24 replies to this topic

[whirlybird]

Hi Everyone.

After having posted a suggestion to the Featured Requests section of the forum (where Thoth so kindly chatted with me) I decided to stop lurking and send out an official hello. I've enjoyed everyone's posts and am really impressed with how helpful and supportive everyone has been.

Now that I'm retired I'm having quite a bit of fun spending my time writing. Since I have multiple computers that I like to dabble on, I sent a message to the Storyist site asking if I would have to purchase several copies of the program so that I can use the program on all three computers. I was surprised to get an answer as quick as I did and from the developer no less. That sold me on the program right there and I haven't been sorry. I really have enjoyed using the program and recommend it to anyone who is looking for a well thought out writing program. I may never get anything published but I'm having fun writing. And that's what counts for me.

Take care all.

Whirlybird

PS-As I told Thoth, I just learned how to make my first avatar today. Now I don't feel so naked.

[Marguerite]

Welcome to the forums!

Yes, Steve is a fabulous resource (Thoth, too—and he's about to cross the big 4K line [4,000 posts] ).
Happy writing,
Marguerite

[Thoth]

Hello Whirlybird, and M.

Yes, Customer Service is one of Storyist's great strengths.
And, of course, Steve, busy as he is, has been amazing.

And M, since you mentioned it, here is my four thousandth post.
Talk about milestones.

-Thoth

[Steve]

Hi whirlybird,

Welcome! Thanks for posting.

-Steve

[whirlybird]

Thank you, Marguerite, Thoth, and Steve for the warm welcome!

I've read just a fraction of the instances where Steve has answered a question personally. That really stands out in my book. I don't know where he finds the time.

I've also seen where you, Marguerite and Thoth, have chimed in even before Steve gets a chance. It is such a nice way for people to get to know the program and to realize that they're not alone trying to struggle through a specific issue they're trying to solve.

-Whirlybird

[whirlybird]

Sorry, Thoth. I forgot to say congratulations on your 4,000th post! And Marguerite you're not doing too bad yourself. Good work, guys.

-Whirlybird

[whirlybird]

Sorry, Thoth. I forgot to say congratulations on your 4,000th post! And Marguerite you're not doing too bad yourself. Good work, guys.

-Whirlybird

[Steve]

whirlybird, on 17 October 2011 - 09:59 AM, said:

I've also seen where you, Marguerite and Thoth, have chimed in even before Steve gets a chance.

I've noticed this too (time and time again ) and it's something I'm particularly grateful for.

-Steve

[Marguerite]

My pleasure.

Whirlybird, Thoth and I are beta testers. We go back to version 1.1, in my case, and even earlier in his. So I, at least, have managed over four years to make most of the mistakes that are possible in Storyist, which gives me a reasonably good sense of how to undo them (although the iPad app seems to have spawned a whole new layer of potential confusion, and I'm not always able to help out there).

We also get the program for free, so answering questions in the forums is that little bit of payback.

Plus Storyist is just a great program, and I want other people to like it as much as I do!
Best,
M

[whirlybird]

Steve-for as busy as you must be I can see how all their help is very much appreciated. It is also very easy to tell by everyone's posts that they are genuinely excited about Storyist and it's catchy. Of course, the program is great in it's own right but this just takes it to a higher level.

Marguerite-I'm very excited about Storyist and I've only been using it for a few months. I've told a lot of my friends but, alas, most don't have Macs. Some have gotten iPads so that's a start. Wow, you've been using Storyist for four years. That's wonderful! And, by using it for so long, you really know your stuff. I guess the iPad version is new for everyone so there has to be some sort of learning curve involved. The iPad version is my next purchase. I've held off because, although I type emails and short messages, I do like typing on a real keyboard better for longer periods. By getting the program for free and then sharing your knowledge to spread the word and to help others sound like a nice symbiotic relationship.

[Thoth]

whirlybird, on 18 October 2011 - 03:10 PM, said:

... by using it for so long, you really know your stuff.

She absolutely does.

whirlybird, on 18 October 2011 - 03:10 PM, said:

...The iPad version is my next purchase. I've held off because, although I type emails and short messages, I do like typing on a real keyboard better for longer periods. ....

That's been my main problem too: I don't care much for the flat ersatz keyboard. (I had such high hopes for the iPad. We'll see what the iPad 3 brings us.)

whirlybird, on 18 October 2011 - 03:10 PM, said:

By getting the program for free and then sharing your knowledge to spread the word and to help others sound like a nice symbiotic relationship.

"We are nothing if not symbiotic." - the Packled Captain to Geordi La Forge from ST:TNG.

-T

[Marguerite]

Writing at length on the iPad seems to me to be a bit of a challenge, unless one employs an add-on keyboard (which I have done, with good results).

Others on these forums are writing novels and screenplays on the iPad with no access to the Mac version. More power to 'em. I wouldn't try it myself. But I do find the iPad app—which costs a whopping $9.99, remember—to be a great tool for revising and for structuring. For example, I can read through my novel in progress and enter any changes directly into the text, then open the edited file seamlessly on the Mac. I can't add fields on the iPad, but I can type a bunch of information into sheets, add sheets and images as needed, and open those on my Mac. And I can do these things while sitting on the couch, rather than turning my back on my family.

Worth $10 to me!
Marguerite

[whirlybird]

Thoth and Marguerite,

Great points. I didn't know that the flat keyboard on the iPad is an ersatz keyboard. Cool. I don't fault the iPad for it not being the best for lengthy writing. It's great to just pick up and run and write a few quick notes. I find my most common mistakes when typing on it are touching the capitalization key instead of the 'a' and not reaching the spacebar and getting an 'n'. I haven't used the add-on keyboard but I have the one for my iMac so I could try it with that only if I was going to do a lot of writing. I agree that at less than $10 the iPad version is a great price. I do like the idea of doing some quick editing while on the go with my iPad when I wouldn't normally have my MacBook Airs.

I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what they will put on the iPad3.

-Whirlybird

[Thoth]

whirlybird, on 19 October 2011 - 03:47 AM, said:

... I didn't know that the flat keyboard on the iPad is an ersatz keyboard.

Well, it's not a genuine keyboard since it contains no actual keys. It's just an inferior substitute for a keyboard. Adding a real keyboard just defeats the purpose of a tablet computer. You might as well buy a laptop. IMHO.

whirlybird, on 19 October 2011 - 03:47 AM, said:

I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what they will put on the iPad3.

I think they're going to add intelligent voice control (like on the iPhone 4S) and maybe a telephone (like, well, you know). But don't quote me.
-T

[whirlybird]

Quote

I think they're going to add intelligent voice control (like on the iPhone 4S) and maybe a telephone (like, well, you know). But don't quote me.

Now that I'm learning to make these quotes, I had to quote you. I like the IVC and the telephone idea.

-Whirlybird

[Thoth]

whirlybird, on 21 October 2011 - 12:46 PM, said:

Now that I'm learning to make these quotes, I had to quote you.

whirlybird, on 21 October 2011 - 12:46 PM, said:

I like the IVC and the telephone idea.

From your lips...er...fingers, to Apple's ears.
-t

[whirlybird]

Thoth,

Are you using the iCloud thing yet? The only reason I'm asking is I'd like the iPad3 to have an even bigger hard drive such as 128G. Some people are telling me the iCloud will solve that issue.

-Whirlybird

[Thoth]

whirlybird, on 21 October 2011 - 11:39 PM, said:

Are you using the iCloud thing yet?

Nope. I have mixed feelings about the whole cloud issue and the cycles of centralization and decentralization computer technology experiences as a whole since the first mainframes. Look at the Kindle Fire. They're not only letting you move your data to the cloud but browser processing power as well. This may become the trend for the next few years. So much so that the "cloud" may become inescapable. Then a few major server farms will crash and people will want their data and programs and processing power back on their desktop.

whirlybird, on 21 October 2011 - 11:39 PM, said:

The only reason I'm asking is I'd like the iPad3 to have an even bigger hard drive such as 128G. Some people are telling me the iCloud will solve that issue.

I wouldn't mind more flash memory on the iPad either. (I'd like more ports too! But I guess the whole point of a tablet computer is not to be tied down by wires.) Does the iCloud solve your storage problem? That's a big fat maybe. It can store the data, sure. But tell me, are you happy with your file transfer speeds now? What will it be like when you're competing for broadcast bandwidth (WiFi, etcetera) with millions of local devices, all trying to get into the "cloud"?

Who knows? They used to say the same thing about coax cable.
We'll all muddle through somehow.
-Thoth

[Marguerite]

I have iOS 5 on my iPad and 10.7.2 on my desktop, so I am using iCloud to some degree. Mostly to sync my address book and calendar. Since I rarely buy things (mostly iBooks and Kindle books) on my iPad, don't have a camera, and use Storyist rather than Pages, I don't have the experiences shown in the iCloud video (you buy/snap/change it here, it shows up there). And I don't use it explicitly for Backup, because like Thoth I take a skeptical view of the whole cloud phenomenon. So for me, the only difference between iCloud and MobileMe/.Mac is that it's become a bigger headache to access my iDisk, which used to be right there in my Finder Sidebar. And, of course, iDisk itself will go away next June.

So I'm moving selected backups to Dropbox, but even then I see files on my computer as the "master" copies. Technology firms—Apple especially—are just too ready for my taste to abandon perfectly good formats and products for the next great thing, even if it leaves their users stranded.

Goodness, I sound like a curmudgeon. But iCloud has not impressed me so far.
Back to the novel that gave me my avatar,
M

[Thoth]

Marguerite, on 22 October 2011 - 04:56 PM, said:

I have iOS 5 on my iPad and 10.7.2 on my desktop, so I am using iCloud to some degree. Mostly to sync my address book and calendar. Since I rarely buy things (mostly iBooks and Kindle books) on my iPad, don't have a camera, and use Storyist rather than Pages, I don't have the experiences shown in the iCloud video (you buy/snap/change it here, it shows up there). And I don't use it explicitly for Backup, because like Thoth I take a skeptical view of the whole cloud phenomenon. So for me, the only difference between iCloud and MobileMe/.Mac is that it's become a bigger headache to access my iDisk, which used to be right there in my Finder Sidebar. And, of course, iDisk itself will go away next June.

Ah, but M, Apple wants you to buy things. They want you to get that camera. They want you to use Pages rather than Storyist (darn their Steve-less black hearts!). The question in my mind is, how far will they go to force us to do things their way? They're already dropping iDisk (next June, as you say). Remember all the iDisk hype? When do you think they'll start charging for iCloud connections. "Think Differently", my ass. (My bank wants to start charging my checking account monthly unless I give them my direct deposit business. )

Marguerite, on 22 October 2011 - 04:56 PM, said:

Goodness, I sound like a curmudgeon. ...

Hey! Steve said that's my job!
(Curmudgeon away. There's plenty of room.)
-T