

USB Typewriter: A groundbreaking advancement in the field of obsolescence. - zotz
http://www.usbtypewriter.com

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Groxx
To those interested in how it works, I followed a few links, and found their
instructions for their kit: <http://www.instructables.com/id/USB-
Typewriter/?ALLSTEPS>

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jryce
I'm trying to figure out how they implemented backspace on the paper.

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jbri
On an actual typewriter, backspace just moves the head one character
backwards. It doesn't inherently erase anything

But if you _do_ want to actually erase text, there still is a way - many
typewriters had multiple ink ribbons. In addition to black, you might have red
for indicating deficits in accounting, or for erasing text you'd have a white
ribbon.

So "erasing" on a typewriter is basically just typing the same text over the
top again, this time in white so it doesn't show against the paper.

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KC8ZKF
Didn't work on your carbon copies, though. In my high school typing class,
accuracy was preternaturally stressed.

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gchpaco
Yup, in the working world it was not unusual for secretarial professionals to
be expected to turn out a perfect page every time or redo it until it was
perfect.

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officemonkey
When I was younger, I once worked with a professional secretary. She could
touch-type accurately like a speed demon, and she could take shorthand. This
was in the days before corporate email, so everything was done using
interoffice memos, and she was worth her weight in gold.

I wish I learned shorthand (such as teeline) while I still had the time/energy
to learn it. I'm sure technology like Siri will put an end to that.

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sopooneo
It is probably quite rare already, and getting more so, but if you had to work
with an older content creator that felt most comfortable using their trusted
mechanical typewriter, this might actually be useful.

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cstross
My impression (based on long acquaintance with a whole bunch of them) is that
most "older content creators" either write long-hand then copy-type on a word
processor, or adopted word processing as their primary input mechanism with
shrieks of glee in the 1980s. The ones who still insist on using a manual
typewriter are eccentrics, or jerking your chain.

Manual typewriters were pigs. They take a lot of effort to operate and produce
very uneven impressions on the page. Because it's a mechanical lever system,
they have a very long key depression -- typically 2-3 centimetres. Ever
trapped your pinkie under the (sharp) rim of an adjacent key? If you're not a
_very_ precise typist it happens every few minutes on a manual typewriter.
Because of the effort involved in hammering the keys, and the fun of trying to
clear the frequent key jams you experience if you type too fast -- the type
arms need to have time between keystrokes in which to fall away from the
platen; if you type too fast you end up jamming them together -- it's very
difficult to attain the same typing speed on a manual typewriter as on an
electric model of any kind (except for the early, insanely slow, daisy wheel
machines) and you end up with sore, inky fingers.

NB: Your go-to reference for the history of typewriters is "Century of the
Typewriter" by Wilfred A. Beeching: [http://www.amazon.com/Century-Typewriter-
Pb-Wilfred-Beeching...](http://www.amazon.com/Century-Typewriter-Pb-Wilfred-
Beeching/dp/0951679007/)

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jseliger
If you want the typewriter "feel" without the typewriter, try a Model M:
<http://pckeyboards.stores.yahoo.net/en104bl.html>

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cstross
A Model M feels nothing like a manual typewriter. Trust me on this. (I own a
Model M, and wrote my first million words on a manual typewriter, until the
keys began snapping from metal fatigue.)

Having said that, the Model M _does_ feel similar to the classic IBM Selectric
golf-ball typewriter, which was actually a whole lot more user-friendly than
any manual device (although it guzzled electricity, hummed loudly, and took a
hand-cart to move around).

~~~
gchpaco
The one thing the M doesn't convey of the total Selectric experience was the
immediate and alarming belief that, after every keystroke, the typewriter had
launched itself an inch forward (no mean trick considering how heavy they
are!). They _usually_ didn't do this, but I've never had that 'did I just
stick my finger into a bear trap?' feeling with anything else, even other
electric typewriters.

The observer, of middle 20th century American desks, might think that the
solid oak frame and general bombproofedness is at attempt to convey solidity
in the person behind the desk, a psychological trick. They may be that, but
they are also built the way they are because people typed on them with these
things, and lightly built IKEA desks could very easily shake themselves to
bits. I recall a story involving a typewriter lift in the side of one of these
desks, of US Navy vintage, whose massive spring was calibrated for some
ridiculously heavy typewriter--possibly a Selectric. When the typewriter
itself was on the platform, it rose smoothly and gradually to a working
height. When the platform was unloaded or loaded with, as I recall, a CD
collection, the right word for what happens next unless you are extremely
careful is "catapult" or possibly "major concussion and several months worth
of dental work".

No keyboard has ever even loosely approximated this unless it was also
connected to a typewriter (the TTYs and whatnot). Which, on balance, is
probably a good thing.

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novalis
All those models look fantastic, don't know if I would go for something like
that but still what a great project.

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xkcdfanboy
Pretty cool but for ergonomics, nothing tops this:
<http://i.imgur.com/wk1c8.jpg>

