Yesterday I found an old typewriter me and my sister used when we were kids (well I was a kid, my sister is six years older then me) - now I'm looking for a way to fix it so I can write on it again. My dad sais it's pointless, but for me it's part nostalgia part inspiration that the old typewriter gives me.
I remember growing up using my grandmothers old typewriter, while pretending I was working at an office. It was great! The video makes me want to go and buy one really bad, since I am now an aspiring writer.
My father & his father & his father before him sold, repaired,walked,talked and lived typewriters.My great grandfather owned "Standard Typewriter" in Down town Pittsburgh Pennsylvania,I was maybe five years old and now at fifty I can still remember the smell of the oil used to lube the keys and the chemical bathes to wash & clean these wonderful machines,when I was older my dad had kept the family business but our basement was his office,many hours he spent repairing & occasionally I got to help
I remember as a kid, my parents owned a type writer. It was also in early 2000s and i just played with it every single day. Up until i didn't know what happened to it.
I'm amazed with the buyers of the typewriters nowadays....Teacher of Film from St.Benilde...a rich teen ager who wants the sound of the typewriter...its sound therapeutic and anti stress..... a U.P. student.....and the likes....Typewriters has an appeal somehow......on this generation of kids.....
i have a friend who's a published author who exclusively uses a typewriter. he just recently (and begrudgingly) bought a computer because so many publishing houses no longer accept type-written works, but always does the first draft on his typewriter. i used to use a manual typewriter and totally agree that it's something different than typing on a computer. sadly, i had to leave it in my cousin's care when i moved out of the country. now i'm really missing it.
I actually had a typewriter back when I was still a kid. And I'm 19. :D It was made of plastic and worked perfectly, and I loved it. I wish I still had it.
The IBM Selectric models had the ability to 'lift-off' the ink, not just white out, but to actually remove the ink from the page, essentially a backspace.
T3chVoid You've never used one that had that? I think most of them (at least the better ones) had that feature since the 1990s. The Brother SX-4000 which you can still get on Amazon Prime has whole line erasing.
There was a time in my life where my family couldn't afford to buy me a computer and my papers had to be typed, and the only thing I could use was my moms old typewriter. I used that typewriter for almost all of my middle school and some of my high school days. Mind you I was in MS in the 2000's.
Though I love the old Royal manuals(like Herb Caen used for thousands of daily columns in the SF Chronicle), my favorite is the IBM Selectric II. It's such a great feeling to have something print as I type, like I am being published instantly. Folding the paper and mailing it means I have distribution too! Thanks for the video, looking forward to seeing the documentary! H.M. docworker
Many people feel this way and there is a pushing back against technology in some circles if users. Did you know that the guy who holds the patent on the iPhone touchscreen is a huge typewriter lover and user? Many tech people and even programmers love typewriters, so while many people on here cheer for the PC, just remember that those wonderful programmers who created the software and devices that you love probably have a typewriter on their desk.
I am already part of the vinyl revival - I want to be part of the typewriter revolution! People sound so much busier on type writers and it will stop me getting side tracked by the internet a.k.a now
many typewriter enthusiasts started using PC's when they became commonplace, but many still hung on to the typewriter. Many tech types and young kids have discovered them. Writers like Woody Allen, Robert Caro and David McCullough swear by them. This film is not about typewriters being cool again or about hipsters with typewriters. Its about a 20th century portable printing press that has been eclipsed by the personal computer and why people still use them in the 21st century.
As a kid i used to play with my mom's typewriter (it was corporate, but she typed at home). And i loved that soft, almost piano - like keypress. All my life now i was searching for a keyboard that would somewhat resemble that, but alas there's no such keyboard in existence. All of them feel so shallow...
Proud owner of a Smith-Corona Skyriter, and a much newer Traveller C by Olympia. I use the Olympia as my out of the house typewriter, and the S-M at home. Journalist, artist, and blogger. -Alexander Kramer
Because its a simple technology and it does one thing and one thing only! Many writers today, even famous ones, still use them. J.J. Abrams, creator of Lost and other popular TV shows and even films uses typewriters to this day. He even named the building that houses his production company after a typewriter factory. So while they may be antiquated, they are not without a strong (non hipster) user base
T3chVoid, Some typewriters have a "backspace eraser button" depending on what make, model, and year of typewriter. While not exactly like the keyboard on a computer, some models have a duel ribbon. One black and one white that you can switch between. If one makes a mistake you simply press the backspace button turn the switch that indicates you are changing from black ribbon to white...well basically, long story short, its the equivalent of writing with ink pen and using white out to correct any mistakes. Obviously, it's a little bit different, but you get the jist of it.
Oh, BTW, I saw Bill Wahl yesterday. I went into the Mesa Typewriter Exchange, inquiring into the Sundries, because I have a Royal Quiet Deluxe 1941 on the way.
The doc is currently available on Amazon as a DVD purchase. Streaming will be available on Amazon, Hulu Itunes and hopefully Netflix, sometime this summer.
I don't care if there's a revival or not! I still want one, maybe in orange or something. I could use less distractions while working on stories and the internet and youtube are two of many reasons to get one.
Well the replacement I guess is the mechanical keyboard. Mechanical keyboards are awesome in my opinion and there are so many variations. I've never tried a typewriter, but I imagine that the actuation force is very high. Also, if you are interested in typewriters maybe invest in a mechanical keyboard and help the community grow.
It's funny, the reason the typewriter faded away is the computer, yet the computer is most likely the reason for it's increase in it's new found popularity. Meanings parts are easier to find.
Are people who like antique cars afraid of change? Or vinyl recordings? Typewriters were/are cool. They use the same keyboard, and you don't have to hit "print" when you're done.
You could make the same point about spellcheck. Why learn to spell when a computer can do it for you? Or about music: why learn to play in time or sing in tune when you can correct this in the edit suite? So with the typewriter: why learn to compose your thoughts before you express them if you can make infinite corrections? That is not to say word processing is worse, just that there is a place for the art of writing without the ability to make repeated, major revisions.
The typewriter is a lot more efficient than a computer because it's a device you can use to type and print at the same time!! Try doing THAT with your iMac!!! ;^)
Hello! Hipsters are but a very small part of the overall users of typewriters. Actually the hipsters as of late have deemed typewriters as too mainstream.
My grandma still has a functional typewriter, though she worked a programmer so she knows her way around a computer. And as her if I want to feel connected to another generation... I use a nib pen.
Typewriter for filling out forms legibly. For stuff you don't want digital or in the cloud. Russian intelligence service recently purchased them. For writing off the grid in some cabin in the middle of nowhere.
"Even before white-out and only an eraser was used, the spacebar allowed a typist to backspace within words and still make a correction without destroying their work."
I was really interested in buying a typewriter. I'm in Australia, and I can't find anywhere online or in brick-and-mortar stores where I can buy one where I can get easy ink refills.
Wait... there's a typewriter trend? Sorry, but I love writing on my PC, though I do recreate (somewhat) the experience of using a typewriter by using a mechanical keyboard (Razer Blackwidow Ultimate). The feel, and sound of every click is great :)
I love my typewriters. They are amazing. I hope they make a comeback. I don't want to loose them.
Yesterday I found an old typewriter me and my sister used when we were kids (well I was a kid, my sister is six years older then me) - now I'm looking for a way to fix it so I can write on it again. My dad sais it's pointless, but for me it's part nostalgia part inspiration that the old typewriter gives me.
I'm surprised nobody mentioned how much better a typewriter would be for your eyes.
I remember growing up using my grandmothers old typewriter, while pretending I was working at an office. It was great! The video makes me want to go and buy one really bad, since I am now an aspiring writer.
My father & his father & his father before him sold, repaired,walked,talked and lived typewriters.My great grandfather owned "Standard Typewriter" in Down town Pittsburgh Pennsylvania,I was maybe five years old and now at fifty I can still remember the smell of the oil used to lube the keys and the chemical bathes to wash & clean these wonderful machines,when I was older my dad had kept the family business but our basement was his office,many hours he spent repairing & occasionally I got to help
I remember as a kid, my parents owned a type writer. It was also in early 2000s and i just played with it every single day. Up until i didn't know what happened to it.
I'm amazed with the buyers of the typewriters nowadays....Teacher of Film from St.Benilde...a rich teen ager who wants the sound of the typewriter...its sound therapeutic and anti stress..... a U.P. student.....and the likes....Typewriters has an appeal somehow......on this generation of kids.....
I've used typewrites before and I have to say, they are quite fun.
I love typewriters. I own 3 of them.
I used a typewriter at school in 1990-91. The school had Mac II's in the classrooms as well but if it was busy we used the typewriters.
i have a friend who's a published author who exclusively uses a typewriter. he just recently (and begrudgingly) bought a computer because so many publishing houses no longer accept type-written works, but always does the first draft on his typewriter.
i used to use a manual typewriter and totally agree that it's something different than typing on a computer. sadly, i had to leave it in my cousin's care when i moved out of the country. now i'm really missing it.
The typewriter provides a tactile and auditory confirmation that what you're creating is real. Happy I rediscovered this machine.
I actually had a typewriter back when I was still a kid. And I'm 19. :D It was made of plastic and worked perfectly, and I loved it. I wish I still had it.
If type writers had a backspace eraser button... i would still be using it O.o
Some electronic ones do.
"But they did? That was the whole idea, still the correction tapes cost too much!"
well most later electric models do! and many other features you wouldn't believe. but looks like most people go for the vintage mechanical ones
The IBM Selectric models had the ability to 'lift-off' the ink, not just white out, but to actually remove the ink from the page, essentially a backspace.
T3chVoid You've never used one that had that? I think most of them (at least the better ones) had that feature since the 1990s. The Brother SX-4000 which you can still get on Amazon Prime has whole line erasing.
i am glad to see people still using an old tech that still works today even with the push of going all digital and ditching paper.
There was a time in my life where my family couldn't afford to buy me a computer and my papers had to be typed, and the only thing I could use was my moms old typewriter. I used that typewriter for almost all of my middle school and some of my high school days. Mind you I was in MS in the 2000's.
Though I love the old Royal manuals(like Herb Caen used for thousands of daily columns in the SF Chronicle), my favorite is the IBM Selectric II. It's such a great feeling to have something print as I type, like I am being published instantly. Folding the paper and mailing it means I have distribution too!
Thanks for the video, looking forward to seeing the documentary!
H.M. docworker
Many people feel this way and there is a pushing back against technology in some circles if users. Did you know that the guy who holds the patent on the iPhone touchscreen is a huge typewriter lover and user? Many tech people and even programmers love typewriters, so while many people on here cheer for the PC, just remember that those wonderful programmers who created the software and devices that you love probably have a typewriter on their desk.
Got to see some of this documentary the other day - it's going to be awesome! Go typosphere!
You can correct on a typewriter too. Some of them have built-in correction ribbons; or you can use white-out or correct-type sheets.
I am already part of the vinyl revival - I want to be part of the typewriter revolution! People sound so much busier on type writers and it will stop me getting side tracked by the internet a.k.a now
Same here. I can't imagine not having experienced those things.
I'm 17 and I use a typewriter at work all the time
many typewriter enthusiasts started using PC's when they became commonplace, but many still hung on to the typewriter. Many tech types and young kids have discovered them. Writers like Woody Allen, Robert Caro and David McCullough swear by them. This film is not about typewriters being cool again or about hipsters with typewriters. Its about a 20th century portable printing press that has been eclipsed by the personal computer and why people still use them in the 21st century.
OH DEAR THE PLATENS at 0:42 This makes me drool
As a kid i used to play with my mom's typewriter (it was corporate, but she typed at home).
And i loved that soft, almost piano - like keypress.
All my life now i was searching for a keyboard that would somewhat resemble that, but alas there's no such keyboard in existence. All of them feel so shallow...
Proud owner of a Smith-Corona Skyriter, and a much newer Traveller C by Olympia. I use the Olympia as my out of the house typewriter, and the S-M at home.
Journalist, artist, and blogger.
-Alexander Kramer
Because its a simple technology and it does one thing and one thing only! Many writers today, even famous ones, still use them. J.J. Abrams, creator of Lost and other popular TV shows and even films uses typewriters to this day. He even named the building that houses his production company after a typewriter factory. So while they may be antiquated, they are not without a strong (non hipster) user base
T3chVoid, Some typewriters have a "backspace eraser button" depending on what make, model, and year of typewriter. While not exactly like the keyboard on a computer, some models have a duel ribbon. One black and one white that you can switch between. If one makes a mistake you simply press the backspace button turn the switch that indicates you are changing from black ribbon to white...well basically, long story short, its the equivalent of writing with ink pen and using white out to correct any mistakes. Obviously, it's a little bit different, but you get the jist of it.
Oh, BTW, I saw Bill Wahl yesterday. I went into the Mesa Typewriter Exchange, inquiring into the Sundries, because I have a Royal Quiet Deluxe 1941 on the way.
The doc is currently available on Amazon as a DVD purchase. Streaming will be available on Amazon, Hulu Itunes and hopefully Netflix, sometime this summer.
I don't care if there's a revival or not! I still want one, maybe in orange or something. I could use less distractions while working on stories and the internet and youtube are two of many reasons to get one.
Now I want to get a typewriter. I think it would be much more relaxing and enjoyable to type on one than on a computer.
Hello all. Thank you for watching our trailer. All comments are moderated. Any negative or derogatory comments will not not be posted.
Well the replacement I guess is the mechanical keyboard. Mechanical keyboards are awesome in my opinion and there are so many variations. I've never tried a typewriter, but I imagine that the actuation force is very high. Also, if you are interested in typewriters maybe invest in a mechanical keyboard and help the community grow.
It's funny, the reason the typewriter faded away is the computer, yet the computer is most likely the reason for it's increase in it's new found popularity. Meanings parts are easier to find.
Such a beautiful machine.
Are people who like antique cars afraid of change? Or vinyl recordings? Typewriters were/are cool. They use the same keyboard, and you don't have to hit "print" when you're done.
...And it doesn't require any power but the power of your thought and the electricity in your nerves and muscles.
The thing I miss about typewriters is the noise it makes while typing and the bell..kinda miss them..:)
"Noiseless machines developed by Underwood and Remington, I can say were the hardest to align characters!"
How cool! Maybe I will start looking for one at thriftstores.
Love this!
beautiful machines
I would love to have a small one in my room. Good way to make printed works.
Love the song. The single best clarinet part i've ever played!
I've always wanted a typewriter!
Despite the advance of technology, people still use manual typewriters. I hope that I will get one in the future.
"I know about IBM's even the electronics as I used to repair and refurbish them, along with dozens of other makes/models! "
That poet has some true typing talent. Being able to type up a poem without backspacing.
Your so lucky. I was born in 1997, so I never got to experience anything but the internet (which sucks).
That's awesome!
You could make the same point about spellcheck. Why learn to spell when a computer can do it for you? Or about music: why learn to play in time or sing in tune when you can correct this in the edit suite? So with the typewriter: why learn to compose your thoughts before you express them if you can make infinite corrections? That is not to say word processing is worse, just that there is a place for the art of writing without the ability to make repeated, major revisions.
i want a typewriter now
i've always wanted a typewriter!
i now want to buy a typewriter
Thanks for sharing.
This is lovely, I specially like the music-typewriter combination
The typewriter is a lot more efficient than a computer because it's a device you can use to type and print at the same time!! Try doing THAT with your iMac!!! ;^)
Hello! Hipsters are but a very small part of the overall users of typewriters. Actually the hipsters as of late have deemed typewriters as too mainstream.
The song in the beginning is Allegro vivace.
My grandma still has a functional typewriter, though she worked a programmer so she knows her way around a computer. And as her if I want to feel connected to another generation... I use a nib pen.
"You won't get to be an admiral, but you may get to be the admiral's secretary" haha
after seeing this, i really want a typewriter
You wont get to be an Admiral, but you could be an Admiral's Secretary! priceless
Typewriter for filling out forms legibly. For stuff you don't want digital or in the cloud. Russian intelligence service recently purchased them. For writing off the grid in some cabin in the middle of nowhere.
i used to love typewriters.... learned to type on them now i have a macbookpro lol
I'm writing on my typewriter now!
I really want a typewriter now. I think I'll go get one soon.
Glad you enjoyed it!
quite enjoyed thank you instant sub
"Even before white-out and only an eraser was used, the spacebar allowed a typist to backspace within words and still make a correction without destroying their work."
I'm a kid and I use a typewriter
+ForzaHotRodder me too me too! I have 7
"You won't get to be the admiral, but maybe you can be the admiral's secretary." lol
Thanks for sharing
hmm i think im going to buy a typewriter now, always wanted one!
Thank you.
Some typewriters had that function, but mostly people used white out correction fluid.
I live in Latin America, and not so long ago, in the 90s when I went to school we had a "typewriting class"
Thats even before the typewriter! Uber retro dude!
Thats a good point! Thank you.
I used the typewriter in save rooms when I was a kid.
My dad was a typewriter repairman. He was very good at is, but when its popularity fell away, there was no money in it.
That, WAS FUCKING AWESOME! Thankyou so much!
THese are so cool, but I'm not sure what I'm typing that I don't need to save. But I'm sure the typing experience is great with one.
I was really interested in buying a typewriter. I'm in Australia, and I can't find anywhere online or in brick-and-mortar stores where I can buy one where I can get easy ink refills.
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Thats what we are hoping the movie will do!
Only until the power goes out. LOL
Wait... there's a typewriter trend? Sorry, but I love writing on my PC, though I do recreate (somewhat) the experience of using a typewriter by using a mechanical keyboard (Razer Blackwidow Ultimate). The feel, and sound of every click is great :)
my dad still uses a typewriter lol
Yes! We have some of the NaNoWriMo writers in our film.
"I still have my IBM syringe for the special grease they used, but I'm afraid that's all I have left now from the dozens of tools I used to have!"
yay
Still have one.
This video is missing the famous video of Bob Dylan typing while someone else is playing music.
"Da~d, I need to use the computer to type something"
*pulls out typewriter*-"Who says you need a computer to type?"
"I hate you!"
"I love you, too."
no distractions!
Let us know if we can be of any help. Etsy and Ebay are good places to start and so is Craigslist.
He is pretty cool!