For you people under 25, it's called a typewriter.
I used a carbon set, which was several pieces of paper with carbon paper in between to make several copies topped with a piece of copy paper with little numbers and lines on it so you could tell how long your story was. You had to wham the keys to register on the bottom page.
The old newspaper writers among us could write a 28-character hedline to the letter just by the feel. I got fairly good at estimating length as well, and since my hunt-and-peck typing was of the two finger variety, I also got pretty good at getting it right the first time so as not to have to retype.
Now I have to learn to type very lightly using just my thumbs on a tiny piece of glass.
7 comments:
Learning to type lightly after using the older ones can be very challenging. I can remember typing on my mom's old one and how excited she was when the electric ones came out. I got to play on that one too.
aaw.... how cute ;-)
Tomorrow can you tell us the story of the teletype machine? We love fairy tails
Yeah, apparently the State Department still calls e-mails "cables."
Don't worry. Soon none of will be expected to know how to write anything, anyway.
We have Voice Command, Skype, and now..Vonnage sends us emails of our voicemails, so we don't have to transcribe them ourselves.
At first I was thrilled. Vonnage offers me three times the services AT & T used to, for 1/3 the price. But now, I have a few doubts about their Voice Recognition software:
Date : Nov 29 2010 06:35:43 PM
From : Madison GA (17063421147)
To : Catherine Andrews
"Hey Anthony, this Randy. I see that you've been better. I hope you didn't go. I wondering because I'm starving. I'm about to eat. bye bye "
--- Brought to you by Vonage ---
Actual Message:
Hi, Catherine, this is Bunny. I see that you've been by. I hope you didn't go out and about, because I'm starving. I'm about to eat. Bye bye.
Fanciful translations could cause some problems. For example: Andy will wonder why he's not feeling well, and who Randy is and maybe... is Randy a cannibal?
Or Better Yet:
Date : Nov 29 2010 07:06:10 PM
From : Madison GA (17063421147)
To : Catherine Andrews
"Hi Catherine, this is Bernie Dan is Randy. Am been ready. If you need to be left over. I know you came by here but we're waiting for them. So can't quite come quite why don't you answer the when I do not understand. bye bye "
--- Brought to you by Vonage ---
Vonage would like to know what you think about this Vonage Visual Voicemail message.
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New Category: Ummm...
Literal transcription:
Hi, Catherine, this is Bunny. Dinner is ready. Been ready. If you need leftovers.. I know you came by here, where.... when. Quick, come quick, why don't you answer the phone. I don't understand. Bye Bye.
Well, Nein gibben ein coca, is all I can say to this one. Sounds like a sound bite from some spy movie.
love, B
It used to be you could tell the hunt-and-peck in the newsroom by the the girth of their index fingers.
When I used to met and recast the pigs for the Linotypes, it occurred to me that people pay lots of money at spas to be in small spaces with lots of heat.
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