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Tell HN: I'm a programmer who bought a typewriter

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Re: Tell HN: I'm a programmer who bought a typewriter

#31

Post by fsckboy »

brudgers wrote: post #8

Thinking about efficiency is a reliable way to buzz-kill creative inspiration. Editing is only more work with my typewriter (Olympia Traveler Deluxe with British layout) if I write something worth editing and am willing to do the work of editing it. When it comes to self-expression (a somewhat better term than creativity) the writing is important. Not having the mental burden of possible OS updates, battery, cable an…

>Thinking about efficiency is a reliable way to buzz-kill creative inspiration.

on the autism spectrum are systems thinkers, many liking to think precisely about efficiency, we are very creative about it and it makes us happy (read Simon Baron-Cohen's The Pattern Seekers: How Autism Drives Human Invention)

you're a buzzkill

Re: Tell HN: I'm a programmer who bought a typewriter

#32

Post by theogravity »

For those who want a hardware+digital writing-focused experience, I'd recommend the Kingjim Pomera series.

https://artvsentropy.wordpress.com/2023/08/12/retro-writing-...

We bought a Pomera DM250 a few months ago while in Japan. It's really sleek and feature-rich compared to western-built writing-only devices which are limited, more expensive, and bulky. It opens up directly to a word processor; runs Linux under the hood.

You can buy them via ebay as well if you're not in Japan.

Re: Tell HN: I'm a programmer who bought a typewriter

#33

Post by darkwater »

mkovach wrote: post #21

While I love typing on typewriters, it doesn't compare to writing with a good fountain pen loaded with excellent ink. But more and more, for writing that I intend to end up is some where in the digital void, I have found myself writing writing using WordStar, running DR DOS 7.0 on a ThinkPad T23, using a clone of an IBM M13 keyboard. So, for my major writing projects it is: * Outline, snippets, and drafts with a foun…

I always hated the feeling of the fountain pen scratching the paper while writing, but I only used it for school when I was very very young, and probably it was a crappy fountain pen.

Re: Tell HN: I'm a programmer who bought a typewriter

#34

Post by otterpro »

Van Neistat (Youtuber) uses typeweriter exclusively for writing, because it helps him focus, and also it seems to magically enhance his creativity. (He is one of the most creative person I've watched on youtube.)

[Manual Typewriter vs. The Computer - Van Neistat - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iViMlNj_Ca4)

Re: Tell HN: I'm a programmer who bought a typewriter

#35

Post by brudgers »

fsckboy wrote: post #31
brudgers wrote: post #8

Thinking about efficiency is a reliable way to buzz-kill creative inspiration. Editing is only more work with my typewriter (Olympia Traveler Deluxe with British layout) if I write something worth editing and am willing to do the work of editing it. When it comes to self-expression (a somewhat better term than creativity) the writing is important. Not having the mental burden of possible OS updates, battery, cable an…

> Thinking about efficiency is a reliable way to buzz-kill creative inspiration. on the autism spectrum are systems thinkers, many liking to think precisely about efficiency, we are very creative about it and it makes us happy (read Simon Baron-Cohen's The Pattern Seekers: How Autism Drives Human Invention ) you're a buzzkill

Among the systems I system-think about are systems that produce self-expression and systems that produce creative work.

Lots of people like to think about efficiency because thinking about efficiency is easier than doing work...and avoiding work is one of the definitions of efficiency.

Or to put it another way (and in the context of writing), thinking about efficiency doesn't put words on the page and what's in our heads is not the result of our creative acts.

Efficiency arises from the work, not vice versa. Self-expressive work arises from inspiration. The friction of inefficiency is often a symptom of important self-expression.

Re: Tell HN: I'm a programmer who bought a typewriter

#36

Post by brudgers »

mberlove wrote: post #28
taylodl wrote: post #3

Having grown up at a time where I was forced to use typewriters and listen to vinyl LP records, I don't wax so nostalgic over those old technologies. As soon as I got my Commodore 64 and my Star Gemini 10x dot matrix printer, I never used a typewriter again! Vinyl took a little longer to get off of as I had (and still have) a fairly significant vinyl collection.

Can I ask, do you find that the benefits that other respondents are claiming (maybe younger respondents) are artifacts of a wishful thinking? Is it possible that the benefits are somewhat real, but come with downsides? I'm not leading in any one direction, but I am curious if the experience is more objective or subjective.

I'm not younger and listened to records and used a typewriter. I have a typewriter because it creates an environment that is not a computer. Unlike a phonograph, a typewriter is an entire ecosystem less commodity supplies (a phonograph is useless without the activity selecting and acquiring and storing records).

I don't recommend getting a typewriter. If someone wants to try one, they will do it. And if someone doesn't they won't. They are not for everyone and there is no moral distinction between those two groups.

Re: Tell HN: I'm a programmer who bought a typewriter

#37

Post by derekp7 »

darkwater wrote: post #33
mkovach wrote: post #21

While I love typing on typewriters, it doesn't compare to writing with a good fountain pen loaded with excellent ink. But more and more, for writing that I intend to end up is some where in the digital void, I have found myself writing writing using WordStar, running DR DOS 7.0 on a ThinkPad T23, using a clone of an IBM M13 keyboard. So, for my major writing projects it is: * Outline, snippets, and drafts with a foun…

I always hated the feeling of the fountain pen scratching the paper while writing, but I only used it for school when I was very very young, and probably it was a crappy fountain pen.

Some of the nicer fountain pens just glide over the paper -- you can look for reviews on several fountain pen forums, and on the fountain pen subreddit. I personally like several of the ones from Pilot. Also, Sailor pens will give you feedback that feels more like a good graphite pencil (so not scratchy, but not glass smooth either). Another good option is the Pilot Varsity ones, those are disposable (and priced as such), but for something built to be cheap price they sure do write good.

Re: Tell HN: I'm a programmer who bought a typewriter

#38

Post by BitterCritter »

fsckboy wrote: post #31
brudgers wrote: post #8

Thinking about efficiency is a reliable way to buzz-kill creative inspiration. Editing is only more work with my typewriter (Olympia Traveler Deluxe with British layout) if I write something worth editing and am willing to do the work of editing it. When it comes to self-expression (a somewhat better term than creativity) the writing is important. Not having the mental burden of possible OS updates, battery, cable an…

> Thinking about efficiency is a reliable way to buzz-kill creative inspiration. on the autism spectrum are systems thinkers, many liking to think precisely about efficiency, we are very creative about it and it makes us happy (read Simon Baron-Cohen's The Pattern Seekers: How Autism Drives Human Invention ) you're a buzzkill

No, as an autist, this guy is right. I’ve “systematically”thought about it a lot and creativity is something that must be done the long and hard way. You can be creative about efficiency but not efficient about creativity.

Re: Tell HN: I'm a programmer who bought a typewriter

#39

Post by taylodl »

mberlove wrote: post #28
taylodl wrote: post #3

Having grown up at a time where I was forced to use typewriters and listen to vinyl LP records, I don't wax so nostalgic over those old technologies. As soon as I got my Commodore 64 and my Star Gemini 10x dot matrix printer, I never used a typewriter again! Vinyl took a little longer to get off of as I had (and still have) a fairly significant vinyl collection.

Can I ask, do you find that the benefits that other respondents are claiming (maybe younger respondents) are artifacts of a wishful thinking? Is it possible that the benefits are somewhat real, but come with downsides? I'm not leading in any one direction, but I am curious if the experience is more objective or subjective.

Could be a couple things:

1. ASMR. Typewriters make a nice sound as you type. A lot of people like it. With regards to vinyl LPs, while growing up a friend of mine always remarked how much the static reminded him of a crackling fire. He felt like you were listening to music beside a fire.

2. I grew up in a time when these were simply the tools we had. I'd already learned how to be mindful about doing work - the tools forced us! I learned how to write and compose without the benefit of a computer. I learned photography at a time when I processed my own film and made my own prints in a darkroom. I know that experience has greatly affected how I approach digital photography. Younger people might simply be getting a thrill learning what I learned decades ago. Maybe they appreciate a completely different approach to achieving the same thing? With an entirely different workflow? That might give them new insights.

There are still aspects of the old that I like and prefer. For example, I still prefer books over screens. I still write notes on pen and paper and later transcribe them to my computer because I've learned I'll retain the information better if I actually physically write it down. When recording music, I prefer to use Audacity because it's like using the computer as a giant R2R and I get a more natural sound. I still shoot digital cameras in manual mode (or semi-automatic depending on the situation) because I like to control the different technical aspects of the shot. Stuff like that.

Re: Tell HN: I'm a programmer who bought a typewriter

#40

Post by themadturk »

yatharthk wrote: post #13

You should definitely check out https://getfreewrite.com/ . You'd like that. It's like getting the best of both worlds.

Ah, an expensive Alphasmart! Yes, it has a backlit screen and wifi (and maybe a nicer keyboard), but fewer lines on the screen and a shorter battery life than the Neo.
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