassion: ’look, I realise iTunes is scary, god knows I’m scared it’s going to wipe my phone every time it gets within 2 meters of that crazy white cable’ but we thought Apple would slap us silly if we put that in there.

Then we thought about trying the mum approach: ‘Alexander Jones you update your phone this instant you hear me!’ and it was funny, because the one Alexander Jones out there would have just freaked out, but then Paul Allen would have missed out, not to mention Sue Morgan and Brad Smith.

Then we just gave up and released a fix.”

BRAVO.