[NTLK] Do you have a Markdown syntax writing workflow?

[Mr. Steven M Scotten]

Hi Stephen—

I’ve also thought about creating a Markdown-based workflow that includes the eMate. I organize my writing using Scrivener on the Mac and do a text sync to Markdown files (one file per chapter) on my Dropbox account. Then I use plaintext editors (usually Byword on Mac or iPad) to do the writing.

It seems like it should be drop-dead simple to bring the eMate into that equation. However, I don’t think there will ever be a Dropbox client for Newton, which means syncing with a desktop.

It’s been a while since I tried to connect the eMate to the desktop for file syncing and I don’t think I ever got file syncing to work over a network with an Intel Mac. Actually, while I’ve had my MP2100(U) since 2000 and before that I had an MP130 which I bought in 1996, I didn’t get the eMate until 2007 and I’m not sure I’ve *ever* gotten it to sync with the desktop. I’m very certain I don’t have an old-fashioned serial port on any machine.

The other thing I can’t answer (because it’s too far back in my memory) is whether it’s even possible to sync plain text files or whether they come back as formatted ClarisWrite documents. I’m not trying to FUD here; I just remember seeing options for transferring a zillion types of word processing files but I don’t think I ever tried moving plaintext.

(For those who don’t know what Markdown is, it *is* plain text. It’s a fancy name for what we’ve been doing in email and on BBSs since before there were 1200 baud modems: *italics*, **bold**, etc. OK, more than a fancy name since the conventions have been formalized: [Markdown overview on Daring Fireball](http://daringfireball.net/projects/markdown/).)

So I’m sorry that I don’t have a lot of answers here but I’m motivated to do some tinkering and see if we can’t come up with something workable!


Steve

On May 9, 2014, at 1:06 PM, Stephen Grassie <plaidpixel at mac.com> wrote:

> Hello fellow Newton fans!
> 
> I have recently bought an eMate 300 with the intent to use it as a writing machine among other things. I’m hoping to write plaintext files in MultiMarkdown or Markdown syntax and then transfer those to my Mac or PC for further use.
> 
> If you’re doing something similar, I’d love to hear about your process/workflow.
> 
> -Stephen
> 
> P.S. - This is my first list post. So glad for this list and all the other Newton resources still out there! My first experience with a Newton was in 7th grade when my school brought in eMate 300s for communications class.  It was a tiny school with very little IT help, so I had the pleasure of helping set them all up and figure out syncing and printing. I had bought an MP100 in the past and still have an MP2100, but never really used them without the keyboard and never worked them into my process. When I realized this, I purchased an eMate and have been really enjoying the simplicity of it all over again.
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