PyRoom: a WriteRoom clone in Python

You could argue that the free software world isn’t short of a text editor or two. With some people already pretty attached to their preferred choice, you might wonder if we really need another.

Some time ago, I read a newspaper article complaining that today’s computer desktop dangles too many distractions in front of professional writers. The author presented two solutions:

  • a return to typewriters
  • and Hog Bay Software’s WriteRoom.

WriteRoom is a big black box with green text. Basically, think Windows Notepad but with fancier marketing and a $24.95 price tag. Nonetheless, its simplicity has struck a chord with many; not least of all me.

That’s why I was delighted when Bruno Bord told me about PyRoom. It’s one of several WriteRoom clones that grew out of a thread on the Ubuntu forums and, as you might expect, is written in Python.

If you have Bazaar, you can get hold of PyRoom with:

bzr branch http://bazaar.launchpad.net/~brunobord/pyroom/trunk

Writing this post in PyRoom almost makes me nostalgic for my Amstrad PCW days. It’s is a work in progress so give it a try and file bug reports. Bruno’s also on the look-out for translators.

5 Responses to “PyRoom: a WriteRoom clone in Python”

  1. Wouter Says:

    You will also like WordGrinder then:
    http://wordgrinder.sourceforge.net/

  2. Gabriel Says:

    The most important feature than none of the “Writeroom clones” have implemented is that in Writeroom, when the Enter key is pressed, the cursor always stays at eye-level and the text moves up.

  3. Blaine Elswood Says:

    I am using LyX to compose (as well as document process) and would like to try PyRoom since I have heard about how good (simple) WriteRoom is for composing. I installed bazaare and followed directions. What shows in terminal is that four branches have been download or installed or something. But I can’t find PyRoom in my menu. How do I run it and give it a try? In terminal? Please advise. I am running kubuntu gutsy 64 bit. Thanks!!!

  4. Peter Frost Says:

    Blaine: PyRoom is a very young project and as yet it does not show up in the menu. If you look in the directory where you downloaded the files, you should see a file called “pyroom.py”. Typing “python pyroom.py” will run pyroom.

  5. Adam Rooke Says:

    You need to change your directory to where it was downloaded and then run it. It does not install system wide yet.

    Type in the terminal:
    cd ~/pyroom

    then
    python pyroom.py

    and type away!

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