George R.R. Martin uses a computer that’s older than most of his Game of Thrones readers. In an interview with Conan O’Brien, Martin explained why he uses a DOS computer from the 1980s and the word processor program WordStar 4.0.
Martin explained that, by using a computer that has no Internet or any other helpful programs, he gets to focus on his writing, notes Gizmodo. He also really does not care for spell check, which can get very annoying when you are creating names for the citizens and lands of Westeros.
“It does everything I want a word processing program to do and it doesn't do anything else,” Martin explained, notes ABC News. “I don't want any help. I hate some of these modern systems where you type a lower case letter and it becomes a capital letter. I don't want a capital. If I wanted a capital, I would have typed a capital. I know how to work the shift key.”
Martin is still working on the next book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series, which provides the basis for the hit HBO series Game of Thrones. He released a chapter from the book on his site in March, but there’s not scheduled release date. The book is titled The Winds of Winter.