https://dataisland.com/blog Practical writing, cooking and Mac tips from DataIsland Software. en-us https://dataisland.com/blog/why-writing-apps-ignore-the-rest-of-the-world https://dataisland.com/blog/why-writing-apps-ignore-the-rest-of-the-world Most writing software assumes you write in one language. Much of the world doesn't. Why multilingual writing still feels like an edge case, and what writing apps should do instead. Fri, 13 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT Geoff Wells https://dataisland.com/blog/converting-british-recipes https://dataisland.com/blog/converting-british-recipes British and Australian recipes use Gas Mark, fan oven temperatures, metric spoons and grams. Here's what each one means and how to convert them for an American or Canadian kitchen. Fri, 06 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT Geoff Wells https://dataisland.com/blog/send-notes-between-macs-without-internet https://dataisland.com/blog/send-notes-between-macs-without-internet Want to pass a quick note, link or photo to another Mac in the house or office without email, iMessage or the cloud? Here's how local-network messaging works, and a free way to do it. Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Geoff Wells https://dataisland.com/blog/cups-to-grams-for-baking https://dataisland.com/blog/cups-to-grams-for-baking A cup is a measure of space, not weight, so a cup of flour and a cup of honey weigh very different amounts. Here's how to convert cups to grams for baking, and why weighing gives better results. Fri, 23 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Geoff Wells https://dataisland.com/blog/canada-multilingual-writing https://dataisland.com/blog/canada-multilingual-writing Canada has two official languages, but about 450 languages are spoken in Canadian homes. Why the multilingual document is becoming normal in Canada. Fri, 16 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Geoff Wells https://dataisland.com/blog/the-hidden-problem-with-single-language-editors https://dataisland.com/blog/the-hidden-problem-with-single-language-editors Add one paragraph in another language and most editors fill the screen with red underlines. Why single-language editors turn writers into software administrators. Fri, 09 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Geoff Wells https://dataisland.com/blog/why-we-refused-to-build-another-electron-editor https://dataisland.com/blog/why-we-refused-to-build-another-electron-editor Some Mac apps feel like part of the system; others feel like websites in a Mac costume. Why DataIsland builds only native Mac software. Fri, 02 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT Geoff Wells https://dataisland.com/blog/when-to-use-plain-text-rich-text-or-markdown https://dataisland.com/blog/when-to-use-plain-text-rich-text-or-markdown Plain text, rich text and Markdown aren't competitors. A practical guide to which format fits notes, business documents, blogs, books and archives. Fri, 25 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT Geoff Wells https://dataisland.com/blog/the-strange-assumption-behind-translation-software https://dataisland.com/blog/the-strange-assumption-behind-translation-software Translation software assumes your writing is finished. For people who work across languages, translation is part of writing, not the step after it. Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT Geoff Wells https://dataisland.com/blog/write-in-languages-not-on-your-keyboard https://dataisland.com/blog/write-in-languages-not-on-your-keyboard You don't need a second keyboard to type French, Greek, Arabic or Japanese on a Mac. How to add input sources, switch between them and use the Keyboard Viewer. Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT Geoff Wells https://dataisland.com/blog/the-case-against-subscription-software https://dataisland.com/blog/the-case-against-subscription-software Subscriptions make sense for services with ongoing costs. For a finished tool, a one-time purchase is a simpler and more honest agreement. Fri, 04 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT Geoff Wells https://dataisland.com/blog/using-ai-as-an-editor-instead-of-a-writer https://dataisland.com/blog/using-ai-as-an-editor-instead-of-a-writer AI-written documents often feel generic. Write the draft yourself, then use AI as an editor to cut repetition, improve clarity and adjust tone. Fri, 28 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT Geoff Wells https://dataisland.com/blog/what-right-to-left-languages-teach-us-about-software-design https://dataisland.com/blog/what-right-to-left-languages-teach-us-about-software-design Right-to-left languages like Arabic and Hebrew expose the hidden assumptions in software design. What they teach us about building tools for everyone. Fri, 21 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT Geoff Wells https://dataisland.com/blog/documents-that-still-open-ten-years-from-now https://dataisland.com/blog/documents-that-still-open-ten-years-from-now Your documents often outlive the software that made them. How to choose file formats, from plain text to Markdown to rich text, that will still open in 2036. Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT Geoff Wells https://dataisland.com/blog/dictate-without-a-keyboard https://dataisland.com/blog/dictate-without-a-keyboard You don't need a Japanese IME or an Arabic keyboard layout to write in another language. macOS Dictation types it for you as you speak, and for the sentences that really need to land right, saying them beats translating them. Tue, 11 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT Geoff Wells https://dataisland.com/blog/why-writers-need-plain-text-rich-text-and-markdown https://dataisland.com/blog/why-writers-need-plain-text-rich-text-and-markdown Writing apps ask you to pick a side: plain text, rich text or Markdown. Real writing uses all three. Why formats should be tools, not tribes. Fri, 07 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT Geoff Wells https://dataisland.com/blog/why-productivity-software-creates-more-work https://dataisland.com/blog/why-productivity-software-creates-more-work Productivity software promises to save time every year, and every year people seem busier. Why the real enemy is interruption, not speed. Fri, 31 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT Geoff Wells https://dataisland.com/blog/why-writers-should-own-their-documents https://dataisland.com/blog/why-writers-should-own-their-documents Accounts close, subscriptions lapse and services disappear. A file stored under your own control stays yours. Why writers should own their documents. Fri, 24 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT Geoff Wells https://dataisland.com/blog/the-lost-art-of-native-mac-software https://dataisland.com/blog/the-lost-art-of-native-mac-software Mac users once knew an app by how it felt: the scrolling, the menus, the shortcuts. Why consistency and craft in native Mac software still matter. Fri, 17 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT Geoff Wells