Building a WriterDeck

A WriterDeck is a dedicated distraction-free writing machine: a laptop stripped down to a terminal and a word processor, on the premise that constraints improve output. Inspired by the WriterDeck community and devices like the Pomera and Freewrite, except free and running on hardware you already own.

The machine does one thing. No browser, no notifications, no desktop environment. You ssh or boot straight into a shell and write. The limits are the feature:

• Single-purpose sessions: dedicated writing time, no multitasking
• Terminal-first: the environment's limits remove the temptation to tinker
• Files are just files: Markdown and plaintext sync anywhere

On any old laptop with Linux:

1. **Remove or never install the desktop environment.** Server install or ''ubuntu-server'' base; the machine boots to a TTY.
2. **Install the core tools**: ''ranger'', ''micro'', ''lynx''/''w3m'', ''newsboat'', ''cmus'', ''tmux'', ''fish'', ''git'', ''rsync''.
3. **Install WordGrinder** for prose: it is a word processor, not a text editor. It needs building from source:

git clone https://github.com/davidgiven/wordgrinder.git
cd wordgrinder && make && sudo make install

4. **Optional always-on duty**: if it doubles as a micro-server, apply the [[guides:new_machine|always-on sections]]: mask suspend targets, ''HandleLidSwitch=ignore'', battery charge threshold.

• WordGrinder: longform prose with word counts, paragraph styles, and export to HTML/Markdown/text. See WordGrinder.
• Micro: shorter writing, config files, anything code-adjacent. See Micro.
• Ranger: three-pane file manager for navigating drafts and research. See Ranger.
• fish: shell with completions and suggestions by default. See fish.
• dictd: offline dictionary server. dict word answers without a browser.
• tmux/byobu: persistent sessions if the machine is also reached over SSH. See tmux and byobu.

• Write in WordGrinder or Micro. Export to Markdown when a piece is done.
• Sync drafts off the machine with rsync or git: the laptop is not the only copy.
• Keep research offline: a dictd dictionary, a w3m-able copy of references, and local notes in ~/research.
• The machine sleeping on a shelf with a file server running is a fine second job. See vivobook for the reference build.

• Guides Index
• vivobook
• Old Laptops and Desktops
• Permacomputing
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