If there is one “must have” feature I would want for an iPad version of the software, it is a footnote capability. When I write, it tends to be nonfiction books that inevitably require footnotes. Apple’s iPad version of Pages does not at present have this capability, and quite frankly, the Scrivener framework is more “writer friendly” in any event, which is why I’ve come to prefer it for my serious writing projects. I would easily pay $15-$20 for an iPad version of Scrivener if it had a footnoting capability that was as workable/exportable as currently exists in the Mac version of the product.
This would be very difficult, without adopting some kind of syntax based solution, like MultiMarkdown’s footnotes[^fn1]. It is not, at present, even possible to make a text editor cause a word to appear in italics (Pages cheats; using features that Apple has withheld from the developer community, and will ban anyone else from using).
[^fn1]: Which look like that, literally, and would have to be typed in like that most likely.
I’ll add a vote for this. I’ve just started using the Scrivener / Notebooks combo but it could certainly be better. Scrivener / IndexCard is interesting, but way too limiting. A Scrivener for iPad that combined the best of those (and had seamless syncing) would be a powerful package.
We’re still only considering an iPad version, anyway - with the MacBook 11" being the ideal solution to taking Scrivener with you on-the-go for serious writers (being barely any heavier or larger than an iPad), and with the current syncing options for those who like to take notes on their iPad, we’re not yet convinced that the development efforts required for an iPad version will be worth it. That said, please let’s not reopen the “Make an iPad version” discussion here - we’ll be thinking about this more next year sometime, once 2.0 is stable, the manual is complete, we have it in the Mac App Store, translations are done, and the Windows version is nearer completion. Lots to do!
I’m happy to respect the request to at least temporarily shelve an in-depth discussion of/request for an iPad version of the software, but let me respectfully suggest that responding to a customer by saying “buy another $1000+ Macbook to take the software with you” is not an appropriate answer.
I bought my iPad precisely because I wanted a lighter platform employing the latest technology at a better price point. If there are legitimate technical reasons why an iPad version is not practical for the current iPad form factor (insufficient memory, etc.), I could understand the problem (though I would be interested to hear them/see the specific limitations laid out). I can also appreciate a small company struggling to meet existing commitments (Windows version, etc.). However, given the explosive growth in iPad sales, it seems odd to put something like an iPad version so far on the back-burner. I’ve been very impressed by Devon Technologies’ successful export of their Mac-based DEVONThink database to the iPad and iPhone. I now have the ability to import huge amounts of usable data to my iPad. All I lack now is an iPad-specific nonfiction writing tool capable of providing the footnoting capability I want/need for my next book project. Still hoping Scrivener will be able to provide that capability someday.
They have been. Repeatedly. That’s why the Lit&Latte folks have asked us to shelve the topic. The horse is dead.
Data transfer is a much different (and easier) issue than replicating the Scrivener environment. I’m sure you’ve noticed that the DT to Go functionality is a tiny fraction of what’s available on the desktop. Similarly, as has been discussed (repeatedly), much of what makes Scrivener the fabulous program that it is isn’t even possible on the iPad.
Since it looks as if you’re new to the forum, you may not realise there’s quite a history to this discussion – for example: [url]Scrivener for iPad]. In other words, it’s already been given a good in-depth thrashing from almost every conceivable point of view. It’s worth giving those pages a skim to get a fuller picture.
Actually I said nothing of the sort - I merely said that with the MacBook 11" out there and Scrivener’s syncing capabilities, an iPad version may not be necessary - certainly not for most users. A full version of Scrivener is not feasible on the iPad anyway, and it wouldn’t even be possible - currently - to have a rich text editor in an iPad version of Scrivener. The limitations would be massive, so that it would be nothing like Scrivener, in fact. Proper footnotes are likely to be impossible. (Apple use methods other developers are not allowed to use to achieve such things.) iOS is a completely different beast to Mac OS, and as has been discussed on this forum many times, and as I’ve explained at length on my blog, there is no way of replicating the core functionality of Scrivener on the iPad. So, it’s unlikely a full iPad version of Scrivener could offer an awful lot more than the current syncing capabilities. What would the point of that be? (That’s a rhetorical question. ) Moreover, many writers bought the iPad thinking that Apple would never bring out a netbook solution, but now they have.
Anyway, I don’t want to repeat myself as this has been discussed many times on the forums, but I just answer this:
We don’t make software purely because we think it will make a quick buck, and I’ve no interest in working that way, sorry. Scrivener is a labour of love, and the fact it has turned out to be profitable is a fantastic added bonus. We will only create software we believe in and want to use ourselves (and I think that’s the best way to create software). I personally have no interest whatsoever in an iPad version, and since we introduced syncing and the MacBook Air was released, the requests for an iPad version have dropped sharply. To me it seems odd to use the iPad for writing - I hate it for more than browsing - and it would be even odder to jump into an iPad version just because we think we’re going to make some money (we have a Windows version on the way, put together by a guy who really wanted Scrivener on Windows - and the Windows market is even larger, so they tell me).
Many thanks for the explanation, and apologies for inducing you to cover ground that has apparently been previously trod (yes, to those who are wondering, I am new to the forum…).
) Moreover, many writers bought the iPad thinking that Apple would never bring out a netbook solution, but now they have.