[kfay]

Recently a partner and I have been putting together some system notes using a several-month-old online word processor called Etherpad.

The program is really nice. Basically you can view and edit a document from many different computers all at the same time. Whatever you write shows up instantly on someone else's screen highlighted in a color that defines that edit as 'you'.

You can save multiple revisions of the document and load any prior save you want. There's even a nice chat function, although generally I have been using skype while discussing everything.

I thought it was pretty neat and thought some people on this site might be interested, for bridge purposes or otherwise.

A downside for bridge is that you can't insert neat ♣♦♥♠ symbols. (Maybe you can pirate this technology and create the world's best system-note maker, Fred? )

The site is here: http://etherpad.com

[inquiry]

try google docs

[kfay]

inquiry, on Feb 10 2009, 02:05 PM, said:

try google docs

Wow, thanks Ben! I totally didn't know that google existed!

The whole point of etherpad is that you can work on documents simultaneously and instantly. Try google docs for that.

Edit: LOL first FAQ http://etherpad.com/ep/about/faq

[matmat]

kfay, on Feb 10 2009, 02:21 PM, said:

inquiry, on Feb 10 2009, 02:05 PM, said:

try google docs

Wow, thanks Ben! I totally didn't know that google existed!

The whole point of etherpad is that you can work on documents simultaneously. Try google docs for that.

racing conditions, yay!

[Free]

Maybe a stupid question but how do you insert colored suit symbols?

[mycroft]

Coloured, I don't know. But you can cut and paste the suit symbols straight up, which should be 90% useful...

It would be interesting to see if one could set up a CC template.

[kgr]

I have a system document in MS-Word and a new partner who plays a big part of this, but we will start working on the system document to create an updated one. We play together once a week but can work on the system in between.
the solution I prefer is a system that does all or part of:
- support MS Word 2000 (this is the version I have on my company PC). I tried MS Workspace but I can't edit the doc I have uploaded. I think it is caused by the MS Word version I use.
- Support Docs larger then 1Mb (Google Docs only works for docs smaller then 500Kb).
- Document available to 2 or more persons on the internet.
- Ideally if one of the persons changes the doc then this is clearly indicated to other person and other person can approve, reject or comment on the changes.
.....Any suggestioons?

Thanks,
Koen

[ArtK78]

I have never had any problem with an inability to use colored suit symbols.

In my system notes, I use an archaic system to identify the strains:

NT, S, H, D, C

There is no ambiguity, and no need for colors.

[mtvesuvius]

ArtK78, on Feb 26 2009, 09:23 AM, said:

I have never had any problem with an inability to use colored suit symbols.

In my system notes, I use an archaic system to identify the strains:

NT, S, H, D, C

There is no ambiguity, and no need for colors.

Word has the Suit symbols and so I set them up in a marco assigned to F2-F5 for ♣-♠, F6 for NT, F7 for HCP etc... This was quite easy to do, and works quite well.

[y66]

Etherpad looks interesting. Will keep an eye on it.

That essay by Paul Graham in the Etherpad FAQ was pretty amazing.

[matmat]

mtvesuvius, on Feb 26 2009, 10:35 AM, said:

Word has the Suit symbols and so I set them up in a marco assigned to F2-F5 for ♣-♠, F6 for NT, F7 for HCP etc... This was quite easy to do, and works quite well.

hmmm

weird.

i would have thunk F5-F8 for the suits and F4 or F9 for NT would have been more logical.

[kfay]

Here was a piece of news I received today:

Google Acquires Etherpad

So, Ben, it seems that you can, now, in fact, use GoogleDocs for this like you wanted

[inquiry]

kfay, on Dec 4 2009, 04:17 PM, said:

Here was a piece of news I received today:

Google Acquires Etherpad

So, Ben, it seems that you can, now, in fact, use GoogleDocs for this like you wanted

Yea!

[TimG]

Google will someday (probably soon) incorporate google docs into google wave which would allow you to do just what you were doing with etherpad: simultaneous edits of a document.

Edit: Ah, I see that the etherpad folks are joining the google wave team in Australia.

[pooltuna]

Free, on Feb 11 2009, 10:21 AM, said:

Maybe a stupid question but how do you insert colored suit symbols?

♣♦♥♠♣♦♥♠♦

Did you mean like the above?

If so just clik on the particular one when you are trying to insert it.

[Free]

pooltuna, on Dec 5 2009, 05:20 AM, said:

Free, on Feb 11 2009, 10:21 AM, said:

Maybe a stupid question but how do you insert colored suit symbols?

♣♦♥♠♣♦♥♠♦

Did you mean like the above?

If so just clik on the particular one when you are trying to insert it.

We were talking about google docs...

[suokko]

Free, on Dec 5 2009, 01:59 PM, said:

pooltuna, on Dec 5 2009, 05:20 AM, said:

Free, on Feb 11 2009, 10:21 AM, said:

Maybe a stupid question but how do you insert colored suit symbols?

♣♦♥♠♣♦♥♠♦

Did you mean like the above?

If so just clik on the particular one when you are trying to insert it.

We were talking about google docs...

Insert->Special character

select symbols and game pieces.

I tested the latex bridge extensions but it wasn't supported in equation formating tool.

[Rossoneri]

This news about Google buying Etherpad sounds good.

The last person I know of who did his notes using Google Docs is Ant, and I found that it was pretty nifty. Outside of bridge, one of my friends used Google Docs for us to collaborate the discussions for our holiday plans as well.

[kgr]

kgr, on Feb 26 2009, 03:00 PM, said:

- Support Docs larger then 1Mb (Google Docs only works for docs smaller then 500Kb).

Anyone knows if this will be solved?
Will this support MS-Word docs?

[y66]

I see that Google discontinued development of Wave (son-of-EtherPad) for standalone use some time ago due to low user adoption.

I just started using Google Cloud Connect. It solves the multiple version problem for me in a way that seems reasonably secure for work stuff and it lets me use Word.