TweetFollow Us on Twitter

The MacTech Spotlight: Keith Alperin, Helium Foot Software

Volume Number: 27
Issue Number: 02
Column Tag: MacTech Spotlight

The MacTech Spotlight: Keith Alperin, Helium Foot Software

http://www.heliumfoot.com


What do you do?

I'm the founder, CTO, CMO, COO, CEO and CJO (Chief Janitorial Officer) of Helium Foot Software, which I started in 2007.

As my title(s) imply, I do just about everything! I hire contractors (designers, copy writers, etc.) as needed, but for the most part, it's a one man shop. Like a lot of indies, Helium Foot has two practices: product development and consulting.

While I've always fancied myself as a product auteur (or at least an impresario) the truth is that consulting is really what keeps the lights on. At SecondConference this past fall, there was a lot of discussion about what it means to be an "indie". Since then, I've been a lot more zen about my current place in the mac-o-verse and I'm focusing a lot more on my consulting practice this year.

How long have you been doing what you do?

I grew up in a house with computers. My dad use to bring home dumb terminals back in the 70s (complete with telex "displays" and acoustic coupler modems.) I wrote my first game with my best friend in 1984. We were 9 and 10. We wrote it in mbasic5 on a cp/m based Vector Graphic 4. It was called "Haunted Mansion" and before you label us prodigies, you should know that the entire game was implemented as giant tree of conditionals.

Fast-forward to 1996 and I had just graduated from college with a degree in molecular biology. Since my biology experiments always failed, I needed to find another line of work. The Internet was starting to explode so I took my degree in biology, my (very heavy) HTML reference book and my 60-watt smile into a job interview and emerged with a gig as a webmaster. I really came up through the web ranks and started to make the jump to the Mac in the year or so before I started the company.

What was your first computer?

Our first real computer was a Vector Graphic 4 (http://www.vintage-computer.com/vector4.shtml) which my dad brought home in 1982. He was a software engineer (he even studied computers at MIT before they had a computer science major) so we were definitely ahead of the home computer curve. We of course played games on it. We used its word processor (MemoWrite, a program so obscure that google seems to have never heard of it.) Most importantly, though, i started programming on it. My dad bought a book on BASIC that he read with us and we did the examples together. I was a little to young to really get the concept of variables and subroutines; but I could make it print a lot of lines of "KEITH IS AWESOME."

What is the advice you'd give to someone trying to get into this line of work today?

Just start! I spent a long time as a sort of cocoa dabbler who thought a lot about writing an app and starting a business. I read this quote from Daniel Jalkut of MarsEdit fame and it really inspired me (hat tip to Gus Mueller for posting it on his blog: http://gusmueller.com/blog/archives/2007/02/daniel_jalkut_on_macsb.html):

Therefore my advice and personal strategy is:

1. Just start. If you're dreaming of an app, stop dreaming, pick your self up from wherever you are right now and sit down in front of your Mac. With the advent of the App Stores, it's never been easier start up your own software outfit and focus entirely on your product (rather than worrying about web stores and serial numbers.) Find the time and start making something.

Where can we see a sample of your work?

My Mac products can be downloaded from my site at http://www.heliumfoot.com and GroceryList for iPhone is available at http://itunes.apple.com/app/grocerylist-the-fastest-way/id352712665?mt=8.

I also released some of the GroceryList source code at https://bitbucket.org/kalperin/hfuikit.


If you or someone you know belongs in the MacTech Spotlight, let us know! Send details to editorial@mactech.com

 

Community Search:
MacTech Search:

Software Updates via MacUpdate

Latest Forum Discussions

See All

Whitethorn Games combines two completely...
If you have ever gone fishing then you know that it is a lesson in patience, sitting around waiting for a bite that may never come. Well, that's because you have been doing it wrong, since as Whitehorn Games now demonstrates in new release Skate... | Read more »
Call of Duty Warzone is a Waiting Simula...
It's always fun when a splashy multiplayer game comes to mobile because they are few and far between, so I was excited to see the notification about Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile (finally) launching last week and wanted to try it out. As someone who... | Read more »
Albion Online introduces some massive ne...
Sandbox Interactive has announced an upcoming update to its flagship MMORPG Albion Online, containing massive updates to its existing guild Vs guild systems. Someone clearly rewatched the Helms Deep battle in Lord of the Rings and spent the next... | Read more »
Chucklefish announces launch date of the...
Chucklefish, the indie London-based team we probably all know from developing Terraria or their stint publishing Stardew Valley, has revealed the mobile release date for roguelike deck-builder Wildfrost. Developed by Gaziter and Deadpan Games, the... | Read more »
Netmarble opens pre-registration for act...
It has been close to three years since Netmarble announced they would be adapting the smash series Solo Leveling into a video game, and at last, they have announced the opening of pre-orders for Solo Leveling: Arise. [Read more] | Read more »
PUBG Mobile celebrates sixth anniversary...
For the past six years, PUBG Mobile has been one of the most popular shooters you can play in the palm of your hand, and Krafton is celebrating this milestone and many years of ups by teaming up with hit music man JVKE to create a special song for... | Read more »
ASTRA: Knights of Veda refuse to pump th...
In perhaps the most recent example of being incredibly eager, ASTRA: Knights of Veda has dropped its second collaboration with South Korean boyband Seventeen, named so as it consists of exactly thirteen members and a video collaboration with Lee... | Read more »
Collect all your cats and caterpillars a...
If you are growing tired of trying to build a town with your phone by using it as a tiny, ineffectual shover then fear no longer, as Independent Arts Software has announced the upcoming release of Construction Simulator 4, from the critically... | Read more »
Backbone complete its lineup of 2nd Gene...
With all the ports of big AAA games that have been coming to mobile, it is becoming more convenient than ever to own a good controller, and to help with this Backbone has announced the completion of their 2nd generation product lineup with their... | Read more »
Zenless Zone Zero opens entries for its...
miHoYo, aka HoYoverse, has become such a big name in mobile gaming that it's hard to believe that arguably their flagship title, Genshin Impact, is only three and a half years old. Now, they continue the road to the next title in their world, with... | Read more »

Price Scanner via MacPrices.net

B&H has Apple’s 13-inch M2 MacBook Airs o...
B&H Photo has 13″ MacBook Airs with M2 CPUs and 256GB of storage in stock and on sale for up to $150 off Apple’s new MSRP, starting at only $849. Free 1-2 day delivery is available to most US... Read more
M2 Mac minis on sale for $100-$200 off MSRP,...
B&H Photo has Apple’s M2-powered Mac minis back in stock and on sale today for $100-$200 off MSRP. Free 1-2 day shipping is available for most US addresses: – Mac mini M2/256GB SSD: $499, save $... Read more
Mac Studios with M2 Max and M2 Ultra CPUs on...
B&H Photo has standard-configuration Mac Studios with Apple’s M2 Max & Ultra CPUs in stock today and on Easter sale for $200 off MSRP. Their prices are the lowest available for these models... Read more
Deal Alert! B&H Photo has Apple’s 14-inch...
B&H Photo has new Gray and Black 14″ M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max MacBook Pros on sale for $200-$300 off MSRP, starting at only $1399. B&H offers free 1-2 day delivery to most US addresses: – 14″ 8... Read more
Department Of Justice Sets Sights On Apple In...
NEWS – The ball has finally dropped on the big Apple. The ball (metaphorically speaking) — an antitrust lawsuit filed in the U.S. on March 21 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) — came down following... Read more
New 13-inch M3 MacBook Air on sale for $999,...
Amazon has Apple’s new 13″ M3 MacBook Air on sale for $100 off MSRP for the first time, now just $999 shipped. Shipping is free: – 13″ MacBook Air (8GB RAM/256GB SSD/Space Gray): $999 $100 off MSRP... Read more
Amazon has Apple’s 9th-generation WiFi iPads...
Amazon has Apple’s 9th generation 10.2″ WiFi iPads on sale for $80-$100 off MSRP, starting only $249. Their prices are the lowest available for new iPads anywhere: – 10″ 64GB WiFi iPad (Space Gray or... Read more
Discounted 14-inch M3 MacBook Pros with 16GB...
Apple retailer Expercom has 14″ MacBook Pros with M3 CPUs and 16GB of standard memory discounted by up to $120 off Apple’s MSRP: – 14″ M3 MacBook Pro (16GB RAM/256GB SSD): $1691.06 $108 off MSRP – 14... Read more
Clearance 15-inch M2 MacBook Airs on sale for...
B&H Photo has Apple’s 15″ MacBook Airs with M2 CPUs (8GB RAM/256GB SSD) in stock today and on clearance sale for $999 in all four colors. Free 1-2 delivery is available to most US addresses.... Read more
Clearance 13-inch M1 MacBook Airs drop to onl...
B&H has Apple’s base 13″ M1 MacBook Air (Space Gray, Silver, & Gold) in stock and on clearance sale today for $300 off MSRP, only $699. Free 1-2 day shipping is available to most addresses in... Read more

Jobs Board

Medical Assistant - Surgical Oncology- *Apple...
Medical Assistant - Surgical Oncology- Apple Hill Location: WellSpan Medical Group, York, PA Schedule: Full Time Sign-On Bonus Eligible Remote/Hybrid Regular Apply Read more
Omnichannel Associate - *Apple* Blossom Mal...
Omnichannel Associate - Apple Blossom Mall Location:Winchester, VA, United States (https://jobs.jcp.com/jobs/location/191170/winchester-va-united-states) - Apple Read more
Cashier - *Apple* Blossom Mall - JCPenney (...
Cashier - Apple Blossom Mall Location:Winchester, VA, United States (https://jobs.jcp.com/jobs/location/191170/winchester-va-united-states) - Apple Blossom Mall Read more
Operations Associate - *Apple* Blossom Mall...
Operations Associate - Apple Blossom Mall Location:Winchester, VA, United States (https://jobs.jcp.com/jobs/location/191170/winchester-va-united-states) - Apple Read more
Business Analyst | *Apple* Pay - Banco Popu...
Business Analyst | Apple PayApply now " Apply now + Apply Now + Start applying with LinkedIn Start + Please wait Date:Mar 19, 2024 Location: San Juan-Cupey, PR Read more
All contents are Copyright 1984-2011 by Xplain Corporation. All rights reserved. Theme designed by Icreon.