Entriggering traps for a gross gang of ghost types.

[reddragdiva]

Acoustic typewriters are fantastically cheap these days. If you can find one. Charity shops should be able to help. Probably the hardest thing is actually finding ribbons, unless you're into reinking by hand (hint: don't.).

Selectrics (and their ribbons) are readily available, but they somehow don't have the right clattering feel to them. And they sit there humming, saying "come on, write something!"

Before we had the Internet, we'd send each other multi-page rambles using the postal system. I spent 1989 to 1994 churning out letters on an Olivetti Lettera 25. First draft, go over with pen, send. It did wonders for my writing. Sitting in my kitchen, clattering away. Feel the words hammered out your fingertips.

I so need to construct an acoustic-typewriter-to-LJ interface. I'm sure hirez will read this and come up with something.

Comments

[markeris.livejournal.com]

I`m seeing a theme in todays posts.

[reddragdiva]

Perhaps I could get a contract job in Northampton writing ten-page first-draft LJ posts about sodomy on an acoustic typewriter.

[baljemmett.livejournal.com]

I so need to construct an acoustic-typewriter-to-LJ interface.

Yes. Do this. I can just see my family sending you lots of good wishes and happy thoughts when I'm sitting in the study posting my drivel from my mother's old machine (http://flatpack.microwavepizza.co.uk/gallery/images/IMG_0190.JPG). [Not my photography, just my camera.]

For additional bonus points, that compact model makes it a lot harder to type an exclamation mark (' backspace . or vice versa) and typing a 1 involves a shift key too, so it would dramatically cut down on incidence of LOLZ!!11!!!1. Always good.

[ciphergoth.livejournal.com]

What's an acoustic typewriter then? Patti Smith isn't very enlightening...

[trayce.livejournal.com]

I do rather miss the time taken to produce rambly letters. Don't half not miss the bleddy noise of a tiperiter tho.

[mstevens.livejournal.com]

I have been feeling very nostalgic lately for writing letters to people.

The internet is far too efficient.

[apiphile.livejournal.com]

I broke mine. Long before I got my first computer [A Commodore Vic 20, because I am OLDSKOOL] I had a red and yellow plastic-and-metal acoustic typewriter, and as I have unfortunately always had my thoughts faster than I could write them down I learned to type very very quickly, and alas and alack my typewriter didn't keep up with me and ended up losing several keys.

As I learned to type on a typewriter I tend to pound the keys on most keyboards fairly hard, which may explain why the old lap-top spat a G key at me ...

[arkady.livejournal.com]

I'm sure the IBM keyboard helps impart at least a little of the feel....

I used to have a wonderful 1980s vintage Olivetti Linea 198; it had a dual-colour ribbon (I got replacement ribbons from Rymans), and this lovely little half-backspace key that enabled you to go back and correct an error (usually by hammering on the correct key multiple times). I picked it up in a charity shop for £5 (it was a replacement for my old Olivetti Lettera 25 - yes, I had one too! - which had seen me through school; I wrote English essays on it amongst other things, and finally passed it on to my younger sister who promptly sold it at a car boot sale and bought herself an electric one instead). Sadly, it was one of the things that got left behind in the move from Winchmore Hill; but it saw a lot of useage. I used to write long (15 pages frequently a minimum) letters to penpals, hand-decorating them afterwards with Celtic knotwork around the borders, etc. I also wrote my stories and the first three drafts of my roleplaying game on it.

I rather miss it actually. You can still buy the Linea 198 for about $300 from specialist online retailers; and I've seen the Lettera 25 going for about $115. Probably worth keeping an eye out in charity shops; manual typewriters show up there all the time.

[arkady.livejournal.com]

A manual typewriter. It's a little play on words; think guitars.

[ex-unagothae16.livejournal.com]

Things I long for:

an acoustic typewriter
a windup pocketwatch
a lock with a key

I'm a sucker for anything handcrafted and manually driven. I missed out on being able to drive a car I could repair myself without a degree in electronics.

I like automation, but I don't see why we had to give up the old things because of it.

[kineticfactory.livejournal.com]

It's sort of like a sonic screwdriver.

[reddragdiva]

You need an IBM Model M keyboard. TYPE HARD OR GO HOME! It makes the right clattering sound and it's also made of metal (not plastic) so you can use it to beat people around the head with if they get too close.

[juliet]

So write some! I still occasionally write proper letters, though admittedly mostly to my relatives who AFAIK don't have email. But sometimes to email-possessing friends, just because letters are *ace*.

[mstevens.livejournal.com]

Could do, although have shortage of people I want to write to, who I have addresses for, who I don't talk to either in person or online so much that letters feel Wrong.

[themadcatlady.livejournal.com]

Just thinking of those things makes my fingers ache.... :(

But on the bright side... I fondly remember getting a little orange/red manual Brother typewriter for my 12th birthday! :)

[apiphile.livejournal.com]

What I need is a Toughpad, I've been told. A computer that will not wussy out just because I spilled a drink on it or lost my temper with some knob online and hurled it across the room as I may possibly have done to the last one. *shiftylook* If I kill all the witnesses ...

[themadcatlady.livejournal.com]

LOL!

[themadcatlady.livejournal.com]

Love your icon. ;)

[apiphile.livejournal.com]

a windup pocketwatch

They sell these in Camden for a tenner. I've got one knocking around in the back of a drawer somewhere, looking pretty and not telling the right time.

[hirez.livejournal.com]

http://www.libeljournal.com/archives/2004/02/index.html

Someone's done a Brazil-style hack with a typewriter and an old Mac, but that involved pulling the guts out of the thing.

I have an Underwood portable I picked up for sixpence off ebay (One of these, I think: http://www.portabletypewriters.com/underwood5.htm). It uses Oki Microline 80 ribbons and is a couple of years older than my father. It should obviously belong to the Excelsior Detective Agency of 1060 W. Addison, Chicago, IL 60614

There's also a fifties summint or other (Olivetti, I think) that pater gave me. Tres swish in a cocktails-and-scooters way.

[mstevens.livejournal.com]

There's a fun bit in The Atrocity Archives where the l33t secrit agents are recording things on manual typewriters and carbon paper out of Tempest paranoia ("But I thought this building was shielded" "It is").

[reddragdiva]

I must say I like yours too!

[hirez.livejournal.com]

I might also note that I do all my good writing in a Moleskine with a pencil these days, and my handwriting is coming on in leaps and bounds.

[themadcatlady.livejournal.com]

Not YOUR icon! markeris' one! ;)

[ex-unagothae16.livejournal.com]

I can find one in an antique shop for $80. I'd have to pay to get it repaired so that I'd be able to wind it. Hooray for living in the states where such things are considered fossils not worth caring for. Or something. *pout*

[ex-unagothae16.livejournal.com]

I *HEART* Moleskine!!!

I need pencils.

[apiphile.livejournal.com]

Y'know, you do have friends in the UK who would could buy you one from Camden and post it to you without any great hassle. :P

[ex-unagothae16.livejournal.com]

*SQWEEEEEEEEE*

Now all I need is a job so I can get a stable address they could send it to :D

[apiphile.livejournal.com]

That does present more of a problem, yes. :(

[ex-unagothae16.livejournal.com]

I've got food in my belly and a roof over my head. I've got my own private space and don't have to wonder if someone in the next bed over is eyeing my stuff. I've got it pretty damn good. I'm not happy, but I'll be alright awhile longer.

[hairyears.livejournal.com]

There was a program for the Mac called 'Tappitype' which gave a very satisying clattery typewriter sound to your computer. Complete with a resounding Ting! and the sound of a carriage return.

Google for it, see if there's a version for Windows. And I'm sure some linux Geek has written something similar.

[echo-echo.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. Have you ever tried the reinking sprays you use for reinking old dot matrix ribbons. I might have given my last bottle away, if not it's yours.

Strange

[magman.livejournal.com]

I've always really enjoyed the sound of a clacking typewriter. I can't remember what kind, but Legends #3 was typed on an old electric late into the night. Most of the fam wasn't overly joyed about my acquiring that thing either. [sigh]

[kalinichta.livejournal.com]

Typewriters... drool...

I currently have 2 manuals and an electric (all bought for less than 10 American at flea markets and thrift shops). One of the manuals is an Underwood No. 5. Same model James Thurber used, as I recently discovered. It's sexy and sits on top of my circa 1940s radio console.

Nothing feels as good as typing on a manual... except now that I type too quickly for a manual, so the satisfying click clack is followed every few seconds by %*#%(!($*#)!!!

[angharad.livejournal.com]

Also plus, you can reärrange the keycaps amongst the rows because they're all the same shape. Handy for Dvorak, and hours of fun for the whole family!

Hmm, I wonder how much a Dvorak typewriter would set me back.

[shadowdaddy.livejournal.com]

How odd that not two days later should this appear on hackaday.com:

http://www.multipledigression.com/type/index.html

Enjoy.