The pen is mightier than the ...err... key...?

I came across a rather strange conundrum while writing the dreaded dissertation for TCD. I seem to find it hard to change ideas that I have jotted down on paper, once I am finished with a concept. Oddly, if I use a word processor or other digital tools, I have no problem to do so.

The problem here is not pencil and rubber as opposed to "backspacebackspacebackspace", but rather that my brain seems to consider written down things more valuable then typed in things. Also, its not the words that are the issue, but whole concepts or ideas, be they expressed in bullet points, diagramms or other.

It is probably down to the effort it takes to create these things, so I wonder if it would be the exact opposite way if I was not able to use a keyboard faster than a pen these days.

I still remember my early school days when I first started using computers. Back then, jotting things down on paper and then changing, scribbling and generally messing about seemed natural. Only when things were "final", I would sit down and "type it up". That is much like the old "draft in handwriting and final in type writer" idea, as if the typed word was more permanent than the hand written one.

Today, its almost exactly the opposite. I only ever bother with handwriting if I am sure that what I produce is not going to require much change afterwards.

And boy has my handwriting become bad....