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Comment by normloman | Hacker News Reader

Notes are supposed to be short. If you're writing so much that it would actually make sense to use a fountain pen, you're better off typing it.

And what is this "major signal" that it sends to others? That you're out of touch? That your pens cost more money? That you're pretentious?

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The "major signal" is that you take your writing serious enough to invest in proper tools. Not a big deal in itself, but every subtle signal tells others that you are solid, and down to business. If you are worried about seeming too pretentious, if someone makes a comment about your pen, just casually mention that they are making a comeback, or something about it not being expensive. For example, some of the lower end Parker ones (Jotter, Frontier, Urban) are around the $20 mark.

Other things that send signals, include the way you dress (don't have to wear a tux everywhere you go, but wear clothes that fit, and have a sturdy look to them). Also it is helpful to work on your speaking skills, so that you speak with inflection and purpose. For example, listen to the difference between a radio host, and call in listeners.

Yes exactly this. Social signals matter.

To go a bit more meta, the question is, who are you? Who do you want to be? Who do you want people to perceive you as?

Using a fountain pen hits all the highlights to these questions.

Besides, it's just plain old COOL to be using a writing technology that is over 200 years old. The quality pens feel amazing, and encourage additional note taking for me.

Another advantage to paper notes: They arent searchable. Yup you heard me, NOT SEARCHABLE. Oh wait, you say, I want to search my notes... so I put everything in email. Then I get fired. And my boss owns my private notes. Oops.

It's definitely not "cool" to use a fountain pen.

"Because it makes me look cool" is not a good reason to switch pens.

I dunno, I recently bought a fountain pen and have been using it everywhere. It's just nicer and easier to write with. Short notes, long notes, journals, books, whatever.

Typing and writing long-hand produce different kinds of prose for me. I like to alternate. My typed prose is a bit jerkier, with a higher density of facts or points, while my long-hand prose has a more conversational flow.

And my hands start to ache if I use a ballpoint too long. Ever tried taking 5 hours of notes at a math conference with a crappy ballpoint? And live-texing is fine until you've got more pictures than text...

So that's another thing, a larger, heavier pen actually reduces hand pain.

Did you know that Neal Stephenson wrote Cryptonomicon mostly with a fountain pen? Seems to work well for some people.

That is exactly parent's point: a fountain pen makes sense for long-form constant writing, but not for short burst, sporadic note-taking.

No, that was just the first premise, the point was "you're better off typing it". They were implying that a fountain pen is a waste because it's only useful in situation you should be avoiding.

I think the parent you your post is a very valid criticism when paired with this sibling: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6407094

To be exact, he started with the Baroque Cycle (http://www.ericaustinlee.com/2008/10/neal-stephensons-writin...).

He did? So what.

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