Important (and rather disappointing) announcement:
Well, it's happened; I have a regular job. As I slave away working for the man I often wonder if things might have been different had I only worked harder at making Jar's Software Hut a business rather than a hobby. Probably now we will never know. It was a good run but it's time to ackowledge that development is stalled and customer service around here has been really awful.
Those who have paid and are waiting for a key will get a full refund.
Download Jer's Novel Writer
Holey Moley! Version 1.0 at last!
Download the latest version!
Jer's Novel Writer for Macintosh 1.1.8 (1466 KB).
Here in the secret laboratory this fresh new version has been stable, and it fixes some known bugs in 1.1.6. However, it hasn't seen a lot of real-world use yet. If you're feeling cautious, you can stick to the earlier version for a few days.
Download a version that's been out there a while.
This is a fully-functional version of the software; you can use it on a trial basis as long as you like. Just keep in mind that "free trial" and "free" are not the same thing. If you find it useful, I'd really appreciate it if you would buy a license key.
Jer's Novel Writer is for MacOS X 10.4 (Tiger) and higher only. Version 0.6.0.7 mostly works on Mac OS X 10.3.9, but there are some, um... let's call them quirks.
I strongly recommend that you check out the Release Notes.
Changes since last release (see release notes for more comprehensive change log):
1.1.7
- bugs fixed:
- page count code very slow (thanks, MaudeM!)
- label on regex control shrinks (thanks, Tom!)
- database for files older than version 0.6.1.5 not converting correctly (thanks, Diane!)
- outline tends to expand and contract unpredictably when visibility of item changed (thanks, Tom!)
1.1.6
- bugs fixed:
- could not add new database items in many circumstances (thanks, dion!)
- database image field acted improperly when window resized (thanks, dion!)
- some margin notes failing to link to the text on XHTML export (thanks, goch!)
1.1.5
- changed visibility checkbox images to (slightly) less intrusive eye graphics
- bugs fixed:
- up-arrow and up-gesture not taking cursor to previous text block (thanks, MfAP!)
- Database categories easily confused (thanks, baltner, et. al.!)
- Modified database to use better code when running under Leopard (Better code not available in Tiger)
- section visibility updating correctly when section has automatic descroption (e.g. "Chapter 3") but not a user-defined title (thanks, Ted!)
1.1.4
- um... I left my change log at home. Here's what I'm sure of, anyway.
- bugs fixed:
- margin note locations being adjusted when they shouldn't (thanks, Seigreich!)
- Full-screen mode sometimes unresponsive
- scroll bar sometimes confused when there are hidden sections
- addtion of links in database item not marking document as needing save (thanks, ike!)
- bookmark loses name when dragged or copy/paste (thanks, broomdodger!)
1.1.3
- Finally hooked up the Cmd-Shift-V preference (thanks for the nudge, broomdodger!)
- saves previous find and replace strings (thanks, broomdodger!)
- gestures possibly hooked up (thanks, MfAP!)
- maximim and minimum magnification limits (thanks, MfAP!)
- more control over XHTML export (thanks, ike!)
- bugs fixed:
- Forward arrow in toolbar actually worked like a back arrow (thanks, broomdodger!)
1.1.2
- Option to check for version updates on startup, and manual check in preferences and help menu (thanks, Peter and ike!)
- When setting default font, button stays lit to indicate control is active (refactored other font-related stuff also).
- Remembers magnification in regular-screen mode (thanks MaudeM and MfAP!).
- Simplified version numbering.
- bugs fixed:
- Mofified the font-applying code to eliminate unnecessary messages that caused problems (thanks, MfAP!)
- Font changes were not applied to description text (e.g. "Chapter 1")
- Got the column width bahavior in the outline to be at least a bit more cooperative (thanks, MaudeM!)
- correctly sets initial margin note width in full-screen mode (thanks, MaudeM!)
- scrolls to insertion point after magnification change (thanks MfAP!).
- Release Notes.webloc file corrupted (thanks, broomdodger!)
Road map of upcoming development:
An somewhat out-of-date outline of features coming up in the next versions is over here in the forums. It is subject to frequent change; if you don't see your favorite wish list item, please leave a comment. Complaining is more than a right; it's a responsibility.
Please note:
Version 0.5.2.1 is the last version I promise will open up files created with versions 0.4.1.0 and earlier. It is just becoming too much of a hassle to keep up with all the old data formats. This release has quite a lot of code in it for conversion of older formats.
Please let me know if you experience any difficulties.