FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

HOW DO I GET THE SOFTWARE? Click here for free software > or use navigation to right >

Story Lite application software will run as a stand-alone program after installation. There is a choice of a Windows version, and a Java version that can run on Apple Mac, Linux, and Windows too.

WHAT IS STORY LITE / STORY TURBO SOFTWARE?

• A way to expand your creativity when writing or planning
• All texts, notes and images displayed right next to your main editor
• Freeware with no practical restrictions – fully functional
• Totally flexible
• Easy to use
• Export and publish
• Can be used as a format in its own right – competitions soon
• Freeware – try and see for yourself

A desktop application with a background canvas containing multiple, open, editing boxes which are text and image editors.

STORY TURBO / STORY LITE is a zoomable user interface – ZUI adapted as a creativity tool.

These can be zoomed into and out of to provide editing (box level) and overall view of all boxes (zoomed out).

Boxes are editable at all zoom levels.

Exports box data as pdf and rtf (for ebook) format.

The whole system is saved under one name, with all parts (boxes, zoom levels etc).

IS IT A WORD PROCESSOR?

More than: it is a portable desktop that contains as many word and image editors, open at the same time, in a layout, as you need for a project or set of projects.

When you save the Story system, you save the whole system, multiple editing boxes, positions, colors, scaling etc. This means you can have a working environment that is easy to use, contains all your work, notes, ideas etc, and is truly portable.

WHAT IS IT FOR?

It allows writers, bloggers, artists, business people working on ideas, presentations, educators, etc, any user of word processors, to have multiple documents open at the same time for comparison and editing.

IS FOR CREATING NEW WORKS?

Yes, you can create new works in it, with text, images, layout, very easily. There is to be a competition for the best examples, and some works are up already – see the Fiction examples

IS IT A MEMORY AID?

Yes, as any note or idea, or image, however large or small, can be added to a main text, without messing up the main text – say, a novel – and these additional notes or ideas, in their own boxes, can be positioned wherever you want, in any color or size.

See the many examples in the Fiction examples and Web, Business and Education examples.

HOW DOES IT SAVE ALL THIS?

Since the program is freeware, you can install it on your desktop, laptop, netbook, etc, and then open your work anywhere.
There is secure online storage for your art works or business and education publications on our site.

There is a file format .sto which is an XML file. Sometimes the computer tries to open an XML editor, please tell it to open Story Lite.

Preferences

The Preferences file is stored in:

[name-user-account]/Story Software/Story lite/

HOW DOES IT WORK? WHAT ARE THE FUNCTIONS?

Open new application

Add boxes (editors);
delete boxes;
resize boxes.

Add content – text/image – paste/write.
Load image from computer.

Drag boxes around background to enable useful and expressive positioning.

Zoom whole background to edit boxes or inspect.
Zoom out to view whole arrangement.

Save/Open/Save As.

Export in common formats for publication (rtf at the moment).

MANY BOXES – HOW TO ARRANGE?

Physical arrangement – layout.

The 2D flat layout is used to see what relates to what.
The 3D space (zoom in/out) allows you to have much more material to hand.

Color is used to identify the overall file (you might use red for novels, blue for short stories).

Box border color can identify groups of items.

Boxes can have color borders, can control thickness too. This can be used for a visual reminder or grouping method.

WHAT IS THE PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE?

This is transparent to the people using it as the application has been visually adjusted for each platform.

The computer language in which it is written:
Windows: Java and later in 2011, C# .NET
Mac/Linux: Java

WHAT ARE THE VERSIONS?

Versions:
Story is the name of the overall system. What’s in a name? It runs along with Word and Pages by other companies.
Story Lite freeware version released v1.0 December 2010 and
Story Turbo version (v2.0) (mid 2011) with many extra features.

WHERE CAN I GET THE SOFTWARE APART FROM HERE?

Story Lite will soon be available from many freeware and shareware websites such as Cnet, Major Geeks, Superfiles, Tucows, and many others such as Best Freeware Download.

PAD files

Software description PAD xml and htm files are on the Technical details page >

2011:
Story Mobile – mobile version for smartphones and pads. This will enable Story files to be updated across the net – the application is a big large to run on a phone screen.

Story Group – Shared online version for multiple concurrent users.

Published as:
Windows: Downloaded desktop application with an installer.
Java: jar executable. This will run on anything with a Java runtime environment.