Mastodawn

Introducing the Tinker WriterDeck OS!

Convert any laptop and most chromebooks into a writer deck: A device designed solely for writing.

No distractions.
No internet.
No apps. No games. No social media.

Just writing.

The Tinker WriterDeck is very light weight and specifically seeks to lower the barrier of entry to creating writer decks. It converts older, reused, refurbished, or inexpensive laptops into a dedicated writing machine.

A digital typewriter.

The Tinker WriterDeck sits on top of a "headless" Debian Linux image and boots directly into a console based text editor.

We're using the Tilde Text Editor because it is a simple text editor, has an intuitive User Interface, and allows for customized color schemes for light and dark modes.

Operating System download and instructions on how to convert your laptop into a dedicated writer deck for free are found here: https://tinker.sh

See below for an example of the writer deck in light mode and dark mode.

If anyone has any questions or needs any help setting your laptop up, let me know here!

#solarPunk #linux #writerDeck #bookstodon #writing #writingCommunity #author #libraries

Tinker WriterDeck

A Writer Deck Operating System

Tinker WriterDeck

alxd ✏️ solarpunk prompts Apr 3

@tinker I've been exploring similar, but Tilde is a little too simple for me. I'd like something with touch support.

Tinker ☀️Apr 3

@alxd - So touch support would require that you boot into a GUI desktop environment, I would think.

That said, here are some GUI word processors that may fit your bill! https://www.writerdeck.org/writerdeck-software.html

WriterDeck Friendly Software

Information about dedicated writing devices, digital typewriters, or modern word processors.

writerDeck

alxd ✏️ solarpunk prompts Apr 3

@tinker I personally like the GUI of GhostWriter and used to use FocusWriter :)

Tinker ☀️Apr 3

@alxd - That's awesome!

Cowboy Who?Apr 3

@tinker List it on DistroWatch! https://distrowatch.com/

DistroWatch.com: Put the fun back into computing. Use Linux, BSD.

News and feature lists of Linux and BSD distributions.

Tinker ☀️Apr 3

@CowboyWho - Ooooh.... do you think it fits into that?

I'm getting severe impostor syndrome even thinking about listing it.

I guess it is a proper OS, albeit with a singular purpose....

fuck.

Dave "Wear A Goddamn Mask" Cochran

@tinker @CowboyWho don't say "no" for them. what's the worst that happens if you submit it?

Tinker ☀️Apr 4

@dave_cochran @CowboyWho - I'd have to maintain it instead of it being a one off OS... lol.

But yeah, to your point, if this is something I desire, I might absolutely submit it and see what happens. Cheers for the encouragement. I'm thinking sincerely of doing this and it wasn't on my radar at all.

Dave "Wear A Goddamn Mask" Cochran

@tinker @CowboyWho stick a post-it on the front that says "THIS IS A ONE-OFF AND PROVIDED AS-IS" 🤷

😁

Tinker ☀️Apr 4

@dave_cochran @CowboyWho 😂

Tinker ☀️Apr 3

@CowboyWho - Ok, I've looked up submission requirements. It may or may not fit their requirements, but its worth a shot. A big thing is if I want to continue to maintain this (in a proper way). I kinda do... but I need to sit on it for a bit to see if its something I can accomplish.

Cheers for the idea... this has given me a lot of food for thought.

0xC0DEC0DE07E9 Apr 3

@tinker @CowboyWho Do you just need to make it have an installer to fit their reqs?

@c0dec0dec0de @tinker @CowboyWho Here's a project that'll help get the wheels rolling on an OS installer: https://fai-project dot org/FAIme/ .

Tinker ☀️Apr 4

@c0dec0dec0de @CowboyWho - So it has an installer right now that should meet the requirements of submission. I have to demonstrate that I am willing to "maintain" it and respond to bugs, etc.

Which... based on the messages I'm currently receiving.... I'm not sure I want to do, lol!

Héliosélène Apr 3

@ploum could you be interested?

Marcus Aurelius

@tinker book writers will love this idea.

Tinker ☀️Apr 3

@mafm7956 - There's a solid community that swears by Writer Decks. No distractions. Just focused writing. There are some DIY Writer Desks and a couple commercial options like the Pomera.

This is the only streamlined OS that converts a laptop into a dedicated writer deck (that I know of!!! I might absolutely be wrong... search engines suck right now!).

So hopefully book writers that love writer decks and don't have a few hundred dollars to burn on a commercial device will like this! Absolutely!

@tinker i've been looking into making a writer deck for some time now. This looks perfect. Thanks!

Tinker ☀️Apr 3

@grim_elsewhere - Cheers! Let me know if you have any issues or have any questions when building it out!

Michael Westergaard Apr 3

Just get DOS and WordPerfect 5.1, IMO

Tinker ☀️Apr 3

@michael - You can install Word Perfect on this, I believe! They've ported it over to linux: https://mendelson.org/wpdos/unix.html

WordPerfect for Unix under Linux and Windows

MetalPlates Apr 3

@tinker this is so freakin' cool! nice work!!

Tinker ☀️Apr 3

@metalplates - Eeeee!!! XD

AlisonW ♿🏳️‍🌈♾️Apr 3

@tinker
You could even call it a "word processor" 🤔😉

Tinker ☀️Apr 3

@AlisonW - That's EXACTLY what it is.

Here's the post that kicked it off: https://infosec.exchange/@tinker/114218443976182863

Tinker ☀️ (@tinker@infosec.exchange)

They used to make word processors... Like. Just turn the laptop on, and it was a word processor. A portable, electronic, type writer with a screen. I looked up the modern equivalent. The Freewrites and the like... and holy crap they're like $500. Are you kidding me?! I'm going to make a word processor. Be right back...

Infosec Exchange

AlisonW ♿🏳️‍🌈♾️Apr 3

@tinker
(I designed the -possibly first- UK screen based word processor for Olivetti back in 1978*)
[edited to correct the year]

Tinker ☀️Apr 3

@AlisonW - WHAT?!?!?! NO FLIPPIN WAY!!!!

That is SOOOO fricken cool!

In pursuing this, @cinimodev introduced me to this community of folks who are buying and DIYing "Writer Decks" (Just a modern word for Word Processors now that Word Processor also (and typically) means the software itself and not the dedicated machine) - here https://www.reddit.com/r/writerDeck

There's still a desire and need for those old word processors. Some of the "modern" ones still cost a few hundred dollars (USD).

I was like... I have an old laptop... why can't I just have an OS that boots directly into a Text Editor / Software Word Processor right away instead of buying or building a new dedicated device.

That fact that you designed the original ones?!?! Holy flipping bits!

So cool.

AlisonW ♿🏳️‍🌈♾️Apr 3

@tinker @cinimodev
Yup, I even kept a copy of the program on 8" floppy for many years! Unlike modern editors where the page content stays still while the cursor / insert / edit point moves up and down I coded the line being edited to always be about ⅔rd the way down and the rest of the text to move up and down line by line. Much easier to design (so limited in storage back then!)

Tinker ☀️Apr 4

@AlisonW @cinimodev - That's a really cool hack. I'm so used to the text adding a line below, but I can envision it staying at the same line.... heck it might even be preferable. Huh.

Captain of the SS El Faro Apr 4

@AlisonW @tinker @cinimodev 🤩

@tinker @AlisonW Both are so freaking rad. An OS that is just a text editor to boot on any* machine and then fedi meet a person who designed and created word processors! My wife and I both used the traditional word professors when we were in school in the 90s.

שוקו - Shoko Apr 3

interesting

@tinker how customisable is it? Could we use a different editor?

Tinker ☀️Apr 3

@sashin - Yep!

It already has vi, nano, tilde, and joe installed already. For anything else, you would need to connect it to the internet using nmcli (installed), install the new editor via apt, and then edit the /home/author/.profile file to call it (it's simple and there are other examples there for you)

More info here: https://tinker.sh/#advanced

If you have any issues, let me know!

Also also! What editor do you prefer? I'm compiling a list of favorite editors for a possible update in the future (which would allow easier selection).

Tinker WriterDeck

A Writer Deck Operating System

Tinker WriterDeck

@tinker My favourite editor is helix! When I get around to setting up one of my old laptops into a writing machine I'll try this

@tinker Very similar to what schools want for use in exams. They need a locked-down desktop that SEN students can use to type in and nothing else, with a means to get the completed document off and to the printer.

Tinker ☀️Apr 3

@Qybat - There you go!

@tinker Similar. But not quite right.

An open source alternative to ExamWritePad would be quite desirable.

Jesse Spielman Apr 3

@tinker very cool!

Tinker ☀️Apr 3

@heavyimage - Cheers!

@tinker this is so cute! would you think about adding a graphical (still terminal based) file manager?

also thinking aloud, bluetooth or local hotspot filesharing would add compatibility with devices that don’t have working usb ports or usb c only like a lot of devices this decade

Tinker ☀️Apr 4

@em_cinnamon - Yeah, something like Midnight Commander or Ranger?

I can totally install that in the distribution. The user would have to call it from the command shell though.

So far as adding bluetooth support, I think that's possible! Something to add to the feature requests on the next upgrade certainly!

Cheers for the musings!

@tinker one of my f first thoughts as a potential improvement/side project: a version that's Bootable off of the flash drive itself.

Akin to tails. dd the ISO onto a flash drive, bam, you have your OS.

That may be harder to do, I dunno. I may look into doing it myself just for funsies. Are PRs acceptable of I come up with a way to integrate it with what you have?

Editing to add more ideas:

A "writing software picker" during installation. Inspired by the emacs version someone did.

Tinker ☀️Apr 4

@b4ux1t3 - Yeah!!!! I think I can do that with Calamares (https://calamares.io/) but I have to learn how to use it.

That's definitely the goal for version 2.0.

Calamares

Calamares aims to be easy, usable, beautiful, pragmatic, inclusive and distribution-agnostic

Calamares

@tinker Side note: I love that you're using this as an excuse to bring more attention to (and thus funding to) the Internet Archive. Just the cherry on top of this fantastic little enterprise. 🤌

Tinker ☀️Apr 4

@b4ux1t3 - Oh cheers! Yeah, I love love love the Internet Archive. And when I was looking for a place to host and torrent it, I was like... can I? hehehe - They seem to be chill about it. But that said, we are using their resources. So I chip in for the original hosting. And I encourage others to chip in as well as (and only if) they can.

Anyhow, yeah! Cheers!

zaicurity Apr 3

@tinker The only editor that’s more difficult to escape from than vi.

Tinker ☀️Apr 3

@zaicurity - Lol, I chose Tilde because it's the *easiest* to use and exit. Alt+F goes to the File Menu, then arrow down to Exit and press enter. Or you can just press Ctrl+Q.

But, cool thing, it boots directly into Tilde and you can just turn it off from Tilde. No need to ever exit it at all!

Buttered Jorts Apr 3

@tinker have you considered a LiveUSB as well? So plug my USB in (most) anywhere and use any random computer as a Writer Deck?

Tinker ☀️Apr 4

@ajn142 - I have! The current installation ISO does not allow for it, but I've been eyeing Calamares (https://calamares.io/) to use for the next version!

Calamares

Calamares aims to be easy, usable, beautiful, pragmatic, inclusive and distribution-agnostic

Calamares

Simgineer 🇺🇸Apr 3

@tinker Here ya go.

Tinker ☀️Apr 3

@Simgineer - Perfection.

@tinker I did similar for a while. I installed & configured a Gentoo with focus on just the tools I used at the time, GIMP, Audacity, FontForge & Emacs. Most productive decade of my life.

Tinker ☀️Apr 4

@digit - That's really awesome!

Keith Nasman Apr 3

@tinker Nice work!!

Tinker ☀️Apr 4

@knasman - Cheers!

@tinker YES more Tilde fans!!!

I do a lot of writing using Tilde in the TTY myself.

📚 natalie ✒️Apr 3

@tinker whoa, this might be the exact thing I was looking for w/r/t my ancient Chromebook and wanting to move from Google Docs. I'm putting this in a tab for later! Thank you!

batvin123 Apr 4

@tinker here I am making my own digital typewriter using #nixos #flakes,
I guess great minds think alike.

Tinker ☀️Apr 4

@vincent - Hey!!! That's really cool!!!