Topic: Wordstar

The history of software licensing is traced back to WordStar creator Seymour Rubenstein in the late 1970s. Rubenstein's vision of an "iron-clad" licensing agreement eventually evolved into the modern shrink-wrap license and digital Terms of Service. The hosts joke about the legal binding of these contracts and the inevitability of everything from books to television being licensed rather than owned.

A technical aside explains keyboard shortcuts on the X platform, specifically how the "T" key functions as a shortcut for reposting content. The hosts compare these navigation tools to classic text editors like Vim and WordStar. They suggest that these shortcuts are sometimes exploited by users looking to maximize engagement and "eyeballs" for their profiles.

John Dvorak shares his writing regimen, noting that most prolific writers work from 8:00 AM to noon. He recounts conversations with Anne Rice and Ray Bradbury about their habits and tools, such as WordStar. Dvorak reveals he currently uses Microsoft Word, while Adam Curry mentions his preference for the text editor Vim.