Byword vs iawriter12/15/2023 ![]() ![]() Today there are Windows and Android versions of iA Writer. IA Writer started life in the Apple camp. There is a Mac version and an iOS version that will also run on iPadOS. A handful were written using Byword.īyword is a Markdown Editor for Apple users. Many of the posts on this site were written with iA Writer. Compare that with the fussiness that can happen when you past text into a word processor. It’s easy to miss this point, but if you find yourself cutting text from PDFs or web pages, pasting them into iA Writer is a cinch. The more time you stay with the keyboard, the less discomfort. That can give me overuse pains in my hands and arms. I find that over time Microsoft Word needs extra mouse activity – or touch screen action. ![]() If, like me, you can touch type, it means you can spend more time with your hands on the keyboard and less time mousing. That said, converting Markdown to Word or Google Docs is no more than a mouse click away. It can be easier to go there from the outset. I have clients who expect to receive Word files or Google Docs. There are times when I have waited much longer to get started.Ī Markdown editor is there immediately with a blank page ready to go. Then it did something in the background before opening. The app took three minutes to check for and download upgrades. A moment ago I fired up Microsoft Word on my state-of-the-art Apple M1 MacBook Air. Trust me, you can spend hours wondering if that editor waiting for your latest story prefers to get copy in Arial or Times Roman. There is no dithering over font choices or layout options. The advantage of this simple, minimal approach is you are not distracted by things that don’t matter. You can be up and running with Markdown immediately. This means there is almost nothing new to learn. That’s the same code used in word processors like Microsoft Word. In a Markdown app you could also use Command-B (on a Mac) and the symbols are inserted for you. That would be a couple of * symbols before and after the words you want in bold. You can type out the commands for, say, bold text. In this sense it is the closest thing to using a typewriter. The beauty of Markdown is there are a mere handful of commands to remember. But a chef would choose the latter to prepare a meal. If you don’t know what life will bring you, the Swiss Army knife makes sense. They do far less, but what they do, is done better with greater efficiency. In comparison, Markdown and iA Writer are like one of those extra sharp Japanese cooking knives. ![]() It aims to cater for every possible need. Microsoft Word is the writing equivalent of a Swiss Army knife. If we want to be technical about it, Markdown is a simple, lightweight markup language.Īt a pinch you can write Markdown using a plain text editor. Thanks for everyone's advices.It may not work for everyone, but switching from Microsoft Word to a Markdown or text editor boosted my productivity.Īlmost every post written on this site over the last 13 years was written using Markdown. I have also decided to settle with iA Writer. I think I prefer iA Writer but in the end I can work even with TextEdit if it supports Markdown, my need is just that simple and I don't know if I can justify iA Writer being twice the price of Typora while still being virtually the same with a few extra quality of life features and a more pleasing design.Įdit: My memory was wrong, Typora is a native app. I do prefer iA Writer's design and aesthetics to Typora, and I feel safer with a native app like iA as opposed to an Electron app like Typora (I heard Typora is also less stable than iA). I feel like I cannot make a decision since if I get either of them I will still be fine. Lastly, iA Writer also has Favourites, a shortcuts to important files and folders, but again I don't really need this as I can also put my important documents in a separate folder for easy access in Typora, though it's not really the same thing as iA's Favourites. iA Writer also support tags which makes it easier to sort files, though I can live without it. I guess Content Block on iA Writer is helpful for organising chapters, though I can also just copy paste on Typora (that can get problematic when the story gets longer and harder to navigate). I only need to write plain text and Markdown, no need for images or whatsoever so I can't seem to find a killing feature between iA Writer and Typora to help me make the final decision. I previously used Ulysses but soon I realised that I write as a hobby and cannot justify a subscription. Is iA Writer or Typora gonna be better for me? I am looking for a simple distraction free Markdown app for short form writing (essays) as well as long form writing (short books)? ![]()
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