Anyone reading these words on a monitor is unlikely to need convincing that the computer has superseded the typewriter as writing tool. But just in case there's any lingering doubt, let's be perfectly clear: the typewriter is obsolete. At some point every writer--or his assistant--is going to need a computer.

Ergonomics

Writers are prime candidates for back troubles, eye strain, and carpal-tunnel syndrome. Take some time and spend some money setting up a comfortable, ergonomically correct working environment. The chair should support the lower back and be high enough so that elbow-to-wrist is a horizontal line. A split, raised ("ergonomic") keyboard is cheap and easy to get used to. Experiment with different mice. The monitor should be eye-height or just below. Glare can be reduced by repositioning the monitor or attaching a glare-reducing screen.

Computers

Personal computers have never been cheaper or more powerful. Next month, of course, they will be, which raises the question of how long one should wait to purchase. The answer is that for writers, it doesn't matter. The processing demands of word-processing and printing are quite modest. In practical terms, any 486-era PC with 8MB of RAM, 1GB hard-drive, and 14.4kps modem will do, as will any MacIntosh back to a Quadra or Centris with similar specs. Systems like this can be picked up for $150 or less.

That said, there are definite benefits to buying a later model: faster Internet access, fewer compatibility issues, the capacity to run large typesetting and graphics applications, etc. Even a writer's "dream machine," however, can be acquired for under $1000.

Laptops are more expensive and fragile, but if travel is a part of the writing process, they're the clear choice. The prices have finally become fairly reasonable. Unless battery life is the only thing that matters in your world, be sure to choose a laptop with an active matrix screen.

Mac vs. PC

For many prospective buyers, this is the dilemma. Macintosh computers enjoy a deserved prestige among publishing and graphics professionals. They are more elegant than PCs, their operating system is more stable and user-friendly than Microsoft Windows, and for various reasons they have always been superior publishing platforms (though that gap is closing). They are, on the other hand, comparatively expensive and rare. Sharing files with PCs is sometimes a headache.

The PC, an Intel or clone-based machine running some version of Microsoft Windows, is the platform that has taken over the world. It is cheaper and comes in a much wider variety. Its market dominance is an undeniable advantage: among other things, more software is written for Windows than for Mac. On the other hand, the profusion of vendors and frenetic pace of obsolescence has resulted in millions of people having to learn more about the failings of Windows than they ever wanted to.

In the end, it comes down to budget and preference. Buyers should first of all know what they want the machine to do. Then they should try out both platforms and make sure they understand the purpose and importance of RAM, hard-drive size, processor speed, etc., before purchasing.

Monitors

Though the monitor is often an afterthought, in some ways it's the most important component. It is, after all, what you stare at for hours on end. Writers should consider both the quality and size of the monitor, and not settle for some old flickering hand-me-down.

Most new monitors (flat-screens, though wonderful, are presently too expensive to consider here) have resolutions, "refresh rates" (the number of times the image is rewritten per second), and graphics capabilities that are perfectly acceptable. But spending more in this category can reduce eyestrain. As for size, bigger is undeniably better. Anyone planning to do detailed typesetting or graphics work should look into 19" or 21" monitors; writers who just want to pound out their first novel can do just fine with a 15" screen--though most people who spend much time in front of a computer prefer 17" monitors. And all of the above should consider an anti-glare attachment.

Printers

Dot matrix printers, though they remain the cheapest way to print mailing labels, have seen their day. These days high-resolution laser printers are so inexpensive that it's difficult not buy one--particularly one that triples as a fax machine and copier. Inkjets are cheaper and perfectly acceptable in quality unless "camera-ready" output or graphics printing is required. They are very economical for color printing. Some have printing rates (pages per minute), however, that are cripplingly slow--buyer beware. In any case, get a brand-name printer with a good warrantee, as they have many moving parts.

Back-up Media

The importance of backing up data on a regular basis cannot be overstated. As techies are fond of saying, all hard-drives eventually crash. Theft and fire are other popular forms of disaster. It takes only a small investment in time and money to insure against most potential catastrophes.

For most writing purposes, the humble floppy disk (1.44MB) suffices. But there are all kinds of higher-capacity options. Iomega Zip drives, which take either 100MB or 250MB disks, are one of the cheaper and easier options. Few are the manuscripts that take up more than 100MB. Iomega Jaz drives have tapes that hold 1 to 2GB of data. Syquest offers a range of removable cartridge drives that have been on the market for years. Various tape drives can hold many gigabytes of data, and are commonly used to back up entire systems. CD-ROMs hold up to 650MB of data, and CD-burners have recently become cheap enough to consider buying. DVD-ROM-burners, with several times that capacity, are just around the corner.

Whatever media is used, the important thing is to back-up often and keep the back-up copies in another location--preferably another building.

Software

Anyone planning to interact with the publishing world is well advised to use one of the big two word-processing applications--Microsoft Word and WordPerfect--or, for the utilitarian minimalist, a smaller program such as Helios' Textpad.

Word-processing was essentially perfected years ago. The latest versions of Word and WordPerfect are, arguably, simply "bloat-ware": loaded with unnecessary features that were added mainly in order to have a "new" product to sell. Most writers have no need for the resulting embarrassment of choices, and therefore should think twice about upgrading.

More advanced desktop-publishing software, such as QuarkXPress or Pagemaker, is generally only needed in preparing a book for printing. Although a perfectly serviceable typescript can be generated with Word or WordPerfect (including tables, art, etc.), self-publishers may want the additional design power. These applications often involve a steep learning curve, and they're not cheap. Of the leaders, Pagemaker is preferred for short, complex layouts (like brochures), Quark is preferred for long complex documents (like highly illustrated books or newspapers), and Framemaker is preferred for complex documents with lots of cross-referencing (like software manuals and other technical documents).