Wiser Web Wednesday – a semi-regular link to posts of interest from around the web, by those far wiser than myself:

 

Pens! Paper! Pencils!
What appeals to me most about systems such as the Atoma or Arc is the ability to reorganise the page order at will — something I typically find quite useful for larger projects.

What makes it not quite perfect: while the system is good, the paper can come unstuck now and then if you’re careless turning the pages. There’s also something lovely about writing in a good quality hardcover notebook that you don’t get with this.

Ian has done a pretty good job in sourcing a great value alternative, which incidentally appeals to me even more:
Atoma and Arc Notebook Systems

 

Alt. Haven
Junee reviews a pretty good-looking and well performing entry-level pen, in the Platignum Studio.

An affordable and colourful offering from a brand I haven’t really seen a great deal written about before:
Review: Platignum Studio

 

Crónicas Estilográficas
After seven years of blogging on mainly vintage pens, some thoughts from Bruno Taut on some of the changes that have occurred over that time — particularly as the actual pens become more difficult to acquire.

The conclusion of all this is that writing about pens and, particularly, about vintage pens is a bit like shooting ourselves on the foot. But somehow I enjoy it—the writing, not the bullet.

Thanks to blogs like this one, the information is certainly a little easier to find, but the pens themselves? Perhaps not:
Side Effects

 

Ink and Ben
Ben Elijah with some thoughts on encryption, and an interesting take on perhaps improving your own.

It’s important to make a difficult, mature decision about the compromise you’re prepared to make between the convenience you want and the security that you need. Right now, I want more security and I’m prepared to tolerate less convenience.

So, I’ve decided to experiment with taking my task system partially offline. So I’ve retired my OmniFocus installation and work from paper.

Whether you are talking simple organisation, or something as important as encryption, we all make trade offs in what we use and how we use it. In case you were wondering, the possibility of loss or theft of a physical notebook is also acknowledged:
Upgrading to Paper

 

Laughing Squid
These great looking postcards have a complete picture only when stained with the ring from a cup of coffee — just don’t waste too much finishing off your masterpiece.

Better yet, send me one and I’ll finish it off myself:
Adorable Postcards That Are Only Completed When You Stain Them With a Coffee Ring

 

MacStories
Yes — another blurb from me on Ulysses.

I’ve been using Ulysses on my Mac (and subsequently my iPad) since 2014’s NaNoWriMo, and have not needed to look elsewhere. It has all the features I need, and beyond that, it simply suits me, the way I write, and what I then do with said writing.

One of the significant ways Ulysses stands out and earns its price tag is with a variety of feature, power, and polish in the vein of what I’ve already mentioned, spread throughout the app. In my experience with nearly every app you could name, you’ll be hard-pressed to find much of this elsewhere.

With Ulysses for iPhone now released, read a comprehensive review on Macstories.

Ulysses for iPhone — you complete me:
Review: Ulysses 2.5 for iPad and, now, iPhone

 

Macsparky
One of the reasons I love Ulysses so much is its suitability for all my writing, large or small. Don’t take my word for it though – David Sparks is infinitely more qualified to comment than I:

It lets you collect bits of text together and organize them, reorganize them, hide them, delete them, write them over again, and generally carry you through all the angst that comes with large writing projects. I currently have 2 books half-written in Ulysses and several long legal briefs and letters.

Collecting bits of text? Absolutely, these weekly links are now collected as seperate sheets via the Ulysses iOS extension; tweaked a little; then merged into this post.

Brilliant:
Ulysses Version 2.5 — MacSparky

 

Open Culture
My high school years through the 80’s were in no small part accompanied by a New Order soundtrack.

Not played quite like this though:
New Order’s “Blue Monday” Played with Obsolete 1930s Instruments

 

Colossal
While we’re on music — not really sure how to explain this one.

…the Wintergatan Marble Machine, a hand-cranked music box loaded with instruments including a circuit of 2,000 cascading steel marbles. As the devices cycles it activates a vibraphone, bass, kick drum, cymbal and other instruments that play a score programmed into a 32 bar loop comprised of LEGO technic parts. The marbles are moved internally through the machine using funnels, pulleys, and tubes.

That will do it. Certainly worth a look:
This Ludicrous New Instrument Makes Music with 2,000 Marbles

 

The New Industrialist
A post which although not its specific intention, goes a long way towards explaining why we are so passionate about our side interests.

We may even have an organisation chart that shows that someone is now an ‘Improvement Champion’, ‘Project Champion’, ‘Lean Facilitator’ or some other title. They have been touched by the Magic Wand!

I know them well. Someone, please save me… please?:
Why Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma And Other Improvement Projects Fail

 

The Fix — MistoBox Blog
You could do worse than cherry picking a few of these items for a home coffee brewing setup:
Inside Peek: MistoBox Director of Coffee’s Favorite Coffee Gear

 

The Barista Hustle
A new page on The Barista Hustle looking to create the resource for links to articles on all things coffee, many of which would otherwise be scattered about the Barista Hustle Facebook page.

Matt Perger in the Barista Hustle newsletter describing the page:

Brew recipes, research papers, blogs, videos; you name it, I want The Guide to have it. Soon it’ll be a one stop shop for anyone looking for anything to do with coffee.

A great resource in the making:
The Barista’s Guide to the Galaxy

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