I sorted out a new computer at last. As much as I wanted the Samsung Tablet to work as a blogging platform, and it did to some degree because of its size and convenience, it would bog down as I got beyond five or six paragraphs of writing because the memory just could not handle it. The keyboard is too small and flimsy for the kind of writing I most likely want to indulge in too, such as sat in my big chair in the library or sat up in bed at night when I cannot sleep, and my mind is overrun with thoughts. At that time, it is either put on YouTube or write, and one is definitely more productive than the other.
So, in comes the new laptop, with its larger and sturdier keyboard, which is backlit to boot! Typing in the dark just got a whole lot easier! With 16GB of RAM and a decent half TB SSD, I think it would serve well as a dedicated blogging platform. I will carry on with the Samsung as before, ex-blogging. Although it is still fine for queueing up a post with a mini draft. Save that online, then come back to it from the Windows platform here, and that will offer better spell-checking and the opportunity to finish out the post in long form with photos as I set up with the SD card reader I have currently on the desktop PC. I may make a carry pouch for this computer and give the reader a pocket. That would be ideal.
A better form factor and a Windows platform are only part of the package to improve my setup. There is also what I don’t want on this computer. I will likely keep things like Messenger off of it as this is meant to be distraction free to help focus. Those things are always right here next to me on another device, such as the tablet, or my phone. But it does not need to be in my face. I also think that keeping such things off this computer will avoid the RAM being bogged down with too many processes and allow the computer serve what I most need it to.
Physically the only change is having to keep this relatively small computer to hand for writing. It is larger than my tablet for sure, but not near as big as my other laptop, this much easier to carry. The battery will last a respectable amount of time so it can be separated from the charger for decent writing periods. The two main places I intend to use it are at that big chair I mentioned and sat in bed upstairs. That could expand to other places, but I see most of the time I use it being in those two places, as that is where I tend to set up to relax for writing. I mean sure, I’d add e-mail to this thing if I could get Outlook to set up rules that only allowed family and friends to come through on it, and I could write to them too. I prefer long form communication to wasting away long periods of time scrolling on Facebook. Ironically, it takes up less time to write a proper letter to someone that shows real appreciation to them and focuses on that individual than it does to mass communicate with hundreds in general form on social media. I stay off social media. It’s not the life I want. It does not foster the friendships I want. If anyone wants to get ahold of me, I am always available via Messenger or e-mail. But I digress.
How would this do in the shop? I have my tablet for that. I am not comfortable with the dust of the shop getting into the keyboard or vents of a laptop. Obviously, there can be exceptions as needed. The shop can be a great place to focus on specific ideas and topics. But I can always queue up the ideas and descriptions and take the photos I need to with the tablet then come and finish out on the computer later, which fits the way I work, I think.
On the topic of battery life, I should mention that things were looking pretty good on the computer till I tried out the performance settings, which extended the estimated battery life from eight to thirteen hours just now. That looks very promising.
All in all, I think this setup holds the potential to allow me to write more, which is my substitute for an extensive social life. I am eager to see how it works out. Will I cave and put Messenger on the laptop, and set up Outlook with rules set up to only keep personal mails in the inbox? I can see it happening since I tend to want to write to people from the same spaces I write blog posts or attempt any kind of manuscript. This very post is a first try, and so far, I think I can say I am able to comfortably do what I wanted this computer to do. My tablet is close by for doing what I normally do with a device, such as web browsing and keeping innumerable tabs open because the thoughts that lead me to open them have not yet been resolved. I have my bedside tablet for YouTube watching. That is a device dedicated to a space. I think I am happy with this device dedicated to an important activity. Writing.
