re-watching the shining, man typewriters sucked!

[Lanx]

So i had the shining on while i was modding (just hearing not watching, eyes on burning hot solder!). And I hear Jack typing away, man he musta been doing 10 words a minute, 60chars per second. Either it's cuz of the hunt and peck method associated with those old school return carriage or that it takes like 200force to activate a button. Maybe thats why you had the IBM clickclacks come out, cuz ppl were used to the sound. (or you know use the sound=1 key press so type faster type thing)
But man how did ppl write back then? I mean I can pour out my thoughts on keyboard almost as fast as I talk, I think i'd loose my train of thought with an old school typewriter. (prolly not a more modern one like a selectric)

[8_INCH_FLOPPY]

Your average person did not have access to a computer in 1980.  Hence, the only typing experience would be on a typewriter, which was an expensive, exotic machine for your average person with no reason to own one.  I mean, people didn't spend 8+ hours a day sitting there typing letters.

[Lanx]

but for writers they did!

[Shawn Stanford]

Your average person did not have access to a computer in 1980.  Hence, the only typing experience would be on a typewriter, which was an expensive, exotic machine for your average person with no reason to own one.  I mean, people didn't spend 8+ hours a day sitting there typing letters.

Huh? Were you alive in 1980? Typewriters were very much a commonplace household appliance. They ranged in price and quality like everything else, but everyone had one tucked into a closet somewhere. Most households didn't have an electric, but they'd have at least an old manual. And people - mostly women - did spend eight hours a day whacking away at typewriters. Most large companies had a secretarial or typing pool. FAX didn't become commonplace until the middle 80s and corporate email wasn't viable until the early 90s. ALL CORRESPONDENCE was done on dead trees sent via U.S. Mail, and file copies were made using carbon paper. Even a tremendous amount of billing was done via typewriter, since only large corporations could afford to have their bills printed via computer.

I learned to touch-type on a manual typewriter in middle school in the late 70s. Among the things we were taught was how to align columns and rows on a pre-printed form and how to use carbon paper (including corrections using an eraser, correcting tape or White-Out).

[Crypt]

I remember typing on one of those typewriters that queued your keypresses because it wasn't fast enough to keep up or something.  If you could type faster than it could print, it would pause for a few seconds and then rapid fire a stream of characters.  It sounded glorious!

[Zen]

MAN UP.  F*** NKRO AND HYSTERESIS!!!

And F*** people who don't 'bottom out',
how the F*** am I supposed to read your utterances
if the type-bar doesn't even hit the paper ?

If you could type faster than it could print, it would pause for a few seconds and then rapid fire a stream of characters. It sounded glorious!

My Dad HATED when I did that on his Selectric ...

E-excuse me, uh,
I don't think there's anything wrong with the action on this keyboard.

[8_INCH_FLOPPY]

Huh? Were you alive in 1980? Typewriters were very much a commonplace household appliance. They ranged in price and quality like everything else, but everyone had one tucked into a closet somewhere. Most households didn't have an electric, but they'd have at least an old manual.

Yes, every secretary had to be an expert typist, and yes, some students were proficient typists, but it was not as common as it is today .  I do admit that I was not alive in 1980, however, I've had this discussion with many people who were college students in the late 70's to early 80's, and most of them tell me that they were hunt and peck typists, and less than half owned their own typewriter.

[mr_a500]

Yes, every secretary had to be an expert typist, and yes, some students were proficient typists, but it was not as common as it is today .  I do admit that I was not alive in 1980, however, I've had this discussion with many people who were college students in the late 70's to early 80's, and most of them tell me that they were hunt and peck typists, and less than half owned their own typewriter.

Where did those college students go to college? Zimbabwe? I recall that all university assignments and essays had to be typed or they wouldn't be accepted. Even major high school projects had to be typed. (usually on a typewriter - very few people had printers at the time)

Most high schools and colleges had typing classes. I took typing class in grade 9. They used manual typewriters. Students taking 2nd year typing (usually girls who planned on becoming secretaries) got to use an electric typewriter in the next year. (and we poor bastards on manual envied those *****es)

[Lanx]

secretaries transformed into "personal assistants" i guess since most everybody knows how to or can type on a computer since a computer is now commonplace. Plus secretaries prolly would transcribe nerdrage well for ppl "capslock? oh noes"

[chimera15]

I can get to at least 30-40 wpm on my old Remington Rand portable.  I still need to do the keyboard mod to it.

[kill will]

Old school people are bad ass ... they dont need a backspace key!

[vld]

All hail mingo
That was really impressive

Thanks for the history lesson rip

[msiegel]

even if typewriters are less than ideal to write with, you can always use them for art

[Shawn Stanford]

Yes, every secretary had to be an expert typist, and yes, some students were proficient typists, but it was not as common as it is today .  I do admit that I was not alive in 1980, however, I've had this discussion with many people who were college students in the late 70's to early 80's, and most of them tell me that they were hunt and peck typists, and less than half owned their own typewriter.

I'd wager that a basic ability to properly touch-type is no more common today than it was back in the day. In fact: it may be less so. The ubiquity of keyboards has made it so that even 'hunt and peckers' can muddle through with some speed. BITD you either went exquisitely slowly or, if you expected to use a keyboard with any utility at all, you took a typing class in middle or high school. Therefore, pretty much everyone except the guys who knew they were headed for careers in the trades took at least the half-year 'Intro to Typing' class.

Wait... You weren't even alive in 1980? What's up with the handle? Have you ever even used an 8-inch floppy?

Where did those college students go to college? Zimbabwe? I recall that all university assignments and essays had to be typed or they wouldn't be accepted. Even major high school projects had to be typed. (usually on a typewriter - very few people had printers at the time) Most high schools and colleges had typing classes. I took typing class in grade 9. They used manual typewriters. Students taking 2nd year typing (usually girls who planned on becoming secretaries) got to use an electric typewriter in the next year. (and we poor bastards on manual envied those *****es)

Word. This was my experience as well. I first took typing in 8th grade and took a 2nd year typing course the next year (on Selectrics!), and my high school papers had to be typed (I graduated in 1981). IIRC: most students had some sort of typewriter at home (I did); those who didn't used the school's typewriters.

[bettablue]

I remember this show!  I used to watch it with the family.  I am also dismayed.  As I type this on my computer, I am under the impression that 1.  I am very, very old and 2.  Watching me type this, the record has no worries about me even coming close.  By the way, did we really have hair like that?  Yep, I did.  My hair was just like Skip Stephenson's.  Scary!  I think I'll go lie down now.  I'm exhausted!

[audioave10]

My big clumsy fingers managed 45 WPM in my 1970 typing class. There were no electrics to be found in that small school. Most families did have an old
 typwriter around.

[microsoft windows]

Your average person did not have access to a computer in 1980.  Hence, the only typing experience would be on a typewriter, which was an expensive, exotic machine for your average person with no reason to own one.  I mean, people didn't spend 8+ hours a day sitting there typing letters.

Typewriters weren't  expensive nor exotic in  1980. Lots of people had them.

[typo]

i remember this copy machine in the 70's. you cranked a handle and a drum rolled carbon paper over the original. now thats old skool.