This is a story about frustration, and about the feeling of being totally helpless. And did I say frustration, again?

It was 3 weeks, almost everyday, for 7 days a week, I have been working on SimplyTweet 2.5. Many new features and many bug fixes.

It was 3 weeks, almost everyday, for 7 days a week, I have been working on SimplyTweet 2.4. Many new features and many bug fixes.

It was 3 weeks, almost everyday, for 7 days a week, I have been working on SimplyTweet 2.3. Many new features and many bug fixes.

The list goes on for at least 2.2, 2.1, 2.0, 1.7, 1.6, 1.5, 1.4, 1.3, 1.2, 1.2, 1.1 (that's 14 major updates with new features and bug fixes, excluding 1.0 and a minor fix in between). A changelog for v2.5 is at here.

Between the 13 major updates, I have had my share of App store rejections, some logical, some even more logical if you think like a 1 year old. I have heard people tell me SimplyTweet is fantastic. I have heard people tell me it sucks dick. Sales definitely has not been fantastic.

Now I take pride in what I do and believe me, when I say I put in a lot of effort into making SimplyTweet better. Just ask my keyboard how much abuse it has to endure from me. Even if no one else knows, it knows.

Looking back, the sales, the approval process, the fact that I had to wait for almost 3 months for paperwork with Apple in order to put up any app on the App store, nothing beats this: I have been noticing at least for the last 3 updates, that consistently, there is always this person AntiThings who cares enough to post and update his/her review on App store for SimplyTweet with every update. Here's a few gems:

Maybe you are wondering, perhaps SimplyTweet is really so bad, and the developer (me) really doesn't update except for bug fixes. I hope that's explained above already, 14 major updates, within less than 12 months. If not, the app store description always shows the change list every time. I have the practice of listing most of the new features and combining bug fixes into a single line - just "bug fixes". The fact that this person has been following SimplyTweet's updates (and note that the latest 2.5 review has been done yesterday, on the same day after 2.5 is available), looks like he or she is well aware of SimplyTweet's updates.

I want to be fair and optimistic. Perhaps this person is just a frustrated customer. Perhaps he or she misunderstood. Perhaps..

But seriously, after dwelling on this for a few weeks, I have decide to write this. And AntiThings, if you see this, feel free to drop me a note and I'll be most happy to hear your side of the story, if you feel wronged, just like I had for the past few weeks, if not months.

PS: If you wonder why I don't just contact this person or respond to the review, it is because the App store doesn't allow developers to respond to it, nor provide any way for us to follow up with the user.

PSS: Perhaps I shouldn't have felt this way. Perhaps I shouldn't have reacted this way. Maybe I wouldn't, if I had been making tons of money with the app. But I'm not, and such an act may actually be preventing me, a indie developer from making a living out of doing something well (I think? You tell me).