George RR Martin: 'Why I still use DOS'

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by WillAdams

Getting a nice, clean Wordstar file is much more straight-forward for pagination (or creating an ePub) than the typical finger-painted Word .doc(x).

As far as I can tell, Word is about the worst thing you can use if you're interested in interoperability.

[jersysman]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

I put it on pause.

I'll read five through the end if/when the series is completed.

You have WAY more patience than I. I simply do not have that much time. I moved on.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by rcentros

As far as I can tell, Word is about the worst thing you can use if you're interested in interoperability.

Word doesn't particularly need to be interoperable. Like it or not, it is the corporate standard used by pretty much everyone.

[Indio777]

Originally Posted by jersysman

You have WAY more patience than I. I simply do not have that much time. I moved on.

I may or may not read any new volumes. I kind of lost patience too. Vol. 4 came out five years after vol. 3. Vol. 5 came out six years after that. So I didn't buy/read the last one. Figured he might not live long enough to finish the series.

Although as others have mentioned, Sanderson (or someone else) could finish them. Martin has rough drafts or at least notes for the rest of the books. HBO has been told what happens, since the TV series is probably going to end long before the books come out.

As far as "ancient" software goes, I use WordPerfect 5.1 to process bibliographic records at work. Works well for text processing.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Word doesn't particularly need to be interoperable. Like it or not, it is the corporate standard used by pretty much everyone.

Of course it has if for example you are going to produce ebooks or properly typeset copies.

[Rizla]

It makes sense to me that Martin uses Wordstar because of the keyboard shortcuts. However there are modern wordprocessors which allow custom shortcuts AND rich text.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Rizla

It makes sense to me that Martin uses Wordstar because of the keyboard shortcuts. However there are modern wordprocessors which allow custom shortcuts AND rich text.

Wordstar DOS did not use rich text, it used Markup (those dot codes in the source
(I still have my WS5.5 5.25" floppies and manuals, just no surviving drives/equipment )

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by Rizla

It makes sense to me that Martin uses Wordstar because of the keyboard shortcuts. However there are modern wordprocessors which allow custom shortcuts AND rich text.

I'm sure WordStar is like an old pair shoes to Martin. It's comfortable and it fits. And there are utilities to convert WordStar documents into whatever format you need. Why should he change?

Also there's the fact that he's using a computer not connected to the Internet. The article mentioned the lack of security issues, but there's also the lack of Internet distractions to take into account.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by rcentros

Also there's the fact that he's using a computer not connected to the Internet. The article mentioned the lack of security issues, but there's also the lack of Internet distractions to take into account.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but couldn't the most recent, high-tech hardware imaginable be quite easily "not connected to the internet?"

The "security" and/or lack of distraction provided by not being connected to the internet has no real bearing on why a DOS box is better for George. Because he "likes it/is comfortable with it", I'll buy (though I still think it's a bit silly). But because there's less internet distraction?... hogwash. Put any computer in a room with no connection (or have your assistant unplug the cable/yank the wireless card), and BAM! Secure and distraction-free.

George likes his archaic word-processing software. Fine. The rest of the reasons given are bullspit.

EDIT: besides ... you just know he's got every version of Kings|Space Quest installed on that puppy.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Correct me if I'm wrong, but couldn't the most recent, high-tech hardware imaginable be quite easily "not connected to the internet?"

You can turn the Internet off a modern computer also -- thing is, you can also turn it back on. If you've got a computer that won't get on the Internet, the temptation is removed. Honestly, there are writers who purposely use old tech so they're not tempted to procrastinate on the Internet. Human nature works this way.

[FatDog]

We all know this is the real reason he wont update:

http://youtu.be/0Cd7Bsp3dDo

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by rcentros

You can turn the Internet off a modern computer also -- thing is, you can also turn it back on. If you've got a computer that won't get on the Internet, the temptation is removed. Honestly, there are writers who purposely use old tech so they're not tempted to procrastinate on the Internet. Human nature works this way.

My point is that in a "writing room" where there's no internet connection available (or if the network adapter has been yanked), it doesn't matter if a computer/OS is new or old. The "old OS can't connect to the internet (and it's distractions)" theory simply doesn't hold water. Besides, If George was "tempted," he can easily move to his computer that IS connected to the internet.

George likes Wordstar 4.0 for writing. The rest is just not relevant to "Why I still use DOS."

[drofgnal]

I'd suggest the GRRM fans buy him a quad core processor based laptop and have someone write a wordstar emulator for it. He can then write where ever he is and might actually publish books 6 and 7 before 2030.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

My point is that in a "writing room" where there's no internet connection available (or if the network adapter has been yanked), it doesn't matter if a computer/OS is new or old. The "old OS can't connect to the internet (and it's distractions)" theory simply doesn't hold water. Besides, If George was "tempted," he can easily move to his computer that IS connected to the internet.

George likes Wordstar 4.0 for writing. The rest is just not relevant to "Why I still use DOS."

Whatever. I KNOW there are writers who use old tech to avoid the temptation of going on to the Internet while writing. It's much, much easier to click out of your word processor and browse the Internet than it is to get up and walk across the room -- or go into another room to do so.

As for "relevancy," I didn't realize conversations diverging from the main trunk were verboten. My apologies.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by rcentros

As for "relevancy," I didn't realize conversations diverging from the main trunk were verboten. My apologies.

They're not verboten. They're just not exempt from having me disagree with them and pointing out their irrelevance. If it's any consolation, I'm mainly pointing out that George's reasons given (with the exception of preferring WordStar) are irrelevant.

And you're still missing my point that new tech can be just as easily rendered temptation-free as old tech can. With no network adapter, or no ethernet port, or no wireless access point, you can't "click out of your word processor and browse the internet." The age of the tech is simply not a factor in this regard.