Composition Tools May 7, 2011 4:48 AM Subscribe
Composing Posts Filter: I would like to ask mefites what they use to compose posts for mefi.
I ask because presently I use Notepad, and end up alt-tabbing back and forth to put the links/quotes etc in there. Although I have not made many posts, I do find that this is quite a labourious method, and I wondered what/how others composed theirs. Is there some good free software to help with this kind of thing?
I have put this in meta as it is mefi related and not a genral question, although it could be an ask, so apologies if it is in the wrong place.
I ask because presently I use Notepad, and end up alt-tabbing back and forth to put the links/quotes etc in there. Although I have not made many posts, I do find that this is quite a labourious method, and I wondered what/how others composed theirs. Is there some good free software to help with this kind of thing?
I have put this in meta as it is mefi related and not a genral question, although it could be an ask, so apologies if it is in the wrong place.
I also use notepad or the little box on the site, depending on length. One way to make it easier is to copy all the links you're gonna use into the notepad window before writing the post, then no alt-tabbing is necessary.
posted by Kattullus at 5:03 AM on May 7, 2011
posted by Kattullus at 5:03 AM on May 7, 2011
It may be gauche, but I use GoLive to build the html and to preview. It's too easy to accidentally click away out of a browser window and lose everything when I'm writing something with more than a couple links. I forgot to switch tabs a while back to initiate a google search, and lost everything I'd entered.
posted by Devils Rancher at 5:39 AM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Devils Rancher at 5:39 AM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
Li'l box.
posted by Obscure Reference at 5:44 AM on May 7, 2011
posted by Obscure Reference at 5:44 AM on May 7, 2011
mah fangers
posted by Eideteker at 5:44 AM on May 7, 2011 [22 favorites]
posted by Eideteker at 5:44 AM on May 7, 2011 [22 favorites]
I use angel dust and adderall (crushed, snorted)
posted by to sir with millipedes at 5:47 AM on May 7, 2011 [5 favorites]
posted by to sir with millipedes at 5:47 AM on May 7, 2011 [5 favorites]
I use Scrivener. There's a notepad feature that lets me drag links from the browser to the pad to save for when I'm composing, and Scrivener lets me edit in rich text.
posted by annathea at 5:57 AM on May 7, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by annathea at 5:57 AM on May 7, 2011 [2 favorites]
I typically use a bottle of good white wine and a ultra high-speed connection to YouTube, that and the little box on the site. If I have to boot up a word processing/HTML editing program to write a post, Matt better damn well be writing me a check for the effort!
posted by tomswift at 5:58 AM on May 7, 2011
posted by tomswift at 5:58 AM on May 7, 2011
So far (for my 3 FPPs), just the little boxes - the fear of losing text somewhat ameliorated by my browser being pretty good at recovering the text if I accidentally hit "back", although if I close the tab... well, maybe it wasn't meant to be.
Annathea's suggestion of Scrivener is brilliant, though. I've been wondering about Marsedit, as well.
posted by running order squabble fest at 6:00 AM on May 7, 2011
Annathea's suggestion of Scrivener is brilliant, though. I've been wondering about Marsedit, as well.
posted by running order squabble fest at 6:00 AM on May 7, 2011
The box, if it's just a couple links. If it something I'll be working on for while (checking sources, finding supporting material, editing the sentences, etc) then I use Notepad. For comments I just smash my face upon the keyboard until the input buffer starts beeping.
posted by BeerFilter at 6:08 AM on May 7, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by BeerFilter at 6:08 AM on May 7, 2011 [2 favorites]
I just type in the box, which helps me stay sort of concise with my links. There have been a few times where something weird has happened and I'd lost what I was writing, but I think the posts have turned out better that way.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 6:17 AM on May 7, 2011
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 6:17 AM on May 7, 2011
I use BBEdit. Mostly so I have more room to see what I'm doing and to avoid accidentally closing the tab I would otherwise be composing in. My posts don't require much more.
Initially I read this sentence: "I type in the little box on the site" as "I type in the litter box on the site" -- a much different approach to posting.
posted by safetyfork at 6:17 AM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
Initially I read this sentence: "I type in the little box on the site" as "I type in the litter box on the site" -- a much different approach to posting.
posted by safetyfork at 6:17 AM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
I use QuickCursor, which lets you write stuff in one application using another - so, in this case, I write in the little box on the site in Chrome using MacVim.
I use it for comments, too, sometimes, espcially if I'm planning to link to lots of stuff.
Here I am writing this comment.
posted by jack_mo at 6:22 AM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
I use it for comments, too, sometimes, espcially if I'm planning to link to lots of stuff.
Here I am writing this comment.
posted by jack_mo at 6:22 AM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
When things would jrun I used to compose even comments in textpad but now that isn't a problem I just use the entry box on the site.
Devils Rancher writes "I forgot to switch tabs a while back to initiate a google search, and lost everything I'd entered."
This is a frustrating default behaviour. Tab Mix Plus allows you to set both the search box and the url box to open a in a new tab which is how it should be IMO.
posted by Mitheral at 6:48 AM on May 7, 2011
Devils Rancher writes "I forgot to switch tabs a while back to initiate a google search, and lost everything I'd entered."
This is a frustrating default behaviour. Tab Mix Plus allows you to set both the search box and the url box to open a in a new tab which is how it should be IMO.
posted by Mitheral at 6:48 AM on May 7, 2011
I was at a yacht soirée with Devil's Rancher last week in the Cayman's and he had the audacity to sip his Veuve with his hand wrapped around the body of the flute and the pinky tucked in. When I heard that he creates posts on MetaFilter using GoLive to build the HTML and then preview....welllll, consider me wholly unsuprised.
posted by iamkimiam at 6:56 AM on May 7, 2011 [7 favorites]
posted by iamkimiam at 6:56 AM on May 7, 2011 [7 favorites]
I use QuickCursor, which lets you write stuff in one application using another
Gah, I got really excited until I saw that it doesn't support Emacs.
posted by middleclasstool at 7:00 AM on May 7, 2011
Gah, I got really excited until I saw that it doesn't support Emacs.
posted by middleclasstool at 7:00 AM on May 7, 2011
Sometimes, If I'm feeling daring, I'll post via the mobile site, though that can be a bit of an adventure due to Safari's habit of randomly reloading pages if you switch between tabs, os if it;s more than one link I'll use Notes.
There is probably a reason that you have to do some messing around to get to the Post FPP page on mobile.
posted by Artw at 7:19 AM on May 7, 2011
There is probably a reason that you have to do some messing around to get to the Post FPP page on mobile.
posted by Artw at 7:19 AM on May 7, 2011
I'm waiting to hear from Filthy Light Thief. No one puts together a post like that one!
posted by Redhush at 7:26 AM on May 7, 2011
posted by Redhush at 7:26 AM on May 7, 2011
People who post from their mobiles are really just phoning it in.
posted by BeerFilter at 7:33 AM on May 7, 2011 [6 favorites]
posted by BeerFilter at 7:33 AM on May 7, 2011 [6 favorites]
I've always thought it would be nice if the post composition page had some scrfatchpad features that let you save drafts of posts, which would also allow for stacking up potential posts, though that's probably a ponty of interets only to a small minority. I see Plutor has put together a greasemonkey script sort-of like that for Ask Me.
posted by Artw at 7:33 AM on May 7, 2011
posted by Artw at 7:33 AM on May 7, 2011
The litter box or Mousepad.
posted by flabdablet at 7:38 AM on May 7, 2011
posted by flabdablet at 7:38 AM on May 7, 2011
When I'm using Mousepad, I'll just type all my <a href="">link texts</a> in advance, then click browser tabs and copy and paste URLs from the browser's address bar between the ""s. But I've got enough screen space to make opening everything maximized undesirable, so I don't need to do much alt-tabbing. And most of the time I use the litter box.
posted by flabdablet at 7:45 AM on May 7, 2011
posted by flabdablet at 7:45 AM on May 7, 2011
Box. Safari. Every now and again I will use TextMate if it's going to be a long post.
posted by cjorgensen at 7:48 AM on May 7, 2011
posted by cjorgensen at 7:48 AM on May 7, 2011
I'm so technologically illiterate it never even occurred to me that you might use something other than The Little Box.
posted by The Card Cheat at 7:51 AM on May 7, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by The Card Cheat at 7:51 AM on May 7, 2011 [3 favorites]
Wind, fire, all that kind of thing.
posted by Trurl at 8:08 AM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Trurl at 8:08 AM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
I use The Little Box. I tend to run a zillion windows and tabs in my browser, so when I'm doing one of my larger posts I'll have the different sections of the post I'm going to compose organized by window, and will drag the tabs into the order I'm going to use them in the different windows, and then I will delete each window as I enter the link into the FPP I'm composing (after double- and triple-checking that the link was copied and pasted correctly) so I can keep track of what I still have to get into the post.
I also tend to hit Preview after each section to make sure things are laying out okay.
The sad part is, I think well over half my FPPs still require me to email a mod at least once to get a stupid spelling error or other typo corrected. :(
posted by hippybear at 8:08 AM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
I also tend to hit Preview after each section to make sure things are laying out okay.
The sad part is, I think well over half my FPPs still require me to email a mod at least once to get a stupid spelling error or other typo corrected. :(
posted by hippybear at 8:08 AM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
The thing that guarantees I'll need a mod to fix a spelling error or a duff link is if I compose it all nicely, put it in the textbox, preview it and then decide to start messing about with it at the last moment.
posted by Artw at 8:11 AM on May 7, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Artw at 8:11 AM on May 7, 2011 [2 favorites]
Most of the time I compose straight into the box; my Oh Shit data recovery plan for the unexpected browser hiccup on preview/submit is to copy the text in the description area before hitting the button. But most of the time (which is not very often anyway for posts to the blue), my posts are a couple of links that I already had in hand before I went to write up the post.
For anything that needs more serious text wrangling, I compose in Textedit or Notepad or vi if I'm feeling sassy.
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:16 AM on May 7, 2011
For anything that needs more serious text wrangling, I compose in Textedit or Notepad or vi if I'm feeling sassy.
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:16 AM on May 7, 2011
If it's just a bon mot, or a link or two and a quote I'll use The Little Box. (Like I did for this post.) For anything longer I fire up a text editor, which in my case means UltraEdit.
That being said, for some reason I just downloaded the beta of Scrivener for Windows. Now I just need to get motivated to write that epic FPP I've had in mind for the last year or so before it'll have to wait until 2021.
posted by ob1quixote at 8:16 AM on May 7, 2011
That being said, for some reason I just downloaded the beta of Scrivener for Windows. Now I just need to get motivated to write that epic FPP I've had in mind for the last year or so before it'll have to wait until 2021.
posted by ob1quixote at 8:16 AM on May 7, 2011
I use the litter box, like any real American MeFite does. I've lost or almost lost a post or two before. When it starts getting big I just whip it into notebook and save it, then delete it after the fact.
posted by cashman at 8:18 AM on May 7, 2011
posted by cashman at 8:18 AM on May 7, 2011
Originally I had my scrimshander carve a draft of the post into whale bone before revising it on more whale bone. Finally, I'd post the final version on my old computer, which was mostly composed of whale bone and fulgurite vacuum tubes.
Since I got a normal computer, I just skip all that and shoot a whale after I'm done.
posted by Uppity Pigeon #2 at 8:35 AM on May 7, 2011 [2 favorites]
Since I got a normal computer, I just skip all that and shoot a whale after I'm done.
posted by Uppity Pigeon #2 at 8:35 AM on May 7, 2011 [2 favorites]
usually consult the entrails
posted by FAMOUS MONSTER at 8:37 AM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by FAMOUS MONSTER at 8:37 AM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
How to write a Mefi post:
1/2 cup of interesting topic
2 cup of love
3 cups of spell check
half a deviled egg
A pinch of snark
Stir topic and love in a text editor, slowly adding spellcheck until well blended. Pour into into textarea while gnawing that ridiculously small portion of deviled egg. Seriously, what cheap bastard does that?!
Put blended text on page, preview and check for doubles, then click post.
Season comments with snark to taste.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 9:08 AM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
1/2 cup of interesting topic
2 cup of love
3 cups of spell check
half a deviled egg
A pinch of snark
Stir topic and love in a text editor, slowly adding spellcheck until well blended. Pour into into textarea while gnawing that ridiculously small portion of deviled egg. Seriously, what cheap bastard does that?!
Put blended text on page, preview and check for doubles, then click post.
Season comments with snark to taste.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 9:08 AM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
I would like to ask mefites what they use to compose posts for mefi.
Pentupatonic. Avoid hipstertonic if you know what's good for you.
Otherwise, Notepad.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 9:09 AM on May 7, 2011
Pentupatonic. Avoid hipstertonic if you know what's good for you.
Otherwise, Notepad.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 9:09 AM on May 7, 2011
So far, I've used Notepad to keep track of the links I want to include in the post, and then just written the post text in the posting box. For the one post I did that was a series of five 1-hour videos, I wanted to let people know the topics covered by each one, so I took notes in Notepad as I watched them.
posted by FishBike at 9:21 AM on May 7, 2011
posted by FishBike at 9:21 AM on May 7, 2011
I use cat.
posted by Crabby Appleton at 9:24 AM on May 7, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Crabby Appleton at 9:24 AM on May 7, 2011 [2 favorites]
I actually often use Gmail for a lot of stuff like this. It's always sitting there ready to go (especially with FF4 "pinning"), has the convenient link and formatting buttons so I don't have to do that by hand, it auto-saves if I walk away and forget to save, it has spell check, and you can drag and drop text/links from other open tabs in Firefox.
I just compose and format as usual, and when I'm finished I select/highlight my text and right click and select "view selection source." It pops up in a little window as HTML, already selected, so I just copy and then paste into the blog post window. In the source window it's important that you don't have line wrapping on (change under "view"), otherwise you'll get tons of bad line breaks. And you will need to remove the <br> HTML line breaks after paragraphs, or you'll have double spacing.
Still, for me, this is just simpler than opening another application, and adding the HTML by hand like I do in notepad, and I really like the ability to drag and drop from other tabs. Plus if it's going to sit around for a few days, again – I don't have to go dig it up out of documents or another application folder, it's just right there in my browser in Gmail drafts.
posted by taz at 9:27 AM on May 7, 2011 [6 favorites]
I just compose and format as usual, and when I'm finished I select/highlight my text and right click and select "view selection source." It pops up in a little window as HTML, already selected, so I just copy and then paste into the blog post window. In the source window it's important that you don't have line wrapping on (change under "view"), otherwise you'll get tons of bad line breaks. And you will need to remove the <br> HTML line breaks after paragraphs, or you'll have double spacing.
Still, for me, this is just simpler than opening another application, and adding the HTML by hand like I do in notepad, and I really like the ability to drag and drop from other tabs. Plus if it's going to sit around for a few days, again – I don't have to go dig it up out of documents or another application folder, it's just right there in my browser in Gmail drafts.
posted by taz at 9:27 AM on May 7, 2011 [6 favorites]
For Firefox users who compose in the little box, Lazarus Form Recovery is your friend. According to the site, Lazarus 3.0, currently in beta, is also available for the Chrome and Safari browsers.
posted by gudrun at 9:31 AM on May 7, 2011
posted by gudrun at 9:31 AM on May 7, 2011
I build them in the little box but always save my work in notepad as I make it.
posted by Blasdelb at 9:43 AM on May 7, 2011
posted by Blasdelb at 9:43 AM on May 7, 2011
Compost.
posted by joe lisboa at 9:54 AM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by joe lisboa at 9:54 AM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
I just use the box, but I preview like 80,000 times before actually posting. And usually still miss a comma or apostrophe or something, which for an editor is still pretty maddening and embarrassing.
posted by infinitywaltz at 10:18 AM on May 7, 2011
posted by infinitywaltz at 10:18 AM on May 7, 2011
I use the little box to write, with tabs open for the links I plan to include, with the Textarea Cache addon for FF so that I never lose anything accidentally.
posted by gemmy at 10:18 AM on May 7, 2011
posted by gemmy at 10:18 AM on May 7, 2011
usually consult the entrails
Can today be RTFE day, please?
posted by running order squabble fest at 10:21 AM on May 7, 2011 [6 favorites]
Can today be RTFE day, please?
posted by running order squabble fest at 10:21 AM on May 7, 2011 [6 favorites]
Doesn't everyone just click the little button that says "Share this article on Facebook/Reddit/Digg/Metafilter?"
posted by stet at 10:22 AM on May 7, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by stet at 10:22 AM on May 7, 2011 [3 favorites]
I usually use the little box. Sometimes I use Emacs.
posted by grouse at 10:27 AM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by grouse at 10:27 AM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
I usually use the little box. Sometimes I use vim.
posted by twirlip at 10:29 AM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by twirlip at 10:29 AM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
(No, really.)
posted by twirlip at 10:30 AM on May 7, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by twirlip at 10:30 AM on May 7, 2011 [2 favorites]
The little box... and I use my phone, as house internet's been completely unreliable. Helps me keep things tight.
posted by jtron at 10:32 AM on May 7, 2011
posted by jtron at 10:32 AM on May 7, 2011
I write a program that uses a genetic algorithm to generate the type of post I want to create. You guys are in for a treat if I can ever get the damn thing trained.
posted by !Jim at 10:39 AM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by !Jim at 10:39 AM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
SHEER FORCE OF WILL
posted by klangklangston at 10:50 AM on May 7, 2011 [5 favorites]
posted by klangklangston at 10:50 AM on May 7, 2011 [5 favorites]
I use the little box, but I have Firemacs installed so it's semi-reminiscent of emacs (forward-/backward-word in particular make editing in a textbox sooooo much easier). When I had a longer post I did that in actual emacs.
posted by DU at 10:53 AM on May 7, 2011
posted by DU at 10:53 AM on May 7, 2011
When you have consumed all the broth, run to the bed and jump between the prepared sheets, quickly take the clothespins and put one on each big toe. These clothespins must be worn all night, firmly pressed to the nails, at a 45 degree angle from the toes. This simple recipe guarantees good results, and normal people can proceed pleasantly from a kiss to strangulation, from rape to incest, etc., etc.posted by KirkJobSluder at 11:01 AM on May 7, 2011
Recipes for more complicated cases, such as necrophilia, autophagia, tauromachia, alpinism, and others, can be found in a special volume in our collection of Discreetly Healthy Advice.
— Remei Lissaraga Varo, excerpt, “A Recipe: How to Produce Erotic Dreams”
I use the Metafilter form, because I tend to stay away from posts that require more than one or two links. I like my FPPs like I like my men, single, short and sweet.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:02 AM on May 7, 2011
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:02 AM on May 7, 2011
I use the box, and textmate on occasion.
posted by KirkJobSluder at 11:12 AM on May 7, 2011
posted by KirkJobSluder at 11:12 AM on May 7, 2011
Short posts: Little Text Box
Longer posts: TextPad (Windows program)
Delayed posts: GMail draft for links or written up text
Incomplete ideas: MetaFilter Drafts and Collaborations wiki (MeTa)
posted by filthy light thief at 12:02 PM on May 7, 2011
Longer posts: TextPad (Windows program)
Delayed posts: GMail draft for links or written up text
Incomplete ideas: MetaFilter Drafts and Collaborations wiki (MeTa)
posted by filthy light thief at 12:02 PM on May 7, 2011
Have you considered getting someone to do it for you via Mefi Jobs?
posted by special-k at 12:07 PM on May 7, 2011
posted by special-k at 12:07 PM on May 7, 2011
My cat uses the little box.
posted by Crabby Appleton at 12:36 PM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Crabby Appleton at 12:36 PM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
I think that sort of inspiration is reserved for deletion-related MetaTalk posts.
posted by jtron at 12:50 PM on May 7, 2011
posted by jtron at 12:50 PM on May 7, 2011
I think that sort of inspiration is reserved for James Brown-related Ask Metafilter posts.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 1:04 PM on May 7, 2011
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 1:04 PM on May 7, 2011
'Lil Box feat. HTML & Phat Linx - "Compose 4 Da Ho's" is what I've been putting on recently while I write my posts.
posted by mannequito at 1:30 PM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by mannequito at 1:30 PM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
An assembly line of Chinese kids in a sweatshop.
posted by orthogonality at 2:12 PM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by orthogonality at 2:12 PM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
I'm afraid I use a bit more preparation than most: I will often work on posts over a period of months, building them up in Google Docs as inspiration strikes. (I have post-related thoughts at the oddest of times and places - that's why I need the drafts in the cloud). When I feel a post is ready, I'll copy the linked text from Google Docs into DreamWeaver or Coda to quickly tidy up the HTML, then post.
posted by Bora Horza Gobuchul at 2:28 PM on May 7, 2011
posted by Bora Horza Gobuchul at 2:28 PM on May 7, 2011
An assembly line of Chinese kids in a sweatshop.
Writing in assembly? Hard core.
posted by joshuaconner at 2:49 PM on May 7, 2011 [2 favorites]
Writing in assembly? Hard core.
posted by joshuaconner at 2:49 PM on May 7, 2011 [2 favorites]
telepathy and or omnipotence depending on how I feel.
posted by Hey, Zeus! at 3:26 PM on May 7, 2011
posted by Hey, Zeus! at 3:26 PM on May 7, 2011
The little box. And, like cortex, I copy the text before hitting preview and post just in case the server or browser bork bork borks.
posted by deborah at 3:30 PM on May 7, 2011
posted by deborah at 3:30 PM on May 7, 2011
I used to use horrible dark magicks but it always resulted in my awakening confused and covered with chicken blood with no actual posts to show for it, so now I just use notepad.
posted by elizardbits at 3:33 PM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by elizardbits at 3:33 PM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
For my last post, which was sort of kind of large, I collected all the links I planned on using and dumped them (the links, not the content) into a empty text document. Then I wrote the content of the post in WriteMonkey, using the same text document. Then I went back and inserted the hyperlinks where appropriate. Then I saved it all as an HTML file and uploaded it to my website to see if it looked OK, and then I copied and pasted it into the text box on Metafilter.
And I didn't even get a gold star.
posted by kbanas at 3:48 PM on May 7, 2011
And I didn't even get a gold star.
posted by kbanas at 3:48 PM on May 7, 2011
Well, I start in Microsoft FrontPage. I first make a website that looks almost exactly like metafilter does. I don't know why I forget to save this each time, but I do, so I have to start from scratch every time. I need to work on that. Then, I use Microsoft Works to create my post. I don't usually have something to post, though, so I have to search for something to post about. Normally, this is ends up being a video of a corgi barking at a pygmy goat or maybe a link to some article on wikipedia I happen to think in funny. To finish the post, I use my SLFPP template and then save that in my "Metafilter Posts Folder" because I don't know how to find what I post after I post it! Then, I email that document and a screen capture of the metafilter website I made to one of the mods. I never seem to hear back form them, though. What's up with that?
posted by two lights above the sea at 4:24 PM on May 7, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by two lights above the sea at 4:24 PM on May 7, 2011 [2 favorites]
You need to title the email "DOUBLE PLUS GOOD UPDATE FOR WEBSITE META FILTER" or something equally illuminating. Mysterious emails are never good things, especially when receiving new content for a website like this.
posted by filthy light thief at 4:51 PM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by filthy light thief at 4:51 PM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
Edit box, copy, preview. But I have to say I am getting really sick of the primitive interface and lack of an edit facility to correct typos or (hypothetically) delete an ill-considered post for 5 or 10 minutes.
posted by anigbrowl at 6:01 PM on May 7, 2011
posted by anigbrowl at 6:01 PM on May 7, 2011
I use cat.
Me too. cat > /dev/null. Which is probably why you haven't seen any of my posts.
posted by ellenaim at 6:09 PM on May 7, 2011
Me too. cat > /dev/null. Which is probably why you haven't seen any of my posts.
posted by ellenaim at 6:09 PM on May 7, 2011
Too bad your posts are going to the bit bucket. But there are others who could benefit from that technique.
posted by Crabby Appleton at 6:17 PM on May 7, 2011
posted by Crabby Appleton at 6:17 PM on May 7, 2011
I just use the text window. Why complicate things?
posted by jonmc at 6:29 PM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by jonmc at 6:29 PM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
two lights: are you making sure to print out the HTML document and the screen capture and mail it to one of the mods?
posted by jtron at 7:07 PM on May 7, 2011
posted by jtron at 7:07 PM on May 7, 2011
Jtron: So that's what I need to do!
posted by two lights above the sea at 7:33 PM on May 7, 2011
posted by two lights above the sea at 7:33 PM on May 7, 2011
I use Safari and the little box with my awesome Metafilter blockquote button extension for which frankly I have not received the adulation I deserve. That is, I received a little and deserved none.
posted by nicwolff at 7:54 PM on May 7, 2011
posted by nicwolff at 7:54 PM on May 7, 2011
I CAST MAGIC MISSILE
posted by loquacious at 8:14 PM on May 7, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by loquacious at 8:14 PM on May 7, 2011 [2 favorites]
I use 54 long, hard years of life on the planet. Every single day a raw struggle for survival, against all odds. It has taught me much.
But even still, even still... I've had a couple of posts deleted.
Nobody knows the trouble I seen.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 8:23 PM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
But even still, even still... I've had a couple of posts deleted.
Nobody knows the trouble I seen.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 8:23 PM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
I find that if you mix in a good amount of leaves, dirt, leftover food, and water its a good start - butit also helps if you occasionally turn and stir it...
posted by Nanukthedog at 8:42 PM on May 7, 2011
posted by Nanukthedog at 8:42 PM on May 7, 2011
Depends on the when and where:
Desktop Computer (DYI Windows 7)
Netbook (Ubuntu or Windows 7)
A Browser (usually Firefox but sometimes Chrome)
The box in the Browser
Notepad
Notepad++
celtx
Dreamweaver (Code Editor)
My Executive Assistant
Sometimes my Brain
posted by juiceCake at 10:25 PM on May 7, 2011
Desktop Computer (DYI Windows 7)
Netbook (Ubuntu or Windows 7)
A Browser (usually Firefox but sometimes Chrome)
The box in the Browser
Notepad
Notepad++
celtx
Dreamweaver (Code Editor)
My Executive Assistant
Sometimes my Brain
posted by juiceCake at 10:25 PM on May 7, 2011
Sit in a certain position on a certain rock in a certain desert at a certain time of day
Close certain eyes, relax certain neck.
"Meta."
It is I.
"New post."
Now is not the time. You are procrastinating.
"Meta."
As long as we understand each other.
"New post. Tags 'Iran' comma 'democracy'. End tags."
These are broad. Aiming for an audience, are we?
"Post body."
All yours. I have accepted 6 hypertext references from your third vortice. They smell like sage...your deserts do please me so.
Like that, but I've removed some personal details.
posted by circular at 10:28 PM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
Close certain eyes, relax certain neck.
"Meta."
It is I.
"New post."
Now is not the time. You are procrastinating.
"Meta."
As long as we understand each other.
"New post. Tags 'Iran' comma 'democracy'. End tags."
These are broad. Aiming for an audience, are we?
"Post body."
All yours. I have accepted 6 hypertext references from your third vortice. They smell like sage...your deserts do please me so.
Like that, but I've removed some personal details.
posted by circular at 10:28 PM on May 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
Gah, I got really excited until I saw that it doesn't support Emacs
I've not tried it, but in theory you could combine QuickCursor and EditorClient, which makes Emacs work with the ODB protocol.
posted by jack_mo at 3:25 AM on May 8, 2011
I've not tried it, but in theory you could combine QuickCursor and EditorClient, which makes Emacs work with the ODB protocol.
posted by jack_mo at 3:25 AM on May 8, 2011
Sometimes I use the little box to compose text that I use outside MetaFilter. The easiest way I know to get all sorts of extended characters is to type an SGML character entity in the little box and copy it from Live Preview. For example, I type "♥" and the live preview shows "♥".
Does anyone else do this?
Emacs tip: you can do the same thing in newer versions of Emacs with C-\ RET sgml RET. But sometimes I don't have Emacs open, shockingly enough.
posted by grouse at 8:20 AM on May 8, 2011
Does anyone else do this?
Emacs tip: you can do the same thing in newer versions of Emacs with C-\ RET sgml RET. But sometimes I don't have Emacs open, shockingly enough.
posted by grouse at 8:20 AM on May 8, 2011
Word, then cut and paste.
posted by T.D. Strange at 9:00 AM on May 8, 2011
posted by T.D. Strange at 9:00 AM on May 8, 2011
If you use Firefox, It's All Text is a nice add-on that lets you edit any textarea in your favorite editor. (I've configured mine to launch a terminal running vim, because I'm that hardcore.)
posted by knave at 4:19 PM on May 8, 2011
posted by knave at 4:19 PM on May 8, 2011
I use the little box for all my writing, then copy and paste into Mail, Word, or TextMate. BECAUSE THAT'S HOW MUCH I LOVE METAFILTER.
posted by Now I'm Prune Tracy! at 6:05 PM on May 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Now I'm Prune Tracy! at 6:05 PM on May 8, 2011 [1 favorite]
I actually just sorta kinda answered a question like this...I run a long-form writing project that I post online in lengthy installments, and a reader was interested in the technical details of my writing process. I guess if I was working on a long FPP, I'd use the same workflow, so I'll copy and paste my answer here:
posted by Ian A.T. at 6:41 PM on May 8, 2011 [6 favorites]
I write the first draft in WriteRoom, though I'm considering giving that up because Hog Bay Software puts me off for reasons too complicated to get into here. If I did, I'd probably just move over to Scrivener, which is great but overkill for my needs, as I'll explain below. Or maybe I'd just use TextEdit, I don't know.Again, I'm not sure how relevant this is to anyone else's workflow, but I guess if I were going to write an epic FPP, I'd probably use the same method.
The text is stored in a plain text document in my DropBox. Any formatting I need to add is done using the truly awesome Markdown, which is essential to anyone writing long-form on the web, but you don't need me to tell you that.
This combination of Dropbox + plain text + Markdown allows me to edit and add to the draft wherever I am. If I'm on my iPhone, I use Nebulous Notes, which gives me the three features I most need in an iPhone text editor:
• True full-screen, with no dumb title bar at the top. (Are there really people who forget what file they're working on and need a banner to remind them?)
• Ability to open a file anywhere in your Dropbox, not just a custom folder
• Totally customizable fonts / text color / background colors
In my experience, every other iPhone text editor does two but not all three. Nebulous Notes, however, meets all three criteria. [And as a bonus, it was created by a MeFite!]
If I'm on a computer that's not tied to my DropBox account, I use TextDropApp.com, a dead simple online text editor for any .txt files you have in your Dropbox. (Why Dropbox doesn't just have an "edit" button on their iPhone app / web frontend is beyond me, though.)
Once the first draft is done, the text comes out of Dropbox and pasted, still in Markdown, to an Etherpad document that's then shared with my beta readers. I use iEtherpad, though there's lots of others out there. TypeWithMe is one, and they seem to have gotten over their server issues. I suppose if I was really hardcore, I'd put an Etherpad installation on my server, but...uh, one day I'm going to die, you know?
After I get everyone's feedback, I collate the changes that I approve of back into the original text document and then do my own edits. When I'm reasonably sure that this latest installment is ready to go, I paste the entire text into Dingus to get the HTML, then paste the code into Wordpress, hit Publish, and feel good about myself for about 90 minutes. After 90 minutes, I start working on the next installment / feeling guilty about not working on the next installment.
posted by Ian A.T. at 6:41 PM on May 8, 2011 [6 favorites]
> or vi if I'm feeling sassy.
sed. I type the first letter at random with my eyes closed and then just start substituting.
posted by jfuller at 6:56 PM on May 8, 2011
sed. I type the first letter at random with my eyes closed and then just start substituting.
posted by jfuller at 6:56 PM on May 8, 2011
It isn't a typo.
posted by flabdablet at 7:57 AM on May 9, 2011
posted by flabdablet at 7:57 AM on May 9, 2011
Notepad, on the rare occasions when I do post. Perhaps if I were more prolific, I would have a more sophisticated process.
posted by Karmakaze at 8:24 AM on May 10, 2011
posted by Karmakaze at 8:24 AM on May 10, 2011
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posted by chunking express at 4:54 AM on May 7, 2011 [4 favorites]