Oh the fabled sound of a typewriter. It is such a distinctive noise that was once a prominent in offices around the world. For many years, typewriters were used to more legibly write documents and fill out forms for both office and personal use. Secretaries were once judged on how quickly they could type and how proficient they were in their use of the machine.
With the rise of personal computers the mighty typewriter has become a piece of office place history. The computer has allowed people more editing functionality when typing documents. All kinds of fonts, colors, sizes and other design elements have been incorporated into the interface of computers. They also brought the spell check function to the masses, which so many of us rely on every day. The population has made the technological transition and expects these expanded capabilities.
Frankly, people don't miss having to retype or fix documents due to typing mistakes made on a typewriter, although the editing technology had improved over original models. Computers also came with so many more capabilities than just typing programs and that catalog of functionality continues to grow by the day. Modern technology is so much easier to use and computers are now common in the developed world and financially accessible to the majority of the US population. I wouldn't know where to go to actually purchase a typewriter.
I say all this, but I need to admit a sad fact. Until about 3 months ago, my office, staffed by a total of 15 people, housed 3 typewriters. And, they were all used relatively frequently. Our former administrative assistant actually used hers to type addresses onto envelopes. With her departure, I was able to convince others to let two of the typewriters go. Unfortunately, we still have 1 left. Our CFO likes to use it to fill in forms. The constant sound reminds me of how slow our office is to adopt new technology and move forward. Personally, I think the noble typewriter should be used more frequently as a musical instrument than a communications device. It is truly obsolete.
The Typewriter with the Strauss Festival Orchestra Vienna
No comments:
Post a Comment