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Last Typewriter Plant Closing

Messages
13,467
Location
Orange County, CA
A few months ago I had to speak with a hospital administrator. In the office, much to my surprise, the receptionist was busy working at an electric typewriter. I commented that I didn't expect to see a typewriter still in use in a modern office and she explained that she was typing up a document that was required by the State of California which requires that it be typed on a typewriter!
 
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W4ASZ

Practically Family
Messages
582
Location
The Wiregrass - Southwest Georgia
Reports of the typewriters demise are greatly exaggerated. That particular Indian company stopped producing them but other companies have not.
http://gawker.com/#!5795649/relax-theyre-still-making-typewriters

It appears from a swoop of the net that new manual typewriters may still be purchased. I see that ribbons for my little Smith-Corona "Silent" portable are available cheap through Amazon. I assume that carbon paper and onion-skin are out there somewhere, too.

I never completely adjusted to electric typewriters. :D
 

Tomasso

Incurably Addicted
Messages
13,719
Location
USA
I have a few typewriters but I havent used them in years; No SpellCheck.[huh]

Not surprisingly my Wite-Out bill is down to zero.....
 

C_Clarke

New in Town
Messages
8
Location
South Jersey
I've been saying for too long that I wanted to add a working, vintage typewriter to my slow-growing collection of antiques. I'm actually not surprised the many in other countries still use them. Despite not having spell-check, they're reliable. I can still hear the sound of those loud keys and my mature teacher almost singing, "A S D F space, semma L K J space!" when I think about my first typing class in high school! Fond memory. :)
 

sheeplady

I'll Lock Up
Bartender
Messages
4,479
Location
Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, USA
I guess I should know this, but I have seen many banks still use typewriters if you ask for a bank check. Maybe they can now do this in printers, but my bank is small. It does make sense that in other countries (without reliable sources of electric or much money for computers) still use them.

I, personally, have always felt that typed documents (and envelopes) were a step above electronic print, and a step below engraving. It is so much more professional to get a hand-typed envelope rather than one with a label slapped on. I've always typed my envelopes for job applications (when paper was required), it looks so much better than a label.
 

martinsantos

Practically Family
Messages
595
Location
São Paulo, Brazil
Probably typewriters won't be produced anymore soon. Not because lack of demand. But if we can buy a first-class typewriter (Corona, Underwood, Remington, IBM and so on) at low prices, why we would buy a new one, not so good? My experiences with new typewriters (some brazilian Olivettis and chinese Brother, both electronic) were just horrible.

Ribbons, at least here, are cheap and easy to find. I use manual typewriters everyday, for all my work (something like 10-20 pages per day).
 

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