digg

Join DiggAbout

Discover and share the best of the web!
Learn more about Digg by taking the tour.

WriteRoom 2.0 released for OS X

arstechnica.com — WriteRoom, the software that blocks out all other computer-related distractions while writing, went into 2.0 this week with a slew of new features. (There's also a Windows version, it's called Dark Room.)

Bury
show profanity settings
expand all
  • deadbaby, on 10/12/2007, -1/+18I love this program.. it really inspires me to sit down and write without getting diggstracted all the time. (I just made that word up to describe what happens when you decide to take a "quick peek" at digg and end up reading stories for half an hour instead of getting your work done)
    • koregaonpark, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6Coin it!

      http://www.urbandictionary.com
    • prodigy311, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Submitted.
    • batfink3312, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7Here is a java version written by a friend of mine, its free and works on anything(he would gratefully receive donations)...

      http://www.codealchemists.com/jdarkroom/
    • koregaonpark, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Cool, I'll go approve it. I'm a (dormant) editor for Urban Dictionary.

      @ batfink3312: Wrong comment thread.
    • artofwar420, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2I don't see it yet.
    • wastern, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4>>Here is a java version written by a friend of mine, its free and works on anything(he would gratefully receive donations)...

      http://www.codealchemists.com/jdarkroom/


      That actually works pretty well. Nice work and free to boot. I don't write enough to justify the $25 price tag on WriteRoom. I'd just full screen the terminal and use vi if I really wanted to just focus and write. This is a nice alternative
    • macewan, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2@deadbaby, brilliant!
    • koregaonpark, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@ artofwar420: I can't search for it, I'm just being given a random set of entries to edit. :-S
    • Atomic1fire, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@wastern
      the only problem with that is being more distracted typing in follow the white rabbit or 404/error and playing error pranks on people
  • ike368, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9one of the developers posted how to get around the liscense scheme on his blog ( http://www.hogbaysoftware.com/node/2024 )!
    what a cool guy, what a cool program.
    • Naga10, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Link doesn't work. Maybe they took it down?
    • pmppk, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Here's the post that ike368 is referring to:

      I just got an email (thanks for letting me know) that I've been anticipating for a long, long, time. Someone's finally posted a way to get around WriteRoom's (works for Mori and Clockwork too) license scheme. Here's the link:

      http://www.macserialjunkie.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=105979&highlight=writeroom

      But you'll need to sign up to see that, so here are the instructions:

      Follow the steps below if you're wondering how to manually crack the program yourself:
      - Right-click (a.k.a control-click) on WriteRoom and select "Show Package Contents"
      - Navigate to "Contents/PlugIns/"
      - Locate the file "BKLicense.plugin", right-click on it and select "Show Package Contents"
      - Navigate to "Contents/MacOS/"
      - Drag the file titled "BKLicense" to the trash and you should be good to go!

      So have fun, but when you are done haveing fun please still buy a license if you plan to use the program.

      I had expected someone to find this a long time ago, and the point was that it was a nice demo of my open source Blocks plugin framework that all Hog Bay Software applications are built on.

      I'm not sure, because I didn't bother to sign into the macserialjunkie forums, but I hope they also mentioned that you can easily take away other parts of the application too. Don't care about the scripts menu? Then just remove BKScripts.plugin. Or if you are a developer you can create your own plugins and add new features. It's a pretty neat system I think (basic design is taken from the eclipse.org project) and it would be great if I could get other developers interested so we could reuse each others code and make the system easier for users to configure.

      Anway I'll probaly leave this hack open for a while. I'd love for one of those hackers to do something constructive and hack a new feature into WriteRoom instead of just taking out the license key. Takers?
    • pmppk, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Update from author:

      n fact I just fixed the problem now (will release the new version later today). But this time I did it in a very simple way, there's an easy workaround, but that workaround will teach people a little more abou how the Blocks plugin framework works. Eventually I'll make a real fix, which of course people will still be able to workaround, but not without downloading and running programs on their computer from the dark corners of the internet.

      But here's what I do like about news, and why I made this post:

      1. For better and worse Hog Bay Software's fundemental rule is to be a transparent company. I could have filed this information away in a top secret folder somewhere, but we don't have one, so instead I posted here because I though it would be fun for Hog Bay Software users to know about.

      2. I don't really think it will hurt, it could even help in an indirect way. If I were a giant company with very expensive software I probably wouldn't post this information. But we are a really small company, the software is cheap, and our big problem is that most mac users don't know that we exist. The motivation to steal isn't that big. This could help get the word out to a few more people that we exist, and for people that already know about us it's an example of what makes Hog Bay Software different.

      3. This is a good opertunity to promote the Blocks framework. Posting this sort of information is a bit odd, and that might get some attention, and that will make it more likely that someone else decides to use Blocks.

      To Joe hacker out there:

      For this next hack of WriteRoom 2.0.1 (I'll release later today) please explain not just how to get around it, but also why it works. Now if you remove the BKLicense.plugin WriteRoom will still launch, but parts of the interface will be missing. Why is this and how does it demonstrate the "pure plugin" nature of the Blocks framework? And why not try to write your own plugin that adds some functionality. Free license's to anyone who writes a new plugin.

      For Hog Bay users who already know about Blocks please don't post a solution, lets let someone new learn about it.
    • raingrove, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I just hacked the new version. It's pretty easy actually. I don't think I can post a howto here though I just mailed the developer so perhaps he will release the hacking method again.

      But if you really like the program, please buy it. I think the developer deserves every bit of $25.

      (Unfortunately, I am a poor college student, so I guess I am sticking to the free version (1.0) instead to be guilt-free.)
    • pmppk, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I figured out the solution as well, and posted it as a reply to the author's blog post. Maybe i will actually try to write a plugin and thus earn a free license...
  • PueSi, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9http://they.misled.us/dark-room
    For the Windows version clone, which is free.
    • artofwar420, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6Man, you just made my "semester", with only a few days before I start a new semester at college I see this. Now I can write in my WINDOWS machine with no distractions at all, downloaded it and it works so well. I was entranced in the tranquility of writing in this app and actually started writing! Writing my essays will be much more productive. Thanks Pue Si, I appreciate it.
    • PueSi, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I'm glad it helped you ; )
  • ttkgeek, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1This is an awesome application, helps me keep on top of writing, without the distraction of e-mail, web browsing, etc.
  • matthall28, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2They are charging for it now:( oh well, i've still got the free beta:)
  • firefusion, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Since that link to Dark Room is down here is another

    http://www.softpedia.com/get/Office-tools/Text-editors/Dark-Room.shtml
    • artofwar420, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1That's an older version, why not just wait until the site is free from the diggeffect.
  • strangehold, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Had I known about this program a long time ago, hours of my life could have been properly utilized working instead of playing Freecell or checking my Fantasy Sports league...
  • batfink3312, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2Here is a java version written by a friend of mine, its free and works on anything(he would gratefully receive donations)...

    http://www.codealchemists.com/jdarkroom/
    • adolfojp, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I tried it and liked it but I can't use it.

      The shortcut mappings are ALT + Letter. I need those to write those funky (ñáéíóúü¡¿) characters of my native language. It would be great if the keyboard shortcuts could be customized

      I am sticking to DarkRoom.

      / US International keyboard layout FTW and to impress the chicks :-P
  • pyates, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1DL link for Dark Room (Windows version) from cnet:
    http://www.download.com/3000-2079-10562358.html
  • snookums, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2Try Scrivener Gold before buying this. I especially love the notecard view mode.
    http://www.literatureandlatte.com/freestuff/ScrivScreens.html
    • felchdonkey, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1That's bizarre that you got modded down. Scrivener is the best writer's app I've ever used, and their fullscreen mode is the same as Write Room's.
      It might have more features than some people would need, but hey, choice is great!
    • OBKenobi, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2They Dugg him down because non sequitur comments terrify and confuse their feeble, servile minds.
  • snookums, on 10/12/2007, -6/+1Try Scrivener Gold before buying this. I especially love the notecard view mode.
    http://www.literatureandlatte.com/freestuff/ScrivScreens.html
  • Beautyon, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Hmmmmm Textmate is the only text editor you will ever need. The screenwriting bundle shows just how task specifically customized and productive you can get. Nothing out there beats it. If you really need full screen to get rid of all disctractions, you may be able to combine Textmate with Megazoomer http://www.ianhenderson.org/megazoomer.html though I havent tried the combination.
    • felchdonkey, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I think you just missed the point of Write Room.
  • DJC1983, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I can't say I like this new version... it's a bit incoherent and not really as polished as I would like it to be (seen a few grammar mistakes - you instead of your for example. I'll stick with the original version for now.
  • DJC1983, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Also, the page width setting doesn't do anything :(
  • sembetu, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1http://www.hogbaysoftware.com/product/writeroom + http://www.blackholemedia.com/noise/ = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isolation_tank

    sounds goot to me.
  • zapador, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Being prone to distraction and procrastinating, I've found it very useful. I use the freeware JDarkroom. I have written a small piece in my blog, GTDrawings (http://gtdrawings.blogspot.com) , with an illustration: a sketch about this application.
  •  

    Login or register to add a comment

    Create a new account or login to join in the conversation on Digg. You'll also be able to Digg stories to help promote things you like.


© Digg Inc. 2008 — Content posted by Digg users is dedicated to the public domain.
DIGG, DIGG IT, DUGG, DIGG THIS, Digg graphics, logos, designs, page headers, button icons, scripts, and other service names are the trademarks of Digg Inc.