The story of how we hired Ian, one of our Cocoa engineers, is a nice piece of life.
When Panic’s headcount was two — me and Steve — the first thing we needed help with was tech support, but the idea of finding and hiring an employee was overwhelming. (It still is, really.) Riding my bike through downtown Portland late one night, a girl flagged me down to ask which bus might take her to her friend’s house. My knowledge of Tri-Met is limited to the one line I use and which seats have the least crust, so I — stay with me here — instead suggested we could walk to my car and drive. On the way, she asked me what I did, and when I mentioned computers, she said “Oh, I have a friend at PSU who does computer stuff! He’s looking for a job!” I quickly lost touch with Cassie, but Ian has worked for Panic ever since.
After first proving his worth at the often thankless task of tech support while simultaneously taking CS classes at Portland State University, Ian’s programming skills gradually grew. Eventually he seemed ready to jump to the next level, so Stattoo was concocted as Ian’s first-ever Cocoa app, a chance to cut his teeth without jumping into the frigid waters of a Transmit. Today, Ian is a part of everything, including major pieces of Coda and Transmit. We guarantee you’ve used his code.
Today is Ian’s last day at Panic, after over 10 years of service. What’s next for him? Medical school!
I’m sad to see Ian go, but I’m happy to see him follow his heart — how many of us could make such a drastic life change? — and while I love Ian as a Cocoa programmer, I really love the idea of him as a fantastic doctor.
So, here’s to your future, Ian! We’ll miss you, and we’ll be rooting for you always.
kc! Bradshaw
7/29/2011 1:22 PMThanks Ian. Loved Stattoo from the second I bought it. Good luck in your travels.
Nathan
7/29/2011 1:34 PMWow, big life change. Good luck in the new endeavor, and thanks for all the software!
Andy
7/29/2011 1:44 PMSo long Ian! We’ve never met, but thanks for all the code in Transmit and good luck!
Chris Long
7/29/2011 1:50 PMgood luck to you, doctor ian!
Joshh
7/29/2011 1:51 PMMay God bless you Ian on your new endeavor! Thanks for all your hard work on the fine Panic products.
David
7/29/2011 1:54 PMWait… I’m more intrigued by the fact that some random girl flagged you down late at night while you were bike riding. Then, you got her into your car, and drove her to her friends house, and you didn’t bother to keep in touch? Wow…
Errol
7/29/2011 1:55 PMI guess this explain’s Stattoo’s icon ;-)
Rob Fahrni
7/29/2011 1:55 PMWow, what a great story! Congratulations Ian, and thanks for the bits.
TJ
7/29/2011 1:58 PMCongrats Ian. Any friend of Panic’s is a friend of mine. I’m a late convert to the medical profession myself, just now finishing med school at the ripe old age of 32. If you need any advice on being the – ahem – elder statesman amongst your peers, feel free to contact me anytime. Despite Panic’s loss, you’ve made the right choice.
Matto
7/29/2011 2:17 PMThanks for your work! I guarantee I use your code every day! God bless!
Fred
7/29/2011 2:29 PMWoah, great story. Ian you’re very brave in follow your heart. Good luck in the persuit of happyness!
muyiwa
7/29/2011 2:31 PMGood luck, Ian. Thanks for everything.
Tim
7/29/2011 2:34 PMSafe travels! My career change went a similarly drastic way (although in the opposite direction: mortuary sciences -> UI design).
Josh
7/29/2011 2:49 PMI’m not even a real Panic customer (yet?) and I already love you guys. I don’t know how involved I’ll be with software development (I hope for my programming to lead to Cognitive Sciences research) but I find y’all to be inspiring in the least hokey way possible.
Ian
7/29/2011 2:50 PMThank you for the kinds words! I am have no emoticons to express the intense mix of sadness and excitement I am feeling today (perhaps :-/()P{}) ? Panic has been my life for so long now I scarcely believe that I am not coming in on Monday. And in just a few short weeks I will be jumping into gross anatomy. It’s a thrill, but rendered bittersweet today. I started answering support email on Cabel and Steve’s couch from a clam shell iBook. Today I am leaving an incredibly talented group of 15 engineers, support guys, and designers. I don’t know how I got so lucky as to spend my career in software growing up with Panic, but I can’t imagine a better experience. Someday maybe your doctor can talk a little shop about making quality software for your Apple microcomputer.
Will
7/29/2011 2:56 PMIt’s been a pleasure to work with you all these years, I do wish you the best in what the next stage of your life brings. Needless to say, the office won’t be the same without you around to play Street Fighter with. :)
David R
7/29/2011 4:21 PMThanks, Ian. I’ve used Transmit almost daily for most of my career in SF and PDX. Nice work and good luck with Med school!
USMLEBoy
7/29/2011 8:50 PMMedicine is a noble calling. The choice you will never regret. Good luck, Ian!
Evan Schoenberg
7/29/2011 10:04 PMIan, I’m an MD (third year resident) who is also an independent software developer. Don’t forget that medicine *needs* good software solutions from the inside, from people who actually know the domain of treatment and medical decision making.
Medicine is a community. So’s Mac development. We’re members of both, or rather we’re about to be. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if there’s anything I can do, from 7 years ahead in the medicine career path, to help you. Have fun!
olivier
7/29/2011 11:43 PMmedicine NEEDS good software developer …. very badly.
i hope ian will succeed in medicine and perhaps he could join the osirix dev team.
Lars Koudal
7/30/2011 2:53 AMBest of luck to Ian :-)
Peer
7/30/2011 11:37 AMIan, Thank you and good luck!!!
Christina Warren
7/31/2011 12:31 PMBest of luck Ian! It’s great to see people following their hearts.
Rustam Savv
8/1/2011 12:40 PMGood luck to future colleague.
Saya
8/1/2011 3:01 PMThat’s impressive. Reading this post makes me feel stupid.
Chad
8/1/2011 6:23 PMWait…isn’t it heresy to leave Panic? Has it ever been done before? Sure Ian won’t just…disappear?
Mark
8/2/2011 8:11 PMSure this wasn’t part of the Facebook buyout terms?
Thilo
8/10/2011 11:45 PMHey Ian, no hard feelings but couldn’t you get Coda 2.0 finished before? Lots of webdesigners terribly need it! Anyways good luck, and don’t be afraid! A liver transplant can’t be that more difficult than switching an application from carbon to cocoa.
Joris
8/22/2011 12:25 AMYeah, way to go Ian! Good luck with all your plans!
Coralyn
8/27/2011 8:36 PMDag nabbit good stuff you whpiprenspapers!
Dora
4/20/2016 10:16 PMYour posintg lays bare the truth