When Word Processors Are Out: What's The Best Pen?

chensonny writes "Recently I was in a situation where there was no word processor, and several of us had to write, copy and sign a big amount of paper. It was then I re-realized the need for a good and comfortable pen. I saw some friends using a Mont Blanc, others like me using a felt pen or cheap ball-point pen. What does the geeks of Slashdot use for writing?" My favorite pen is an aluminum Lamy fountain pen -- can anyone recommend a good place to order Lamy ink in the U.S.?

Bic - Blue

[redhairedneo]

The cheap ones. No grip, no nothing. So at least you don't feel bad for chewing it to a pulp.

Re:Pencil = Good

[thrill12]

Not to mention:

A pencil even works in a weightless environment, so we are even prepared for the future...

You can still handwrite?

[JayBlalock]

After years of using computers almost exclusively for written communication, my manual writing skills have atrophied to the point of near uselessness. My handwriting - never my strong point - now makes a doctor's look like calligraphy, and my hand starts cramping up almost instantly.

Sad, really.

Cross Ion

[staggerlee]

It's got excellent smooth gel ink, a comfortable grip, and pulls apart to expose the point. So you can snap it open, scribble, close it, and throw it in a pocket...all with one hand and without getting ink on anything.

Cheap, too - only about $20.

Re:Pencil = Good

[EvanED]

I've found the same thing. Further, I've found that my writing also looks slightly better with .5mm lead than .7mm lead, which makes me wonder if the precision of the lines is the reason.

Re:Big Fat Mont Blanc

[len_harms]

I prefer the pen that is
1) closest
2) someone hasnt walked off with
3) I havent left somewhere
4) not under the HUGE stack of paper next to my computer in my 'paperless office'.
5) not dryed out

Re:Pencil -- Not pen...

[stevey]

This is yet another urban myth, as explained by Snopes [snopes.com].

The lesson of this anecdote is a valid one, that we sometimes expend a great deal of time, effort, and money to create a "high-tech" solution to a problem, when a perfectly good, cheap, and simple solution is right before our eyes. The anecdote offered above isn't a real example of this syndrome, however. Fisher did ultimately develop a pressurized pen for use by NASA astronauts (now known as the famous "Fisher Space Pen"), but both American and Soviet space missions initially used pencils, NASA did not seek out Fisher and ask them to develop a "space pen," Fisher did not charge NASA for the cost of developing the pen, and the Fisher pen was eventually used by both American and Soviet astronauts.

Parker "Jotter"

[ryanisflyboy]

Not only is the Parker "Jotter" a great value, it will last you forever! I used a Jotter for 2 years straight nearly all day long. I had no access to a computer for 2 years, so the Parker and slips of paper were how I got things done. I also wrote countless letters. After two years I finally got back to "civilization" and had a computer again. I have heard from several people that use Parkers that they have recieved 5 years or more of heavy usage using the Parker "Jotter." You can pick one up at your local mass consumer outlet (ie. Wal-Mart) for ~$15.

Not trying to be insulting here...

[0x0d0a]

I'm not trying to be insulting, but I want to point out that the "Porsche phenomenon" seems to apply to many tech items.

The idea is that if you spend a whole ton of money on a luxury variant of something, you tend to become an advocate of it to ensure that you don't look like an idiot for blowing a ton of money on something. The actual quality of the item becomes a secondary factor. I've seen this happen all over the place. With schoolchildren, a video game system is a big purchase, which gives rise to the mindless "fanboyism" of video game systems. The same applies to Macs and SGIs (and probably other luxury computer systems, but those are the two I've seen).

People come up with fairly empty, unbacked claims ("Of course I spent all that money on Ciscos! People who *really* appreciate reliability always buy Cisco!") There may well be an improvement in the product, but frequently it is minimal -- completely out of whack with the claims of the luxury customer.

All this doesn't mean that I dislike Macs or any of the abovementioned products (I owned Macs for years), but I started noticing myself unconsciously doing this on various things (you don't *think* about why you argue in favor of your purchase -- you just *do* it), and then noticed other people doing it. The more expensive an item, the more people will bitterly defend against any comments that might be construed as criticism of their purchase.

Re:Huh?

[MSTCrow5429]

Yes, it does. He may be a bit of a curmudgeon, but he does not see the world through rose-colored glasses. Using wit and a sharp tongue, he has put life in perspective for those who would casually dismiss anything not less than a decade old and who see products as mere lumps of material, not as a means to an end.

Re:Ethical Issues When Buying Commodities (like Pe

[Anonymous Coward]

I avoid buying items manufactured in China if I can, but I think your tawain stance is detrimental.

Prior to China's communist revolution, they were more or less capitalist. When the communists came to power, the capitalists fled to tawain.

China has made no secret of the fact that they consider Tawain to be a rogue colony, and support reunification, with military force, to be a goal.

Trade with Tawain provides them with valuable money with which to buy US military equipment to prevent a Chinese invasion.

Re:Huh?

[GSloop]

Frankly he's a pompus ass who can't recognize humor even when it bites him in the ass.

Some of us did have to write with pens. Some of us are fortunate enough not to have to write much any more. I'm one of those. My writing is terrible, handwriting and spelling were horrible subject for me. No matter how I struggled, I never did well. Not having to use a pen frees me to excel in what I *do* do well.

A smirking jerk lording it over me and my limited hand-writing skills doesn't show any class or wisdom.

Pen does not equal writing. Ben Franklin would have always been wise and write good things, pen, neuton or laptop. Uneducated feeble minded dolts will not be able to use pen, pencil or any other medium to their advantage.

Cheers,
Greg