Patrick Rauland will be speaking at WordCamp. We asked him a few questions:

What’s your favorite theme or theme framework? Why?

_s (aka Underscores) by Automattic; Underscores is a perfect starter theme as it has everything you need ready for styling…oh and it’s built and maintained by Automattic – you know the guys who manage WordPress.

If you could change one thing today about WP, what would it be?

There has to be an easier way to work on another developers plugin. It should be as easy at GitHub to open issues, attach code, and submit pull requests.

Where do you see WordPress going in the next 2-3 years?

WordPress will be used more and more as the backend for mobile applications. I also see it being used more often as a boilerplate for a startup’s SaaS services.

What’s the biggest misconception you encounter about WordPress, and how do you clear it up for your clients?

The biggest misconception with WordPress (or any CMS) is that it can change absolutely ANYTHING. I’ve found that best way to clear this up is by telling the client that I’m only making certain regions of the site editable for easy of use and for the bottom line.

If you were interviewing another WordPress developer for a job, what is the first question you would ask and why?

How much do you read about the web in one week? (It better be at least an hour a day.)