Review: Baron Fig Computerworld

Baron Fig recently released a limited edition notebook in partnership with CodeAcademy called Computerworld. It was meant to be a celebration of technology and the way that analog and digital tools can come together to create amazing things. After seeing them, I had a feeling that they would be right up my alley given how much of my life is spent using both types of tools. I was fortunate enough to pick up a box of three notebooks before the edition sold out and I am very pleased with my purchase.

Let’s get the specs out of the way first. These 72-page notebooks are in the Vanguard line and are Flagship-sized. In plain English, this means they are soft cover notebooks and are 5.4 inches by 7.7 inches in size. The ruling found inside are one of the unique features of Computerworld. They feature what Baron Fig calls Code Ruling which has numbered rules and bullets for indents. This could be useful for those who write out their code first but also works for making lists and general note taking.

The notebooks shipped in a sturdy, brightly colored box featuring the fun Computerworld illustration and logo design that you will also find on the notebooks themselves. Inside are three notebooks, each with different art detailing how computer hardware, software and data are like living things. They each also have unique bright colors for the back and inner covers, coming in pink, yellow and blue. Along with unique colors, each notebook features a poem inspired by the three destinations, “Software Skies,” “Hardware Fields” and “Data Valley.” These poems are found inside the back cover and they tie into the art design for each book. This type of attention to detail is typical for Baron Fig and really shows how they are attempting to present a cohesive vision with this product.

As we move to the inside, we find the standard high-quality Baron Fig paper. It takes pencil and fountain pen ink equally well, being toothy enough for pencil yet smooth enough for ink. It even took my daughter’s brush pens well that she uses for art. The only thing that bled through were her alcohol and watercolor markers which is to be expected. She simply put a sheet of sketch paper behind it while coloring in her doodle and that kept the bleed from reaching the next page. Also in the box was a sheet of fun stickers in the same style as all the rest of the set.

Overall, my thoughts on these Computerworld edition notebooks are similar to how I felt about the Baron Fig Composition notebooks. Great paper and fun details combined with a high level of quality make for an excellent notebook. Especially considering that I only paid $15 for the box of 3. I just wish I would have bought more before they sold out.