Comments on: Writing Software for Writers

By: Greg Laden

Greg Laden — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 21:20:57 +0000

William, thanks for the update.

The newest version of Scrivener,interestingly, simplifies things. I’m not totaly sure yet how it works, but it seems to have taken the many different places one could leave notes and put them all in one place. That is probably a good thing.

I’ve experimented with running the new Beta version for Windows in a VM box in Linux. That works fine, but the beta version expires and self destructs every few weeks, which makes it difficult to use (talk about distractions!)

By: William Seward

William Seward — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 21:14:19 +0000

In reply to William Seward.

To update my previous reply. It’s now 5 months later. I’m still using the Linux Scrivener and it has been working fine. I figured out the problem with the templates, it was me, not the program. This free Linux version is based on a slightly older version of Scrivener, possibly the first for Windows but I may be wrong. It does work a little bit differently from the latest versions, missing a few refinements maybe. I’ve watched a few “how to” videos and some things don’t really apply to this version and a couple of things look a bit different. And, so far, they’re not going to update it. That said, it works and works just fine. The part that I need to use is maybe 99% of what the newest version would be. I don’t really miss anything.
I loved yWriter, but it was always sort of marginal on Linux. I kept having to tinker with it to keep it going. While I enjoy tinkering a lot, it does get distracting.
I’m happy to be using something now that just keeps working.
I enjoyed your comments.

By: William Seward

William Seward — Sun, 05 Jan 2020 14:12:09 +0000

Thanks for the blog. Like you I prefer to use Linux and have had some difficulty finding a novel software that I like. I am going to check out Manuskript and see how that is. Weird thing is it keeps disappearing from my Menu. Actually there one day, gone the next, I’ve re-installed it a couple of times now. Anyway I’m looking at it now.
I’ve been a long time user of yW5 and 6. I even registered and paid for it. I do like it but it has a certain amount of flakiness in Linux. The newest version, yW7, which is entirely redone to make it work in Windows 10 and Android, I have not been able to make work at all. At least, it is problematic trying to use it with older projects written under the older versions.
I run yWriter in Wine, Mono has never worked well for me for some reason.
I’ve been looking at the Linux Scrivener, I just discovered that the many templates available to streamline writing don’t seem to work at all with the Linux version. I think perhaps that aspect has evolved somewhat for the Mac and Windows versions and is beyond what the Linux version does. The filetype apparently changed, or something, at least the .extension did. Easy enough to make your own templates, still…..
Anyway, the search goes on.

By: Jack garbo

Jack garbo — Fri, 31 May 2019 23:27:23 +0000

Greg, get out more. Bibisco is a stand alone Java-based writer, no web needed. Scrivener on Linux is a snap. Even though it was discontinued an “image” containing all the necessary bits is available free at: https://www.wayoflinux.com/blog/scrivener-returns or you can download the .deb from Ubuntu repos. You’ll need lsbcore for spelling.
I’m using Manuskript (Linux), which I find “cleaner” and simpler than Scrivener, plus it has a character and plot storyline and excellent export options.
HTH
Cheers

By: Andrea Feccomandi

Andrea Feccomandi — Thu, 04 Jan 2018 08:40:01 +0000

Hi Greg! I’m Andrea Feccomandi, the author of bibisco.

Great article, but I just want to point out that bibisco is build with web technologies (HTML5, Javascript), but is a DESKTOP application, not a web application.

Indeed to run bibisco you have to download it from website.

Have a good day!