WriteRoom for Mac

Distraction-free writing environment

It's hard to even imagine the days when writing was restricted to either a pen and paper or a clunky old typewriter.

However, at least the advantage of the typewriter was that there was little chance of distraction. Those were the days before the Internet, instant messaging and Twitter alerts had invaded the writer's consciousness. WriteRoom is for all those that hark back to the good old days and want a writing environment that¡s ultra-retro and free of distractions. The program's novel design means that elements such as the Dock, Growler alerts and email pop-ups stay well hidden.

Don't come looking for fancy features though - WriteRoom is a bare-bones word processor that puts the importance of writing to the fore. The default appearance is green text on a black background reminding me of how the BBC Micros or Amstrads used to look. You however change these colors to something of your own liking using an eyedrop tool.

Although WriteRoom claims to be thin on options, there is actually a whole host of different tweaks and adjustments you can make including changing the font, scroll options, scaling, and spell checking. WriteRoom also features a few essential tools such as a word count and auto save function

There are, however, none of the bells and whistles you get in a word processor such as Microsoft Word, including no automatically generated table of contents, borders, or that ridiculous paper clip that dances up and down in the corner of your screen.

If you really find that you can't concentrate on your writing then WriteRoom offers a strangely seductive and peaceful writing environment.

Bug fixes