The last remaining typewriter factory closed a few days ago in Bangalore. I don't think there are any typewriter factories left anywhere in Europe or the USA.
The fact made me feel as old as I am...sigh* and so did my husband...sigh again*
I remember when I was accepted as an apprentice reporter...well you may not believe it, but we used to write with a thingy called a ball pen on another thingy called a piece of paper.
Some of our colleagues were notoriously bad in calligraphy.
In the newspaper's basement there were only a few Linotype's workers able to read the garbled letters and type in metal the text to be printed.
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| Up till 1981 all Greek newspaper's texts were "transferred" from paper to printing in Linotype machines like this one-now in a museum.. Each line was then cast in molten metal. Παλια λινοτυπικη μηχανη. Σ' αυτες "γραφονταν" ολες οι ελληνικες εφημεριδες μεχρι το 1981 που βγηκε το ΕΘΝΟΣ με φωτοσυνθεση. |
Το τελευταιο εργοστασιο γραφομηχανων εκλεισε στην Ινδια, μου διαβασε την ειδηση απο το Διαδικτυο ο αντρουλης μου
Ειναι μια απο αυτες τις στιγμες που μας χτυπαει-κατακεφαλα θα τολμουσα να πω- το ποσο "παλιοι" ειμαστε . Η, μαλλον, ποσο γρηγορα προελαυνει η τεχνολογια. Η και τα δυο μαζι :)
Οταν ξεκινησαμε στην δημοσιογραφια, γραφαμε στο χερι. Καποιοι συναδελφοι εγραφαν τοσο απιστευτα ακαταληπτα, ωστε ελαχιστοι λινοτυπες στο τυπογραφειο καταφερναν να "αποκρυπτογραφησουν" τα κειμενα τους.
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| Me and my brand new typewriter !!! Meh,wrong picture ... |
After a few years, I bought a typewriter! Oh the joy! What an awesome change! And in the 80s I was getting payed well enough to buy an electric typewriter. Double joy!
Typewriting didn't solve a huge practical problem though. What happens when chief editor looks at what you've written ,says "take this and change that and put the third paragraph under the fifth and be back in 5 min"??
Cut/copy/paste was done then with a pair of scissors and a lot of paper glue!
This was the main reason I fell in love with Word when I got my first PC. I wouldn't go back to typewriting, evah. Both my old typewriters enjoy a happy retirement in the basement closet. I guess one of our nephews/nieces/godchildren or their children will be happy to have them as antiques someday:)
Οταν αγορασα την πρωτη μου γραφομηχανη-με δοσεις-ημουν η ευτυχεστερη των θνητων. Κι οταν επισης με δοσεις πηρα ηλεκτρική γραφομηχανη, εκστασιαστηκα. Δεν την χαρηκα για πολύ. Λιγα χρονια αργοτερα εμφανιστηκαν τα πρωτα κομπιουτερ, με Dos μεν, αλλα δεν χρειαζοταν πια να κανεις αποκοπη/αντιγραφη/επικολληση με ψαλλιδι,κολλα η σελοτεηπ :))
Μετα λατρεψα το Word. Οι δυο γραφομηχανες μου εχουν συνταξιοδοτηθει και αναπαυονται στα ντουλαπια της αποθηκης.
Καποιο ανηψι θα τις κληρονομησει ως αντικες καποια στιγμη ;))
RIP indeed! When I was a young teenager until the time that I bought my own Apple IIe, I used the little portable typewriter that my mother used when she was younger. I loved that crotchety old thing, with it's muddy letters and hard-to-read "e"'s. Many a school essay I wrote on that typewriter, and I loved it!
ReplyDeleteI took a typewriting class when I was a sophomore in high school I believe. I will never forget my alcoholic teacher with his huge, red-veined nose and sluggish, oafish behavior. Typewriting class was pretty annoying but I did well enough. To be honest, the best way to learn how to type in this day and age is to hook the person up to WoW and let nature take its course! I am sure that people who play MMORPGs are the fastest typists in the universe! How else are you going to be the first one to jump on the Trade Troll? Or to reply to the silly comment in guild chat?! :D
Hehe right you are:)
ReplyDeleteI've always wondered though how some guys managed to type in raid chat while fighting...beats me :)