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The typewriter was invented in the 1860s, after
initial and primitive machines and varied prototypes were presented, and it went
through many innovations since then, resulting in several types and designs. It
was created as manual or mechanical, and in the early and late 1900s
respectively, the electric and electronic models were introduced as well.
I started working in an office when I was
16 as a typist, and the typewriter continued to be my working companion through
some of the following years as an executive secretary, until I had a computer
to use. Twenty three years ago, when I started working as a freelancer
translator at home, I used a typewriter as well. In those days, personal computers
were rare and an expensive luxury.
We had courses for typists, and typists
were wanted and praised for their typing speed. It was awesome to have a
typewriter and to use it, though we can’t compare all the resources we have now
with the word processors. It’s even funny to think about the “tricks” available
to erase the mistyped letters or words. We had the eraser pencils and varied
erasers that were not so helpful at all. We had that white correction fluid to
cover the mistyped letters and a little white dry corrective strip to type again
above the letters that have been typed by mistake. Results were not so good.
Not to mention on the carbon copies… Finally, an electronic typewriter design with
correction technology included was created, affordable mostly to companies.
So, in terms of work production, of course,
now we are much more advanced. We don’t even worry about mistyping anymore, because
we can easily correct it, though the typing speed is still important. And the “QWERTY”
keyboard is the same, naturally. It was established as the general standard
keyboard for typewriters and word processors, though its layout has variants in
some languages. So, the transition from the typewriter to the word processor
was easy enough to typists and welcomed.
Translating with a typewriter was a
challenge, because once the text was typed, changes were difficult, and the same
applied for writers. Now, with the word processor, I can translate a book and
review it and easily change necessary things on the translation as many times I
want, and I can write my articles just as easily.
Maybe one day, word processors will be obsolete
too, and everybody will simply have to talk to a machine, so it will produce
typing through their voice, or something like that. I hope not (Unless in cases
such as those in which this technology is already being used to help disabled
people.) Because we can’t stop using our hands, or we risk atrophying them
through evolution. I love to write with a pen, and I do it whenever I have the
chance, and I enjoy typing on the word processor with all my fingers. Not only
with the thumbs, as we do now on mobile phones and other small electronic devices.
Technology is most welcomed, but it must
be always used to help man, not to substitute him (unless in too dangerous situations),
and not to incapacitate him in certain aspects.
Anyway, back to the typewriter, it certainly has that nostalgic note to me. I actually still have one small typewriter from the good old times that I keep as a kind of relic..jpg)
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