Typewriters Today

Although still favoured by some writers and hugely popular as collectibles, typewriters - even electric designs - have largely been replaced by computers and word processors.

Unlike early typewriters, computers and most word processors allow changes to be made to a document while still in the machine's memory so all mistakes can be corrected before the document is printed to paper.  Some typewriters had keys striking upwards onto paper that was hidden from the typist's view and consequently many typing mistakes were made of which the typist was not aware until the typing process was finished and the paper removed from the typewriter.

Around the 1980s electric typewriters appeared on the scene which made typing less energetic and allowed typists to reach far higher speeds than ever before.  Unlike earlier typewriters where impressions were created manually and often needed a heavy strike on the typewriter keyboard, a motor in these electric typewriters created the force needed to strike characters onto paper.  Previously typing was hard work, often painful and, the faster the fingers moved, the more likely the keys got tangled together in mid strike.  On electric typewriters the movement of keys was synchronised and rarely would keys make contact during typing.  Most importantly however, before electric typewriters the clarity of characters on paper was entirely down to the pressure applied by the typist and characters could vary in depth and colour, so lacking uniformity and appearing very unprofessional.  The heavier handed the typist, the deeper her work embossed through to the rear of the printed page, while the work of light handed typists was often too light and sometimes unreadable.

Electric typewriters respond to the touch, however light, and apply identical pressure leading to even depth and uniform colour.  So although machines resembling typewriters have existed for around 300 years, only in the last quarter of a century has anything closely resembling perfect type been possible.

IBM and Remington led the way in electric typewriters and IBM later introduced the Selectric typewriter which had a spherical typeball, like a golfball, that replaced the traditional individual keys and rotated to locate and impress particular characters.   Selectric typewriters overcame the still quite rare possibility of keys jamming in older style typerwriters, both manual and electric. 

Use of Typewriters Today

Typewriters are rarely used today but they do have applications for some people, some reasons and in some countries.

*  Typewriters are still used by people or in areas without computers, such as away from electrical supplies or even during power cuts.

*  Typewriters are extremely useful for filling out forms where paper can be lined up in the typewriter for words to be typed in their proper place, something that is nigh on impossible using computers.

*  In countries without access to computers and with few people possessing typewriters we find individuals setting up with their typewriters in public spaces where they provide on the spot letter writing services.