Typora, maybe?
My recent productivity workflow reset included using Ulysses for writing and taking notes. Ulysses seems fine that, so for now I’m happy. What I’d forgotten was that Ulysses doesn’t work well for editing Markdown files to be used directly for publishing. (Think Hugo or Blot). My (this) blog uses Blot, so it’s just a bunch of folders and Markdown files. Using them with Ulysses is janky, so it seems I still need something to use with Blot. I could continue using BBEdit, and probably will, but I thought it would be a nice excuse to try Typora.
Typora will give you a seamless experience as both a reader and a writer. It removes the preview window, mode switcher, syntax symbols of markdown source code, and all other unnecessary distractions. Replace them with a real live preview feature to help you concentrate on the content itself.
I’m writing this post using Typora, and at first blush it feels right. “What about iA Writer?”, you ask. Good question. I love actually writing in iA Writer, but I’ve never gotten along with the way it handles its library, so for something simple like editing a single folder full of text files, Typora is closer to what I want.
My concern is that I’m adding an app, the very first day after I burned down my complicated system that used too many apps. Hopefully this won’t be just another form of feature creep, but I’ll give it a fair shake first.
UPDATE: Indeed, Typora is A different editing experience.
How do you know it’s secure if it’s not physically in your hand?
I think I’m finally getting through to my daughter…
iMessage chat with Jess
“Like all the printed photos I have I’m not worried about. Cuz I have them.”
Cuz I have them, indeed.
Old Photos Are Not Worth Anything - Missy Mwac
Spoiler, yes they are…
The list of objects you say our children do not want includes things like steamer trunks, sewing machines, porcelain figurines, silver-plated objects, “heavy dark antique furniture,” Persian rugs, linens, sterling silver flatware, crystal wine services and fine porcelain dinnerware. Some of these items made sense; some didn’t. And I was okay, until I read this object:
Paper Ephemera: family snapshots, old greeting cards and postcards.
Upon reading that last sentence, I left my computer in search of a couple Advil and some vodka. I knew I wouldn’t make it through without their help. I was already feeling a pain behind my left eye. And, having consumed both, I thought I could walk away from the article, but alas, the words you wrote kept rattling around in my head:
“OLD PHOTOS ARE NOT WORTH ANYTHING…”
Forbes is dead to me.
Lizzo’s “Cuz I Love You” made me so happy today. What a fun, wonderful 30 minutes this record is.
Lizzo
I sometimes wonder if I should switch back from ivy to Helm so I’m reading the propaganda.
My Mac is awesome, so why worry?
Nearly everything about my Mac experience is wonderful. macOS is, in my experience, far superior to the alternatives for my needs. My new iMac is big, beautiful, and a joy to both look at and use.
My 2016 MacBook Pro is solid, svelte, gorgeous, and tight. I’ve never used a nicer trackpad. The screen is bright, crisp, and clear.
In fact, the only real complaints I have are with a few things I don’t love about the MBP.
- Not having a single non-USB-C port is still a pain, and will remain so until every device I own uses USB-C. Someday this may be a non-issue, but right now it kind of sucks.
- I never use the Touch Bar, so would much rather have real Function keys
- The keyboard, even when it works, is the most annoying thing that I touch all day. I really, really hate using it.
So basically, other than the MBP keyboard, the overall experience is fantastic.
Why then do I hedge my bets with Apple?
I shy away from going all-in with macOS-only apps because WHAT IF?!. I use Firefox instead of Safari because it’s synced across platforms. I edit plain text files stored in Dropbox using Emacs. I read reviews of Dell XPS 13 and ThinkPad Carbon notebooks because the hardware (aka keyboard) is so nice. I dual-boot Windows and Linux on an old ThinkPad as a way to practice, just in case something happens.
What else concerns me?
- Apple hardware has been becoming progressively less interesting to me, and other manufacturers have pretty much caught up. Hardware is no longer a reason I use a Mac.
- Apple software and OS updates have continued to introduce changes that make the OS more, not less, locked down. Makes me nervous.
- Apple hasn’t been focused on the Mac in years. Their new focus on services could make that even worse.
- Marzipan (or whatever) could dumb down macOS even more. I worry about that.
These concerns add up, and point in a direction that worries me.
None of these things will matter to the majority of Mac users. They matter to me, though, so I worry a little.