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I remember, when the first Titanium Powerbook was released, having something akin to what I must describe, simply, as a "Writers Moment of Nirvana". I'd just r

I remember, when the first Titanium Powerbook was released, having something akin to what I must describe, simply, as a "Writers Moment of Nirvana". I'd just received the machine, a reward for a schedule met, on a Friday afternoon. Charged, ready to go, I put it in my briefcase (in 2000, this was a phenomenon like no other), and .. left the office. With the power supply, box, etc. So I had a weekends' worth of "fresh tiBook" time .. a very visceral and surreal moment as I transitioned from "Ops-Center" bound, to "can hack Unix code in the park". I climbed the hills of Griffith Park, and camped out at the (then-) recently burned-out hills, under what was once some old tree. I wish I'd known its species, but I'll never forget the scene; the entirety of the LA basin beneath me, as far as the Pacific, and me perched atop it. Press the button. BONG! I had nothing much to run on it, so I opened Terminal, fired up vi, adjusted the font to what was then an amazing degree of clarity, and wrote. For as long as the batteries held out, I set up my personal diary, pure text mode, and got it all out. Still had power for a few mail-checks and touchups over the weekend, powered out on Sunday evening. The next day in LA, Monday morning, I went on the hunt for a power supply. Hasn't been the same since. My point? You don't need an app for that. Just vi.

omaranto 11y ago
In case someone unfamiliar with vi reads this: do not get the impression that vi deletes all your work whenever you stop typing for 5 seconds.
- deleted 11y ago
  [deleted]
derefr 11y ago
You had no internet access in the park, I assume. And even then, a large part of that effort was the executive decision to go to the park and stay there. The point of this app, from what I can tell, is to take away the need to exert executive function to remain typing. The computer focuses for you, by operant-conditioning you to focus. If you have enough executive function to get you over the initial hump of getting-into-flow by just pre-emptively taking away distractions, then by all means, do whatever you like to write. Take a notebook to a cafe. Use a typewriter in your garage. Take a tablet and a bluetooth keyboard on a long flight. But if you viscerally resist the idea of starting, whether due to a lack of motivation or a strong feeling of perfectionistic anxiety or whatever else—this app (and other similar apps) can help you overcome that. Especially if you set it up in advance so it opens up at a scheduled time with your work from last time already loaded into it. You've got to start, or you'll lose something important. Once you've started, and you're in flow, the app's "game mechanic" isn't all that important—but the point is to use something, anything, to get you over that hump when you can't do it yourself.
- fit2rule 11y ago
  I did have Internet access (Ricochet modem) but it wasn't as important back then unless there was an ops issue .. what I really needed was just the mobility to go anywhere, lose the distractions and focus on my writing, with a good view in the background. I think its an under-utilized means of handling the issues this app attempts to address: go somewhere else with your laptop and focus.

omaranto 11y ago

In case someone unfamiliar with vi reads this: do not get the impression that vi deletes all your work whenever you stop typing for 5 seconds.

deleted 11y ago
[deleted]

derefr 11y ago

You had no internet access in the park, I assume. And even then, a large part of that effort was the executive decision to go to the park and stay there. The point of this app, from what I can tell, is to take away the need to exert executive function to remain typing. The computer focuses for you, by operant-conditioning you to focus. If you have enough executive function to get you over the initial hump of getting-into-flow by just pre-emptively taking away distractions, then by all means, do whatever you like to write. Take a notebook to a cafe. Use a typewriter in your garage. Take a tablet and a bluetooth keyboard on a long flight. But if you viscerally resist the idea of starting, whether due to a lack of motivation or a strong feeling of perfectionistic anxiety or whatever else—this app (and other similar apps) can help you overcome that. Especially if you set it up in advance so it opens up at a scheduled time with your work from last time already loaded into it. You've got to start, or you'll lose something important. Once you've started, and you're in flow, the app's "game mechanic" isn't all that important—but the point is to use something, anything, to get you over that hump when you can't do it yourself.

fit2rule 11y ago
I did have Internet access (Ricochet modem) but it wasn't as important back then unless there was an ops issue .. what I really needed was just the mobility to go anywhere, lose the distractions and focus on my writing, with a good view in the background. I think its an under-utilized means of handling the issues this app attempts to address: go somewhere else with your laptop and focus.