The Micro Journal Rev 2 by Un Kyu Lee

Hook's current writer deck of choice!

created 12/15/2024

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All Micro Journal models are designed and hand crafted by Un Kyu Lee. This site represents my own views and I in no official way represent Un Kyu Lee. So, opinions and mistakes here are mine and mine alone. I just truly appreciate these great machines.

You can check out my other Writer Decks HERE

This site is currently under construction. This is a placeholder. Links will work, but there will be many additions and changes until this notice disappears. :)

This page is dedicated to providing reviews, links and downloads to support writers using the Micro Journal Rev 2. I currently use it for all my draft writing.

Hook's Impressions of the Micro Journal Rev 2

This is both my description and review of the Micro Journal Rev 2. Official links to where you can buy it and Un Kyu's own setup pages are linked below. The Micro Journal Rev 2 (I have nicknamed it "the Nixwriter")is a Linux-based (Raspberry Pi running a version of Debian) Writer Deck for reduced distraction writing. The first and most important point is that for someone who just wants to use it as a writer deck, you really don't have to care that it runs on Linux and you will have very little reason to interact with Linux. The natural comparison is to the legacy Alphasmart Dana which gave you a Writer Deck running Palm OS. If you wanted to play around with the additional capabilities that Palm OS gave you, you certainly could, but you could also almost completely ignore the Palm OS and immediately open up the editor and start writing. The Rev 2 is first and foremost a Writer Deck

Let's start with the hardware. The Rev 2 is a clamshell design, which I love as it protects the screen and makes it easier to carry. It has a nice, large screen which is really helpful in draft writing. It's not large enough to really let the editor in the door (maybe the copy editor, but I can usually keep her out in the waiting room as well). It just allows you to think about your ideas in paragraphs rather than sentences. That sometimes helps for flow, or at least it does for me. The keyboard is an ortholinear mechanical keyboard, which is superb. I was hesitant about an ortholinear keyboard, but it really didn't take long to adapt. And you get the joy of being able to replace the key caps to make this little digital typewriter your own (It comes with keycaps. Not the ones you see on my Rev 2 above). You have only 48 keys, but there are four "layers" you can assign keys to: key press, shift keypress, and then two keys that each access a further layer of the keyboard. There is a utility you can use to assign all these keys, but it comes by default with the most natural key assignments on the keypress and shift layer. To have more punctuation as well as arrow navigation keys on the keypress layer, the number row and it's symbols are accessed via the additional layer keys. You learn it pretty quickly. So you don't have to make changes right away to use the Rev 2. I made a bunch of changes, which I will share in a separate writeup.

The Rev 2 is easy to set up, but I will leave that to Un Kyu's Quick Start Guide linked below. It is not instant on because you are booting into Linux first. This a terminal version of Linux, so there is no desktop GUI. You boot to a file manger which is set up as a launcher. You have a documents folder, which is where you want to place all your documents because that makes it easier to get your files to your computer. There are several useful scripts, which the Quick Start guide talks about. Newfile.sh opens the editor, Word Grinder, and starts a new file, share.sh sets you up for getting a file to your computer or phone and shutdown.sh shuts down Linux before you turn off the machine. And after everything (except shutdown) you are returned to the launcher. Simple.

Because this is Linux, it will gobble power a bit. Consider the small battery you put in the back when you first get it a backup battery and keep the Rev 2 connected to an external battery. Do not use an external battery that only does PD charging, it won't work. If the battery has a USB-A port for your charging cable, it should work fine.

I will go into greater detail as this site develops, I am writing up my personal experiences, tips and tricks and, separately, something that goes more into using Linux on the Rev 2. In the meantime, you can find discussions by myself and several people on the Alphasmart-Writing Tools Forum (linked below). But for now, the main point is that the Rev 2 is a wonderful Writer Deck and is my "Daily Driver" for my writing. As a long time user of the Alphasmart Neo, I didn't think anything would ever replace that. I'm so happy that something has.

Micro Journal Rev 2 Information

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