Cyberdeck Week: What's a Writerdeck?

A writerDeck is a device dedicated specifically and solely to writing. Technically, a typewriter is an analog writerDeck. But usually we mean some sort of computerized word processor, such as the Astrohaus Freewrite or the Alphasmart Neo, to name two of the most popular mass-produced versions. But these tend to be either too expensive or too limited for many writers, so many of us build our own.1

Let's talk about the writerdeck. The limited but focused cousin of the cyberdeck or would it be sibling? Maybe clone? It's pretty much a cyberdeck but just for writing.

The thing about cyberdecks that everyone seems to talk about is the ability to specialize your tool to your tasks. I honestly have not heard of any other specializations other than writing. Maybe a focused AI tool? I can put Ollama on my spare laptop and do that. It would be nice to have a cyberpunk looking AI interface.

However, I have yet to find a need for AI in my daily life. I use it in work for spreadsheets and tasks I do not want to do. My personal life? I don't know. I kinda like doing everything the slow way. I like research and writing myself. Sorry, getting sidetracked I'll save this for another post later.

Back to writerdecks! I can see the need for a focused computer. No distractions and e-ink so it's easy on the eyes. I don't think I need one though. I'm at this very moment writing in Firefox, directly into Leaflet, on my work laptop. In the past I've written things on the phone though my hands usually hurt afterwards.

Again, it would be cool to be writing on something that looks cyberpunkish, but I think a legal pad and pencil would look pretty cool too. Younger me would have been all over building a writerdeck, but younger me thought I needed that special thing to get me to focus. I mean I did, but that thing was anti-depression meds and some therapy.

Thank you, mental healthcare. Now I can gift the world with my blog, Fruity Birds.