Duh

[transward (imported)]

Word processing on a computer is wonderful. When I was in college erasable typing paper was the technological innovation that got me through (particularily since, being a world class procrastinator, my first draft was often the final draft I handed in) Being able to edit and rearrange sections on a computer, makes writing vastly easier, though I think it harms organization. When I was typing only one draft I was damn sure I knew how I was going to organize the paper. But I have to say that computer keyboards suck compared to the keyboards of the old IBM Selectrics. I go through about a keyboard every nine months or so (I know I shouldn't eat and drink at the keyboard, but...) and the feel of even fairly expensive keyboards sucks.

On speed, for years the records for fastest typing have been held by Dvorak keyboardist. On the other hand, for the most part, the only people who bother to learn Dvorak are people who want to compete for fast typing, so they are probably more motivated than most typists who only want to get their thoughts down on paper.

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[fhunter]

Now, I won't give up my Mac and WORD with self correction, flagged misspellings, and all the bells and whistles chugging away.

Automatic correction is awful. Especially, cause when it is sometimes wrong, by the time I notice, that it activated, I type more then a few letters, so have no easy way to undo this.

On the other hand long word autocompletion is

good thing (there is such a thing in OpenOffice).

Word processing on a computer is wonderful. When I was in college erasable typing paper was the technological innovation that got me through (particularily since, being a world class procrastinator, my first draft was often the final draft I handed in) Being able to edit and rearrange sections on a computer, makes writing vastly easier, though I think it harms organization. When I was typing only one draft I was damn sure I knew how I was going to organize the paper. But I have to say that computer keyboards suck compared to the keyboards of the old IBM Selectrics. I go through about a keyboard every nine months or so (I know I shouldn't eat and drink at the keyboard, but...) and the feel of even fairly expensive keyboards sucks.

On speed, for years the records for fastest typing have been held by Dvorak keyboardist. On the other hand, for the most part, the only people who bother to learn Dvorak are people who want to compete for fast typing, so they are probably more motivated than most typists who only

want to get their thoughts down on paper.

TranswardAs for the keyboards... at home I currently have something like this: http://pds3.egloos.com/pds/200610/10/06 ... 103090.jpg. Except it is branded samsung. Snatched it from the university, when it was upgrading hardware. It dates to early 90s, still works great (oh, and it has mechanical switches). There is only one problem: it is loud. Really loud. So, as much, as I want to take this to the office, it is out of the question.

Some of the better keyboards I used, were mitsumi. They lived a long life and have a pleasant feedback. Do not know, if they are still produced and if they are good.

[transward (imported)]

Automatic correction is awful. Especially, cause when it is sometimes wrong, by the time I notice, that it activated, I type more then a few letters, so have no easy way to undo this.

On the other hand long word autocompletion is

good thing (there is such a thing in OpenOffice).

As for the keyboards... at home I currently have something like this: http://pds3.egloos.com/pds/200610/10/06 ... 103090.jpg. Except it is branded samsung. Snatched it from the university, when it was upgrading hardware. It dates to early 90s, still works great (oh, and it has mechanical switches). There is only one problem: it is loud. Really loud. So, as much, as I want to take this to the office, it is out of the question.

Some of the better keyboards I used, were mitsumi. They lived a long life and have a pleasant feedback. Do not know, if they are still produced and if they are good.

I hate autocorrect.. Every time I mention my friend Tina, it convert it to Tuna, which can lead to embarrassment. Particularity regarding old sexual jokes about surf and turf.

The keyboard you linked to brought back memories. Exactly like the one on my first computer, a floppy only, 64k memory, Packard Bell 8086. DOS of course, (though it was a close decision between DOS and CP/M. Seems like the stone age then. But it was a great keyboard.

Transward

[Paolo]

Transward,

I once handed in a typed paper (it was 1986) done on an old Olympia electric portable. I still have it!

We thought sections needed rearranged, so it was scissors and Ross kindergarten glue to the rescue.

The prof was so amused I got an "A" on it, for original thinking.

Of course, it was a prof. ed. course, after all! So why not?!

[janekane (imported)]

Not to play "oneupmanship," or "oneupwomanship," or, "oneuptransship," or, "oneupeunuchship," only, I just happen to have, as my final recourse for making printed pages, a commercial model Underwood manual typewriter that has a 27 inch carriage, a 20 inch platen, and that requires a 5 foot wide clear working space to accommodate hands controlling the moveable carriage side controls. I got it, in not-far-from-new condition in the mid 1970s, when a major U.S. technology manufacturer was erased for the sake of quarterly bottom line corporate profits.

It was used for manually typing corporate ledger sheets, and was purchased just prior to the manufacturing corporation (whose demise allowed my buying the Underwood at the corporate assets disposal auction for about five dollars) installing a computerized accounting system a couple years before the corporation vanished identically from the realm of providing jobs in the U.S.

In my view, that of engineering economics, "bean-brained MBA bean counters" began the utter destruction of as much of U.S. manufacturing as they could achieve, starting with unrelenting destructive effort, in the 1960s. And the rewards of that exercise of productivity deception has surely come close to achieving its full fruition in the U.S. by now?

As for "Caps Lock" on this keyboard, yes, I do often bump it by left hand little finger blunder with enough regularity that I have come to value doing that as a way to improve my left hand little finger coordination.

Should I wear out that commercial Underwood manual typewriter, I also have the portable Underwood typewriter that my parents bought for me to use in writing college papers.

I made a truly tragic mistake, though. I failed, for lack of money, to buy one hundred thousand reams of Eaton Corrasable Bond typing paper.

I may own a couple reams of 16 pound Corrasable Bond safely in a temperature and humidity controlled storage shed, but how long will a couple reams last me after the whole electrical supply in the world has been destroyed by bean-brained MBA bean counters?

It is still possible to buy new Underwood typewriter ribbons, so there may yet be a little hope, though I surely will need to improve my typing skills before I run totally out of Corrasable Bond typing paper.

Come to think of it, there are wild turkeys who stray through our yard. And there is a turkey-hunting season where I live. If I get desperate, will a Healthways Topscore 175 pellet gun slow down a wild turkey enough that I can gather enough feathers to make quill pens? I do have a proper, very old, folding, pocket pen knife. And, I know how to use it.

Test-firing the Topscore 175 into a block of soft polystyrene foam resulted in a half-inch-deep dent in the foam.

That Topscore 175 is how I meet the demand of of the U.S. Constitution in being part of a Well Regulated Militia.

[Paolo]

As far as the turkey, get yourself some bird seed and build up his trust. Fatten him up. When he starts following you around, THEN kill him.

[transward (imported)]

As far as the turkey, get yourself some bird seed and build up his trust. Fatten him up. When he starts following you around, THEN kill him.

Isn't that Romney's secret plan for the American middle class taxpayer.

Transward

(I know its off topic but I plead "irresistible impulse.")

[devi (imported)]

I've noticed that pretty much about every office that I've ever cleaned has had at least one electric typewriter around. It's usually next to the printer or fax machine. It's not for sitting down and typing per se and it's almost never at a desk. Its major use is for addressing business envelopes among a few other lesser things. So they're not yet quite obsolete.

[transward (imported)]

I've noticed that pretty much about every office that I've ever cleaned has had at least one electric typewriter around. It's usually next to the printer or fax machine. It's not for sitting down and typing per se and it's almost never at a desk. Its major use is for addressing business envelopes among a few other lesser things. So they're not yet quite obsolete.

It is vastly easier to fill out a printed form with a typewriter than with a computer and a printer.

Transward

[Paolo]

Or to print envelopes!

What you see is not what you get.

I've even created an image document in Photoshop, exact size as the envelope, backed it off 1/4" all around, print with preview - looks fine - and that's not even close to what I get.