Ode to the TYPEWRITER-And how it shaped writing for years until the Computer & the Word Processor took over.

You've ever watched an Old Movie or a TV show and seen these babies on the screen?

Well, that's a typewriter.

It's a tool used by many a writer back in the day where you want to write but you don't want to risk hurting your own wrist or having to memorize a certain calligraphic stroke just to make a letter on your sheet of paper.

The typewriter supplanted everything in terms of handwriting for make documents, novels, and yes, even screenplays for your favorite movies.

This pitch for John K.'s rejected PERRY GUNITE concept for HANNA-BARBERA is an example of a draft that was created using a typewriter.

There's a reason why people would use a typewriter.

The feel of the mechanical bits use for connecting the LETTERED Keys to the mechanisms to said letters as they make contact with the ink ribbon and then that ink gets into the paper being fed into the typewriter.

 
For many years, this was often the end-style for typewriters as they were manufactured

Whether it came from the likes of Underwood, Hermes, Olivetti, etc.

Typewriters were often of that particular form factor as seen above.

That sense of BLACK PAINT on the steel frames, the exposed mechanisms for the keys, that's often what most people associated with typewriters at first.

Maybe that's what most cartoonists love about those typewriters when they're depicted in cartoons.

Such as with OLIVE OYL in POPEYE.

To which I remind you how I absolutely love the way FLEICHER's artists lovingly animated OLIVE typing away on her Olivetti's with her gangly limbs...

as well as how she prevents the feed roller from dropping on the floor. 

Such craftsmanship.... on the typewriter side of things.

Look how happy Olive is with here work done on her Olivetti Lettera.

 Even when Manufacturers started to modernize the form factor with their IBM SELECTRICS or SMITH CORONAS between the Mid-1950s to the late 1980s,

There were still some enthusiasts who preferred the more antiquated form factor of the earlier typewriters of old instead of these more enclosed machines.

Even though today's writers now use Laptops & their Word Processor Software to write their novels nowadays, there are still some holdouts who refuse to use COMPUTERS for their writing.

This guy from FAMILY GUY prefers his good old OLIVETTI LETTERA Typewriter

instead of a Dell Inspiron Ryzen 7 Laptop like mine.

Though many of them are dying out due to old age or due to the fact that the still living holdouts had no choice but to make the switch to computers due to reliability problems with the older tech as well as inexperience with repairing the typewriters.

Examples include HARLAN ELLISON.

He absolutely refused to switch to a computer of any sort for his entire writing career with his argument being that "ART IS NOT MEANT TO BE EASY."

And to drive the point home: When nobody offered repairs for typewriters, he instead decided to learn how to repair them himself instead of being forced to switch to laptops.

Another Writer who refused to make the switch to laptops is WILL SELF.

His excuse? Because you can still use only a typewriter for your work.

More like his excuse is due to championing mental thinking over auto-correct algorithms.

Compare his thinking to that of GEORGE RR MARTIN who has moved to computers but refuses to use modern software like Microsoft WORD or LibreOffice WRITER due to things he calls infernal like AUTOCORRECT. 

MARTIN instead uses WORDPERFECT on an XT Class Computer.

Up until 1986's COUNT ZERO, American-Canadian writer WILLIAM GIBSON also held the sentiment to refuse to switch to computers for similar reasons to WILLIAM SELF's take. 

But it's also because he's fascinated by them.

For a good chunk of his writing career, GIBSON's novels were written on his prized typewriter A HERMES 2000 typewriter from the 1933.

But unfortunately for him in 1986, his HERMES 2000 broke on him and there weren't anybody in 1980s Vancouver who were willing to repair it for him regardless of the cost.

So he reluctantly received an APPLE IIc Computer to use for his novels.

(I hope his IIc is the one with ALPS SKCM Amber Mechanical Switches.)

Hey, if anybody in the VANCOUVER area knows WILLIAM GIBSON personally, let him know about my blog because I would love to meet him in person.

Speaking about computers, did you know that Computers also used to use Typewriters as well?

It's true....though not in a modern sense. Let me elaborate.

The Typewriters I'm referring to when I'm talking about keyboards are actually the more purpose built machines meant to be interfaced with Mainframes or Minicomputers.

These are called teletypes

These are machines that interface with them older computers the size of a closet or refrigerator.

Because the glass-type terminal didn't exist for smaller businesses until the 1970s with the first DEC terminals,

Older Computers had to make due with these teletypes.

They're appearance is different when compared to that of a regular typewriter.

The keys are more enclosed than even the IBM SELECTRICS of the time period, the paper had to be of a different material than the paper we use with typewriters and even with todays printers,

The teletypes often had their own stand built onto the frame,

And even some teletypes had a built in PUNCHED TAPE reader from the factory.

Once the GLASS-TYPE Terminals started to show up, the teletypes were soon retired due to issues with mechanical reliability as well as the expense of the paper and ink ribbon refills.

And like I said, with the exception of some holdouts, many a writer has long since moved to using computers for their writing careers.

But don't expect me to be as cocky as STEPHEN KING was when he made the switch to his WANG Word Processor in the early 1980s as seen in this photo below.

The point being is that you have to understand that despite the limitations, what with ink ribbons, mechanical parts, and the inability to backspace,

Typewriters have a certain charm that just can't be replicated on a Computer regardless if your keyboard of choice uses Mechanical Switches or Rubber Domes.

Looks like an irony on my part since I'm typing this blogpost on my DELL RYZEN LAPTOP but what I am using is my old RAZER BLACKWIDOW V3 Gaming Keyboard connected to my laptop using it's USB ports.

I don't know why but the form factor of my RAZER BLACKWIDOW is remarkably close to a typewriter I'll ever get to.

And while I prefer the heavier actuation of my AKKO MATCHA V3 GREEN SWITCHES on my EPOMAKER KEYBOARD, 

The Razer Yellow Linear Switches on my Razer will do just fine.

And yes, there are MECHANICAL KEYBOARDS out there that mimic the look and feel of a typewriter

I might order one of these kinds of Mechanical Keyboards on AMAZON after I get my Tax Returns later in March 2026 but I hope the one I order is of the hot-swappable kind because I still plan to stay with linear switches....

Though I doubt I'll use my favorite AKKO MATCHA V3 Green Switches.

I might test out some other AKKOS or switch to KAILH Switches. 

We'll see.

And I hope the board I order is of the proper Key Form Factor that doesn't mess with the key layout I'm used to which is the ANSI 104 Layout.