Novel Technology Part 2

        It's been almost three years since I did a piece about hardware that novel writers should focus on (Click HERE to read original post). However, in the past year the entire industry has changed to the point it's exciting instead of the lull we had for the last six years. I'm mostly updating the two areas where things have changed the most: CPU's and storage drives. Far as printers, keyboards, and monitors, everything is the same as that old post.

The first major change to CPU's is AMD is now competing again with Intel. AMD and Intel in very,very basic terms are like Ford and Chevy in the processing world. The world's computers in the last 15 years will be either running an AMD or Intel chip. Even Macs are running Intels now.

       Without going into very boring details, AMD was not offering the same or close performance as Intel for almost 6 years. So, for six years, Intel would launch the equivalent of a new car with ONE extra horsepower every year during this period. In other words, every new launch was as exciting as decaf coffee.

However, March of this year, AMD took a sledgehammer to Intel, and woke up the entire industry. The reason this is great is when AMD and Intel fight, we get newer hardware worth the wait. Now, they're launching systems with, sticking to the car analogy here, 50 to 100 more horsepower versus 1 horsepower. It's at the point where waiting is worth it.

       The other unique thing is multi-core / thread CPU's are becoming the normal these days. You will see cores and threads. Here's a quick summary of what core and thread mean:

- Core – the physical processing part. A quad-core for example means there’s four physical processors i.e. it’s like a system having four Pentium 4’s inside it.

- Thread – The splitting of a CPU’s power virtually. Not all tasks need the core’s full power, so it will divide itself in light loads such as what I’m doing now: playing music and running Word.

       The reason for this information is because more core / more thread CPU's are becoming very affordable. There are 6-core / 12 thread CPU's are under $200. About a year ago, they would cost $400 or more. The more cores / threads in a system, the more programs you can run at once without lag. I don't know about everyone else,but when I'm writing I will have music playing, an Excel file, a Word file, few Notepad files, and a web browser open all at the same time. If I tried to do this on a single core system (think a 2006 Pentium 4), I wouldn't be able to run them all at once without the system freezing. I'm currently one a quad-core, so there's no noticeable lag. Again, more CPU's / threads, the more stuff you could run at once.

       There is where I explain why all this matters when it comes to writing. For the first time in years, we have two major choices again, and with the new stuff coming out, it's almost at the point we're were back to "wait till this comes out" mode. Again, last five years, the market was nothing more than a new model number, and no juge difference in performance. There is so much new technology hitting the shelves within the next few months in both desktops and laptops, I'm al,pst afraid to suggest a system unless it's needed now.

       The biggest two things that are coming out for desktops are motherboards for Intel's new line CPU's that are finally an improvement versus last years models, plus AMD is going to launch another series of processors. As a writer, I'm waiting to even look at a new system to replace my 3 year old system till they both launch. The Intel motherboards will make their new $120 quad-core CPU more affordable and attractive, and the AMD's won't require additional hardware to run your monitor. Again, when these do come out, a new writing system will be more affordable and actually be faster, and will show up on store shelves some time after 2018. On the laptop side of things, AMD is slowly launching their products, but nothing out through the computer manufactures as of yet. Also, Intel's new line isn't out fully as well. Again, more cores /threads in a newer laptop = better multitasking.

       With all this being said, here's what I would consider on both AMD and Intel as of today for a desktop writing system. I wouldn't go higher than a $200 CPU because after that, you will only benefit if running heavy, heavy 3D games, Photoshop, or 4K video editing.

- Intel -

Lowest: Core i3 8100 - As mentioned above, this is the new $120 quad-core from Intel.

Highest: Core i5-8400 - 6-cores for $200

- AMD

Lowest: Ryzen 3 1300 - $110 quad-core

Highest: Ryzen 5 1500 - $190 for 4-core / 8 threads

       Whatever CPU you do get, always at least get 8GB of RAM. With Windows 10, 8GB is the ideal amount of RAM for office work. The absolute lowest I would is 4GB, but even with 4GB, the system can lag. Anything higher won't make a big difference to justify the cost. The absolute highest I would go is 16GB, but I'm quite happy with 8GB of RAM. After that, it becomes more about bragging rights about how money you can spend. Even the newest PC games don't even suggest 16GB of RAM.

       The second focus is storage. I know everyone has seen or heard about SSD. An SSD in very basic terms is imagine an internal thumb drive big enough to hold Windows and your programs. Yes, they do make the system very snappy, and you can have the system completely off to ready to go in under 15 seconds. I've been on the fence about getting one,but from what I've been told, they won't make you write any faster since you are the biggest bottleneck about how fast the words appear on the screen. One day, I'll get one since they do help in other aspects, but if I had to go with a SSD or a traditional hard drive for a desktop, I rather have a traditional hard drive due to the bigger storage capacity for the money. Now, on a laptop, SSD because they’re not prone to fail as easily say if it happens to drop because there are no moving parts inside, and they do help with battery life.

       My final thought is this: don’t spend more money than needed. I bought my system for $500 three years ago, and it’s still going strong. A $2,000 system won’t make you a better writer. The limit all of us writers face is imagination, not technology. If you do go overboard with technology, spend the money in something that can save you and your work the most heartache, and that’s backup devices (See HERE for more information). Until then, happy writing.

"Soldiers of Expression"

Words: a writer's weapon.
Soldiers of their expression.
Inspiration is our main goal,
Bring hope to everyone's soul.
Thoughts weaved across a page.
Creativity freed from the cage.
Ideas forever stored in ink
Causing the reader to think.
Now, words fan the flames
Behind screens, no shame.
Musings fueled by negativity
For the whole world to see.
Words: a soldier's weapon
Their dagger of aggression.
Hatred is what they spread;
Their compassion long dead.
Break the chains of insanity.
Spread hope for humanity.
Discussions should inspire,
Not to spread anger's fire.
Words: a writer's weapon.
Soldiers of their expression.
Ignite the new renaissance.
Let peace be our response.

“Silent Killer”

Underneath our skin,

We are all the same.

Tensions are getting thin.

Killing in Hatred's name.

A voice makes us human;

Acting like a pack of dogs.

No respect for fellow man;

Disregard for all the laws.

Back to an eye for an eye.

Murdered over their beliefs.

Talks of war hover in the sky.

Pissing match between chiefs.

The news displays the blood

For all to see on TV at night.

Innocents slaughtered by thugs.

Who believe their view is right.

When will the madness stop?

No love, only blind animosity.

Bullets instead of words swap

Fueling this immoral atrocity.

The more society is connected,

Further we keep drifting apart.

All attempts to at least educated

Denied by ignorance in the heart.

Silent killer lurks in the shadows

The cancer feeding off of racism

Each day, it has continue to grow

In this current nation of barbarism.

One day, we’ll return back to beasts.

Because chaos will consume us all.

On our hearts, violence will feast.

As the human race finally falls.

"Grocery Shopping"

We're totally out of TP.

Buy one, get one cheese;

Course, milk from a cow.

Is the watermelon fresh now?

Redbulls better be a mistake.

A case of Dew ain't happening.

A sale on some T-bone steaks;

Some seasoning for blackening.

Grape Nuts because of old age,

And some Tums for heart burn.

Where do they keep the sage?

This butter is not home churned.

Ranch dressing for chicken wings.

Also, some kale for my smoothies.

Some bug spray to stop bee stings.

Sweet. They're serving fresh sushi.

Completed list, time to check-out.

No, you can't buy that Snickers.

No matter how much you pout.

Does this grocery store sell liquor?

Get home; forgot the toilet paper.

Left the kids behind with the dad

Tonight, red wine will be my savior.

After the crazy day shopping I had.

“The Purest Sacrifice”

Broken wings and a shattered halo.
Cracked horns and eternal damnation.
Their lost souls converged into one.
A forbid love that led to alienation.
One casted out from the pearly gates;
The other banned forever from Hell.
Forced to live amongst mere mortals.
In light of immortal love they dwell.
In a past life, were husband and wife.
Their yearning transcended even death.
Both hearts were tormented by the pain.
Until names spoken with unabated breath.
They committed heresy and even treason.
To hold each other underneath the stars.
Eternity being separated was cruel enough.
Being together again was worth every scar.
From their thrones, their masters watched.
 Perplexed at the trials they have endured
One casted aside their halo, the other horns.
The sacrifice for a love that remained pure.

"Computer Fight!"

     I’ve been meaning to write this post for a long time. As most now, I’m a computer geek first, and this idea has been on my mind for months. Now, with a new launch of processors from Intel this month, I figured I will write my thoughts about the state of new computer hardware. As some might have read over the years, every six to twelve months, new hardware is launched, which in theory is supposed to be exciting. Honestly, for the past few years, the launches of supposed updated hardware have been appealing as a keg of O’Douls at a college party. However, since March of this year, new releases are worth looking at due to one word: competition.

     In the hardware industry, competition between the major companies is always a good thing. I mostly focusing on processors today: Intel and AMD. Intel is, in sode terms, Coca Cola. A brand everyone has heard of because of countless ads over the years, and the fact shelves were always full of Intel based computers. AMD, on the other hand, is like RC. Even though AMD has been around, you mostly hear about them through word of mouth, or from the person you went to for computer advice. AMD could never truly compete outright, but they did one thing very well: beat Intel in performance while costing less. It always been about the best bang for your buck with AMD.

     However, AMD was more like Pepsi for a few years: Intel and AMD keep fighting to be the top company. For a few years, AMD was actually beating Intel in performance. There was a time during the early 2000’s where AMD was suggested way before Intel during the Pentium 4 era. This was great because the industry was exciting. Every new release from AMD or Intel was worth reading because it made you wonder who was taking back the performance crown. 

 

     Sadly, around 2007, AMD began to lose the rivalry. By 2011 or so, AMD was back to fighting to stay in the market. It came to a point AMD was only suggested when Intel was too costly for one’s budget. They weren’t bad overall, but dollar per dollar comparisons, Intel was the way to go. A $80 Intel CPU was outperforming a $200 AMD chip in the one area that truly drives the market: gaming. So, AMD retired itself to being the go to for basic, everyday web browsing systems. 

 

     This lead to Intel being the equivalent of GMC launching a new Corvette every year with five extra horsepower. They honestly quit innovating for the past five years, and got lazy.A new product with such a small performance increase being released because there wasn’t no other viable option. There’s actual test of a six year-old Intel chip being tested against their newest offerings. The difference in performance was only ten percent. In fact, most reviews of Intel’s new release became copy and paste. The overall thought was this: “Unless building and/or buying a new system, not worth the cost.”

     However, the fight is coming back as of March. Before I go into what’s happening, some very, very layman terms. All new CPU’s will list cores and threads when you look them up. Here is what they mean:

- Core – the physical processing part. A quad-core for example means there’s four physical processors i.e. it’s like a system having four Pentium 4’s inside it.

- Thread – The splitting of a CPU’s power virtually. Not all tasks need the core’s full power, so it will divide itself in light loads such as what I’m doing now: playing music and running Word.

     What happened this year which has shook up the industry is AMD finally launched a CPU that blindside Intel: Ryzen. This new launch came down to this: a $500 AMD CPU with 8 cores / 16 threads is trading blows even with Intel’s $1000 newest 10 cores / 20 thread offering. The difference in performance is so close that AMD systems make hardcore enthusiasts wondering if the extra $500 going Intel is even worth it to save a few minutes on some tasks. Once you factor in that a motherboard for Intel is $400 versus $200 for AMD, it’s a tough sell to even go with Intel these days. In other words, they’re fighting once again, and this makes me happy because unless it’s purely a PC gaming system (Which Intel still outperforms AMD as of right now), I would suggest AMD over Intel once again.

     Now, keep in mind even though Intel launched this month, AMD has a new line coming out this summer as well. AMD is launching a 16 core / 32 thread monster. With this on the horizon, the old question that used to be around is coming back: Do I buy now or wait to see what the new products offers? This means everyone wins because if AMD and Intel keep going back and forth, when you do buy a newer system, the performance over your five year old system will be noticeable. In fact, in the $100 to $200 range, I would go with AMD way before Intel because AMD offers more cores / threads for the money which is great if you do a lot of multitasking. 

 

     In conclusion, in any industry, competition is always a great thing. Without it, there’s no more innovation. The companies will keep slapping on shiny new labels on the same boring product, and act like they’ve made huge changes while raising prices. I hope this trend keeps going because for years because the biggest innovation in the PC world was leaning towards LED lights on EVERYTHING. Now, with real hardware being launched that does offering innovation, the market will shake up, and everyone will reap the benefits. In the end, I’m rooting for AMD to keep winning this fight.

"Writing Underwear"

      I’ve been reading a lot lately about fonts and the proper formatting for novels, so I decided to write this brief blog post. Fonts and formatting are truly like underwear for us writers. We all have one that we find comfortable, and will stick to it like our favorite kind of underwear. If we try something new, it feels odd like switch from boxers to briefs. Once we go back to our usual, we don’t feel so restrictive. Fonts and formatting boil down to personal preference, but in the end, there are some that you shouldn’t parade around in public. Also, consider this blog the same as shopping for underwear: find and do what makes you comfortable, but if unsure, nothing wrong with taking some advise.

     First of all, I’m going to get the one font that no one uses at all in the writing world. Comic Sans in the writing world is like edible thongs. No one will look at you without laughing if you publish anything in this font. You can write the greatest novel ever, but once they see it’s in Comic Sans, it will most likely end up in the trash. That, or you’ll get a very quick response to change the font like you wore a pair of edible thongs to a business meeting. My advice is to never use it at all, not even for a school paper.

     With that out of the way, let’s move on to the “tighty whities” of the writing world: Times New Roman. This font is the old, reliable font we all know, and most of us used at first, just like briefs. Some of us never moved on to more exotic things, enjoying the feeling of comfort we grew up with. In fact, every writing guide I have ever read said this is the safest choice for a font. I’m not ashamed to admit this is the only font I use for writing. Even my book on Kindle is formatted for Times New Roman. Again, it’s what I’m comfortable with using.

      Now, there are other safe fonts out there. If I had to choose another font to use besides Times, Arial would be my second choice. I love Garamond, but some people, like my editor, find it hard to read. A few other safe fonts I think are Book Antiqua, Bookman Old Style, Century, and Verdana. Helvatica was another safe one, but that’s no longer included in all modern word processing programs. It is still available online if you really need it. In fact, can be found here.

      Then there’s the new font out there introduced with Office 2007: Calibri. Calibri, to me, is like speedos. You think it might look good, but there’s a major flaw with using it for heavy writing. When using Calibri, capital i’s and lower-care l’s look exactly alike. This would drove my editor nuts since one of my characters is named William. I’m not sure the purpose of introducing this font, but that glaring flaw has made me steer clear of it.

      Of course, there’s those exotic fonts, which like some kinds of underwear, will either make you or your readers very uncomfortable. Fonts such as Wingdings, Webdings Papyrus, etc have no place in writing. They’re the skid marks of the publishing world. I’m not sure why they are even installed at all, but I guess someone might have a use for them. I might have 1,000 fonts on my system, but I stick to about five, and the big two are Garamond and Times.

      Far as switching fonts, my advise is to stick to one overall throughout the manuscript. I might use Courier to simulate a computer screen, and I also have a font installed that actually looks like an old school typewriter. After that, everything is in Times, even my chapter titles. There’s nothing worse than seeing a chapter where each character is a different font. It would be like changing underwear every hour. Again, only use a different font if it makes sense, and not to be creative.

      The last thing I want to discuss is formatting. I don’t think there’s any wrong or right way to format in this day and age since everything is electronic. Anyone can adjust it if need be, but a reader should be able to tell where one paragraph ends, and another one begins at least. When in doubt, this is the defacto standard, briefs of formatting which is the one I use as well:

1) 1” margins all around

2) Double spaced paragraphs

3) Easy to read, 12 pt font.

      Overall, like underwear, to each their own. However, even one Google search will tell you that there are some widely accepted guidelines when it comes to font and formatting. Does it stifle your ability to write? I never thought so. Besides, what’s the point of writing a story when no one can read it clearly enough to make it past the first page? So, until the industry changes, I will use the tighty whity font and formatting with pride.