Support for Indie Authors discussion
Archived Author Help
>
What do you write on?
date
newest »
newest »
message 51:
by
Mary
(new)
Oct 12, 2015 11:07PM
Chromebook does not have a numbered keyboard and that is icky but I got over it for the price. They even had some for $150. And yes, my coffee had sugar and cream but my dog ran cause the coffee was very hot.
reply
|
flag
G.G. wrote: "Does your dog like his with sugar and cream? :P(SOWWY, I just couldn't resist) "
I figured somebody was going to make that joke. If my dog is drinking coffee, I should probably switch the little nutjob to decaf.
geh I need to upgrade my poor machines. my last one gave up the ghost by trying the motherboard (hp 6420). the latest (hp 8440) is still kicking :3 I also tend to use lot of old software so my keeping the innards updated until it blows is what I do. meh -_-
My backup machine is a Satellite. No idea what model(beyond old as dirt), but the reason I stopped using it was a flaky screen and keys that would randomly pop off while I was typing, so it sounds like Toshiba has a keyboard problem.
Gimme a legal pad, some Uniball ink pens, and a laptop with Scrivener, and I'm good to go.
Charles wrote: "Mary wrote: "I use a Chromebook..."omg so much logic i love it
srsly considering chromebook for my portable now"
I just can't get past their "limited offline" use and "files stored in the cloud" paradigm.
True, I usually am connected. But not when I'm off camping or sitting around at a park. And when I'm at coffee shops doing my writing, I tend not to connect to public wifi unless I need to look something up. And even then the connections tend to be rather dodgy.
Cloud storage is fine for file backup, but it's not a great idea for primary source material, or from an emergency planning standpoint.
I've read articles on how to set these up for maximum offline use, but that looks finicky to do (often requires additional apps), or requires you to first download what you want to listen to or watch offline.
It just seems wrong to have to rely on an internet connection in order to be fully productive, and to not be in total control of where files are stored. I think Google's idea was primarily to try and become the "company store" for all your PC use, providing a portal through which you'd access and use all their apps. Conspiracy theorists see sinister intent in that; I'm thinking it's more them trying to be similar to Apple and/or trying to step into the future of computing. But the future where massively broadband internet is universally available (and affordable), is effectively un-hackable, and totally reliable is a LONG way away.
So...I'm not sold on these.
P.S. The idea of running software that's on the cloud is such a throwback idea! We used dummy terminals at work back in the late '80s and early '90s. Green screens and all. Yuck.
I have extremely limited funds. If I had more than $500, I would go with the basic laptop. I don't. I have more medical expenses in a month than a lot of people pay in a year. So, I make do with what I have.I agree the internet piece is limited. They do have the write files that can be accessed offline, are free, and take one click to install from the app store. The only issue there is that you have to incorporate the file back to your original (merge) and I like to look back at what I've written while going forward.
That said, for $150 can you find a better electronic solution? btw, I hotspot when I am away from convenient wifi.
Any idea if something like Docs to Go would work on a Chromebook? I don't use it much anymore of my mobile devices, but it was $20 and provided me with a limited version of Office back in the days of two inch mobile screens.
what was the advantage of docs to go? Chromebook offers several free apps for writing, and they say offline also.https://chrome.google.com/webstore/se...
Docs to go was around pre-android. I originally had it on my Palm devices and when I saw it was available for android, I grabbed it. I'm just wondering how mobile apps work with the Chromebooks since I'm assuming they use the same OS.
Notepad on laptop cuz its comfortable. Then on to main PC with word.
Evolution of my writing implements: typewriter, electronic typewriter, PC, laptop, and, now: a 2-in-1. Supported by Twine software and actual index cards. :)
I actually write most of my first drafts longhand, then when it's time to move everything over to the computer I use my desktop PC. Necessity has forced me to use my laptop a time or two, but the smaller keyboard really slows me down. I suppose I might eventually get used to it, but I like my big desktop keyboard, and the clicky clicky noises it makes when I type ;)
Laptop and iPad.I'm dating myself, but I used to write on a manual typewriter. Back then, I had to retype a page if I wanted to make changes. I love computers and word processing. Makes life so much easier.
I kind of wish I could write longhand. I injured my hand about 11 years ago and handwriting for longer than 10 minutes gets painful.
I have the issue with hands also, as I have had a stroke. Some days are better than others. I am thankful for this technology.
I always do my final on a late version of MS Word. OE and it's other versions are terrible, if not impossible, to make headers come out right.
Christina wrote: "I'm just wondering how mobile apps work with the Chromebooks since I'm assuming they use the same OS."
i thought that they might be the same os as well, but android os is for mobile devices, phones in particular. chrome is its own os. so, android apps have to be ported to chrome os. so, i'd check on the docs to go website about compatibility w/chrome os.
see this wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrome_...
I write on a PC. My first one was a Kaypro and the printer was a daisywheel. When it printed, it sounded as if I were the fastest typist in the universe. I think the two of them cost me $1500 in 1984. The machine I use now is a Dell Optiplex 380 I bought refurbished from Walmart for $166 a year and a half ago. It has been the best computer I've ever owned. I purchased the identical machine for my wife last month and paid $106. I had to return that one because the hard drive was bad, but the replacement has worked fine. These machines come with just the operating system and no support, so you have to be a little computer savvy to set them up.If you are short of funds, this is a good option. Mine came with Windows 7 Pro and runs all of the programs and peripherals I had on my Windows XP machine.
I use my laptop, and backup to pen drive and the cloud.I am surprised that Amazon don't do an integrated kindle writing app for their Kindle HD's.
I don't know how anyone could use a phone!
People with hand issues; have any of you tried the speech to type devices? Just wondering if they're any good. xx
I write in longhand in pencil on legal pads or in spiral notebooks. I revise the same way. Then I do a final revision as I type my poems on MS Word on whatever Dell computers the local libraries I use have. I have a floppy disk drive and I store my files on classic floppy disks---a librarian was literally giving away boxes of them and I have a bunch. I'll use these until they're gone. Yes, as you may have noticed, I'm something of a Luddite. Like Harlan Ellison once said, "I operate at the level of technology that best suits my needs."
T.L. - Yes! Dragon Naturally Speaking is the best. I've used it over the years when my wrists get bad. The newer ones don't even need to be trained, I think.
Windows 8 speech recognition sucks BTW. Tried it awhile ago and...no. Just no.
Alex G wrote: "Christina wrote: "I'm just wondering how mobile apps work with the Chromebooks since I'm assuming they use the same OS."
i thought that they might be the same os as well, but android os is for mo..."
Good to know! Unfortunately, it doesn't appear to be a full computing OS quite yet. I love Android for mobile, blows my old Palm devices away hands down, but it looks like I'm sticking to Microsoft for actual computing. Good thing 10 runs smoothly.
dragon is pretty decent but my thick accent gives it fits. I have used 8 but after losing the disk i reverted back to the text to speech option in word 2k3 pro. I would prefer to use tts because my arthritic hands can't keep up like I used too. speaking slowly and enunciating every word was driving me nuts since I can type as fast as I think. taking frequent breaks to rest my hands kills my drive -_-
Despite many calls to try Scrivener or other writing software, I'm staying faithful to MS Word. I'm sure there are much more convenient ways to write, but to me they're just tools and the writing takes precedence.
Laptop, definitely. I'm a bit puzzled, existentially, as to why keyboards are so perfect for writing. Did anybody see the movie Ender's Game where Ender was using this really weird-looking one-handed keyboard? I wonder if it will ever be possible to invent a device that beats keyboard speed. I always just assumed we would progress from handwriting to typing to voice dictation to thought dictation.My only two objections with the keyboard are short (~2hr) battery life and sun glare. Both of these issues look to be receiving attention by the hardworking R&D guys in California.
I've read a few mentions in this thread about backup, but not nearly enough. You chromebook & ipad guys & gals are off the hook, but the rest of you, take a minute and consider what you'd lose if your computer were to fall out a 20-story window. I sync my hard drive to a pen drive every few weeks, but back my writing up in the cloud after every writing session.
I use my Pc with Open Office. I need to remember to backup more often, I always seem to forget until I'm finished for the time being or until my pc starts to lag or something, then I'm freaking out praying that the program doesn't crash or my pc shuts down for some odd reason lol
Mod
I'm just to cheap to pay a subscription to use it!
I use a pen. When I've got writer's block I find it hard to scratch my head with a keyboard.
Victor wrote: "I've read a few mentions in this thread about backup, but not nearly enough. You chromebook & ipad guys & gals are off the hook, but the rest of you, take a minute and consider what you'd lose if your computer were to fall out a 20-story window. I sync my hard drive to a pen drive every few weeks, but back my writing up in the cloud after every writing session."Oh we have backup covered. Writers are a paranoid bunch.
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Riley wrote: "I'm just to cheap to pay a subscription to use it!"Scrivener is actually just a one time payment of 40 or 45 USD depending on if you're buying for Mac or Windows.
And as to Mark's comment on the writing taking precedence over the tools, I've found that Scrivener actually enables the writing to take precedence rather than having to deal with/worry about the inadequacy of the program all the time as I used to have to with Word. (I spent years thinking that having a dedicated writing software like Scrivener was a silly luxury. Then I tried Scrivener's free trial, and it was so good it actually changed the way I wrote and revised. I have never looked back.)
And just to throw in my two cents regarding writing hardware, I use a Macbook Air 11 inch and love it because it fits in my purse, takes up a negligible amount of space in my backpack and enables me to easily write anywhere, anytime. I got a few hundred words in the other day while I was waiting for my flu shot. Highly convenient and solid battery life as well.
