Archive - October, 2009

Writing Software – Liquid Story Binder

October 12, 2009 in Technology with 0 Comments

Scrivener. I drool like a newborn baby every single time the name Scrivener come within eyesight. I’m talking about the writing program. Makes me want to jump PC ship and join Mac world. I even torture myself by going to the developer’s website and pray, maybe the developer has relented and built a window version for us PC users. No such luck.

This weekend I gave serious attention test driving various writing software searching for the perfect substitute for Scrivener. Let me tell you. Few writing programs match the functionality of Scrivener. But, there is one that comes very close – Liquid Story Binder.

The program has been on my desktop for a while. Using what I know about the file management, I set out to create a writing environment similar to Scrivener. I bind my chapters, research builder, storyboard, and a listing of files as a hierarchy tree. Fire up LSB and these files load up organized and accessible on screen. Any files not part of the initial load is one click away.

The key to LSB is structuring with the tools, File Listings, Layouts, and Workspaces. Going through the process demystifies LSB and as such, I love working with the program.

Next: How I made LSB work for me.

Stargate Universe Pilot

October 3, 2009 in Stargate Universe with 0 Comments

After viewing Stargate Universe first time airing, I’m giving the show a three point headups in television watching.  I am still mourning the end of Battlestar Galactica.

I like this new show.  It has an atmosphere of Battlestar Galactica, where there are doom and hope as running themes.  The characters aren’t perfect, aren’t necessarily a genius and if they are, they are surely lacking in other areas.

SGU

oldtime sg

Dr. Rush – is a brilliant scientist with his own agenda.  He obviously, when the opportunity presents itself, will walk the edge of morality.  He makes decisions on his idea of choosing death for the greater of the common good.  The question becomes could Dr. Rush sacrifice himself for the common good.  It’s easy to point out which person lacks the skill and talents of another person.  The answer:  too soon to tell and I’m not in a hurry to find the answer.  It’s all in the character development.  It will be interesting to see Dr. Rush evolve in characterization.  Is he really this egotistical posturing, self-serving man or is there something deeper going on, that has yet to be revealed.

Eli – a nice change from Daniel and Rodney McKay.  Really, Daniel and Rodney should be compared to Dr. Rush.  So Eli, is a genius in the making.  He’s also a kid for heaven sake, whose brilliance surfaces through videoing game playing.  Which resolves to,  does he even know how he got there?  He just knows he has these mathematical abilities.  It all could be a fluke.  I think I will be liking Eli a lot with his awe-inspiring wonderment of new worlds and space travel.  Then among the try and true, staid characters of the elders, his choices will be of the younger generation.  “I don’t believe they still use a whiteboard.”  Paraphrase: Eli

Lt. Scott – Not a John Sheppard or a Colonel O’Neill.  He’s a young man learning the ropes of the military suddenly carrying serious shoulder weight of the current situation.  His youthfulness comes out when he took time out for nookie amid a devastating event, like how the people will survive with the air running out.

Overall, SGU pilot brings me back to Scifi Friday.  It shows a lot of promise.  Perhaps could fill the void left behind by the ending of Battlestar Galactica series.  For me, nothing could replace BSG.