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Show HN: Turn your fancy, expensive computer into a stupid typewriter

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Re: Show HN: Turn your fancy, expensive computer into a stupid typewriter

#31

Post by samcgraw »

I've enjoyed writing short (mostly ghost) stories for friends and family over the last number of years, but I've never considered going for something like 50K words (and as a runner, I did appreciate the analogy!) until now. Thank you for sharing this!

This might be a bit tangential, but over the last few months I've been working on a collaborative writing project called Storylocks (https://www.storylocks.com) to make writing practice more fun and be able to riff on other writers' ideas. Excited to see more applications in the creative writing space coming out of the woodwork!

Re: Show HN: Turn your fancy, expensive computer into a stupid typewriter

#32

Post by projektfu »

generalpass wrote: post #2

I think that learning to type on an actual typewriter makes these kinds of exercises not as useful for me. Although I learned on electric typewriters that allowed one full line of text, displayed in a LCD, to be typed before "printing", the first half of the class we were not allowed to use this feature. When I want to put words down without intrusion, I disable spellcheck and generally don't find myself that concern…

I learned how to type on an old PC/AT (old even in 1991) and used a typing tutor program. frf ded sws aqa

But learning to type on the model F keyboard was very useful as I developed great speed. I made extra money in high school typing people's papers. The most important lessons from touch typing courses are: look at what you're typing and don't correct as you go, sit up straight with your shoulders back, don't rest your wrists on the table. When you're dilly-dallying around in powerpoint this stuff doesn't matter, but when you're typing 4000-6000 words per hour, it makes a huge difference.

I eventually moved to using an Apple Extended Keyboard II, which had a lot of great features, and then back to an IBM model M. Now I use a Unicomp model M derivative. How I wish I could have a similar keyboard on a laptop these days.

Re: Show HN: Turn your fancy, expensive computer into a stupid typewriter

#33

Post by false_kermit »

zck wrote: post #9

I've been taking a writing class through Second City, and I've found it incredibly useful to write out my first drafts on paper, by hand. I don't think I'm losing any time by having to type my second draft into the computer afresh - you're going to be looking at it anyway, and it's useful to be forced to reread every word. It's easy to skip over parts if you don't need to touch them. There's the bonus that my noteboo…

I definitely think that the worst part about typing on a computer is how easy it makes it to not draft. I write about music on the side, and if I spend 15 minutes planning what I'm going to write prior to actually writing it (for a 500 word piece) then everything turns out much more cohesive at the end. I can pretty much type as fast as I can think, but my thoughts are pretty garbage unless I get a chance to organize them first.

Re: Show HN: Turn your fancy, expensive computer into a stupid typewriter

#35

Post by LeoPanthera »

scblock wrote: post #26

This is a concept that comes up fairly often and I must stress that what works for one person may not work for everyone else, whether that's writing longhand on paper, a mechanical or electric typewriter, dedicated word processing device, WordPerfect 5.1 in DOS, Microsoft Word, Google Sheets, Notepad, Emacs, Vim, iA Writer, or anything else. And though constraints can be helpful in some cases, I don't find the appeal…

Shout out to WordGrinder, a word processor (not a text editor) for the Terminal:

http://cowlark.com/wordgrinder/

Re: Show HN: Turn your fancy, expensive computer into a stupid typewriter

#37

Post by fbelzile »

ipsin wrote: post #25

I would like it more if the "full-screen" mode was almost completely the content written, similar to a typewriter display. No picture of a typewriter, minimal controls, a small box for the new line, and everything else is what you've typed so far.

Check out my app: https://getcoldturkey.com/writer/

It looks a little like Word, and there's no new line box, but it has the other things you mentioned. You can also set it to block everything else on your computer until you write a certain number of words, or for a certain amount of time. I'm adding typewriter scrolling soon too.

The pro features let you disable certain keys, etc. but you get a lot of value out of the free version.

Re: Show HN: Turn your fancy, expensive computer into a stupid typewriter

#38

Post by jonahbenton »

For the writing-on-paper crew, of which I am a longtime member-

For decades I have worked my way through a box of Levenger Circa paper a month, writing with Namiki retractable fountain pens- later Zebra Steel ballpoints-

I love thick, tactile writing paper and ergonomic pens but have been able to transition pretty well to writing on a Remarkable tablet. It isn't quite the same, doesn't always engender the same flow, but it is pretty close and I am in eager anticipation for the next round of hardware coming this summer.

If you are looking for a digital bridge for the paper writing habit, check out the Remarkable.

(Just an impressed user, no relationship).

Cheers.

Re: Show HN: Turn your fancy, expensive computer into a stupid typewriter

#39

Post by 205guy »

I was expecting the graphic to animate as I type, with the ribbon holder jumping up and down, maybe even display the text itself, and hoping to hear that satisfying sound of the letters against the platen. Obviously the shutdown hasn't lasted long enough.

I'm only half joking. I like the concept of re-implementing typewriter constraints on the writing process, but the skeumorphism was lacking. It took me a second to figure out why there were 2 text boxes, and the word-based tokenization is not type-writer like at all.

More importantly, one key aspect of the typewriter was lacking: the immobility of the cursor. In a typewriter, it was the page/canvas that moved, and your cursor stayed fixed. You could type paragraphs even an entire page without moving your head or even your eyeballs by just staring at the contact point of the letters.

Searching for "typewriter simulator" found this which is very close to what I was imagining: https://uniqcode.com/typewriter/

It even recreates the problem of missed letters if you type too fast (though I suspect it's a bug). At least it doesn't jam.

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