You do not need this. But if you're like me, you WANT it.

AnotherFairportfan · Post by **AnotherFairportfan** » Sat Jun 04, 2016 2:11 am

Qwerkywriter - The Retro Bluetooth Mechanical Keyboard

Pairs with Bluetooth®-enabled devices
Cherry MX Blue-equivalent mechanical switches
Integrated tablet stand accommodates tablets up to 5/8" thick

Marked down $50 - only $349.99

jwhouk · Post by **jwhouk** » Sat Jun 04, 2016 3:19 am

...Nyeeeah no. I learned how to type on a Selectric. That's why I like the older IBM keyboards with physical, raised keys - and not these low-rise thingys they give you with PC's nowadays.

Post by **Dave** » Sat Jun 04, 2016 6:45 am

I first learned to type on mechanical typewriters (high school, around '68) and Teletype 33s, so I'm very used to a stiff, positive acting keyboard.

I still have a couple of PC keyboards made by Unicomp, using the original IBM buckling spring key switches... the ones with the nice "crunchy" snap action. I like them a lot and have always preferred to use them. Unfortunately they are so noisy that my wife can't stand to use them on our shared PC or even hear me use them, and I haven't taken one in to work to use there because I'm currently working in a bullpen environment with no sound isolation and don't want to subject a dozen people to the noise.

Atomic · Post by **Atomic** » Sat Jun 04, 2016 8:57 am

Keyboard clack - the sound of freedom!

Long before Dymo labelers, before hand held printers, before dot matrix, ink jet, and laser printers (and somewhat after the quill pen), there was The Type Writer!

Just think -- with this amazing machine, a sheet of paper, and a little planning, you could put actual words onto a page in any order you chose, almost anywhere on that page! You had margins, heading, columns, lists, paragraphs and fragments, capitals and lower cases, and even numbers and symbols -- all neat and gathered into tidy lines -- if you wanted tidy lines! You could even make untidy lines to your hearts content as well!

Simply amazing. But I'm saving the best for last -- you could take those pages filled with words (of your choice!), and a device known as Scissors (as well as other cutting implements, but I digress) and Cut the Pages to make small signs containing words, and put those signs ANYWHERE! You could use tape, mucilage, rubber cement, stickum, even various glues to attach those words (on paper) to the locations you desired! Just think -- light switches, knobs, drawers, cabinets, boxes, on and on, all with words to describe their use and meaning.

Oh, the world was and amazing place in those days. And it still is! Keep up the good fight! Use words wisely, and capture them for Posterity And Utility -- your children will thank you!

(Rushes off to the crafts store to buy more scrapbooking supplies)

Sgt. Howard · Post by **Sgt. Howard** » Sat Jun 04, 2016 11:39 am

My degree is commercial art and advertising- a common blond joke was 'This typewriter can't spell!'- when I learned 'cut and paste' it was with scissors and glue. I am of the last generation to learn how to use a slide rule. I saw one of the first hand calculators out of a Quonset hut operating in San Antonio Texas- it was massive, took three 'AA' and one nine volt, had six functions plus memory and cost as much as a used car. Completely hand made. That was 1964. By 1971, I was given one that was solar powered, had 14 functions, had 1 'AA' backup, was tiny as all getout- it was given to me because I opened a bank account. Made by the same people.

AnotherFairportfan · Post by **AnotherFairportfan** » Sat Jun 04, 2016 12:27 pm

jwhouk wrote:...Nyeeeah no. I learned how to type on a Selectric. That's why I like the older IBM keyboards with physical, raised keys - and not these low-rise thingys they give you with PC's nowadays.

This widgie has actual clickety-clack physical switches.

And the return lever is the "Return" key.

If that sucker cost a couple hundred less, i'd HAVE one already.

AmriloJim · Post by **AmriloJim** » Sat Jun 04, 2016 12:35 pm

USB Typewriter
Kits to convert a manual typewriter to a USB keyboard ($99) or Bluetooth keyboard ($145).

If you want to unplug from digital screens entirely, now you can type onto good old fashioned paper while your USB Typewriter saves your work directly to a micro-SD card for editing later. (No screen necessary!)

They also have a selection of already-converted units for sale ($1,249-$1,299).

lake_wrangler · Post by **lake_wrangler** » Sat Jun 04, 2016 1:02 pm

Atomic wrote:Keyboard clack - the sound of freedom!

Long before Dymo labelers, before hand held printers, before dot matrix, ink jet, and laser printers (and somewhat after the quill pen), there was The Type Writer!

Just think -- with this amazing machine, a sheet of paper, and a little planning, you could put actual words onto a page in any order you chose, almost anywhere on that page! You had margins, heading, columns, lists, paragraphs and fragments, capitals and lower cases, and even numbers and symbols -- all neat and gathered into tidy lines -- if you wanted tidy lines! You could even make untidy lines to your hearts content as well!

Simply amazing. But I'm saving the best for last -- you could take those pages filled with words (of your choice!), and a device known as Scissors (as well as other cutting implements, but I digress) and Cut the Pages to make small signs containing words, and put those signs ANYWHERE! You could use tape, mucilage, rubber cement, stickum, even various glues to attach those words (on paper) to the locations you desired! Just think -- light switches, knobs, drawers, cabinets, boxes, on and on, all with words to describe their use and meaning.

Oh, the world was and amazing place in those days. And it still is! Keep up the good fight! Use words wisely, and capture them for Posterity And Utility -- your children will thank you!

(Rushes off to the crafts store to buy more scrapbooking supplies)

Amazing! What will they invent next?

Meanwhile, kids react to typewriters...

lake_wrangler · Post by **lake_wrangler** » Sat Jun 04, 2016 1:03 pm

AmriloJim wrote:USB Typewriter
Kits to convert a manual typewriter to a USB keyboard ($99) or Bluetooth keyboard ($145).
If you want to unplug from digital screens entirely, now you can type onto good old fashioned paper while your USB Typewriter saves your work directly to a micro-SD card for editing later. (No screen necessary!)
They also have a selection of already-converted units for sale ($1,249-$1,299).

And if you can't wait to feel the experience of typing on a typewriter, try this: http://uniqcode.com/typewriter/

Post by **Dave** » Sat Jun 04, 2016 1:04 pm

If you want to unplug from digital screens entirely, now you can type onto good old fashioned paper while your USB Typewriter saves your work directly to a micro-SD card for editing later. (No screen necessary!)

Ooogh, that's cute. Just the right thing to make peoples' heads explode with confusion.

I think we need a term to be applied to cybernetic/electronic conversions of sleek, high precision mechanical devices such as typewriters. "Gleampunk" perhaps?

jwhouk · Post by **jwhouk** » Sat Jun 04, 2016 2:04 pm

Retropunk?

chicgeek · Post by **chicgeek** » Sat Jun 04, 2016 2:24 pm

*Drools*

Typeminer · Post by **Typeminer** » Sat Jun 04, 2016 9:56 pm

Dave wrote:I first learned to type on mechanical typewriters (high school, around '68) and Teletype 33s, so I'm very used to a stiff, positive acting keyboard.

I still have a couple of PC keyboards made by Unicomp, using the original IBM buckling spring key switches... the ones with the nice "crunchy" snap action. I like them a lot and have always preferred to use them. Unfortunately they are so noisy that my wife can't stand to use them on our shared PC or even hear me use them, and I haven't taken one in to work to use there because I'm currently working in a bullpen environment with no sound isolation and don't want to subject a dozen people to the noise.

Well, they taught me where all the keys are at on a high-school mechanical around about that time, but I barely passed the course (speed and accuracy . . . heh), and really learned to type by setting my own copy for the local alternative newspaper, on an IBM Executive variable-space typewriter, starting at the end of 1975.

Later there was a Justowriter, and later yet, on actual commercial work, IBM Selectronics, AM Varityper CompSet and CompEdit machines, and then, at last, actual PC keyboards, to set copy with Penta tagging.

Most all those things had square keys. And yeah, the spring-action keyboards did make a racket, but not like the typebar and typeball machines.

jwhouk · Post by **jwhouk** » Sat Jun 04, 2016 10:07 pm

I'd love to have an old PS/2 Type M keyboard, but I'm so used to the 104 layout I have now that I'd get frustrated within a week.

Post by **Dave** » Sat Jun 04, 2016 10:22 pm

jwhouk wrote:I'd love to have an old PS/2 Type M keyboard, but I'm so used to the 104 layout I have now that I'd get frustrated within a week.

You can order up one which has the Type M (buckling spring) switches, in a 104-key layout (any of several), with either PS/2 or USB interface. I think several models are stock items...

http://www.unicomp.com

Jabberwonky · Post by **Jabberwonky** » Sun Jun 05, 2016 1:13 am

AnotherFairportfan wrote:If that sucker cost a couple hundred less, i'd HAVE one already.

Same here! I'd love one...

I used to have a 'Desktop Pythonizer' disc that would, amongst many other things, put typewriter sounds to your keyboard. I gave it to a friend and later heard that they couldn't keep their teen aged son from putting the random fart noises to the keyboard...

Jabberwonky · Post by **Jabberwonky** » Sun Jun 05, 2016 1:40 am

Here is a page with several free and cheap keyboard typewriter noise makers. I installed Qwertick, a small footprint noisifier, and I'm pretty happy with it so far. There is a small selection of Windows, Linux and Mac based programs.

chicgeek · Post by **chicgeek** » Mon Jun 06, 2016 12:58 pm

For your listening pleasure-

Jabberwonky · Post by **Jabberwonky** » Mon Jun 06, 2016 8:38 pm

chicgeek wrote:For your listening pleasure-

And from the immortal Raymond Scott, Girl at the Typewriter...

AnotherFairportfan · Post by **AnotherFairportfan** » Mon Jun 06, 2016 9:05 pm

Wapsi Square Forum

You do not need this. But if you're like me, you WANT it.

You do not need this. But if you're like me, you WANT it.

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