Typos And The Comeback of Typewriters

One of my pet peeves these days is overactive spellcheck.  Mine must be on steroids.  At least once a day I sent out an email I've written quickly (and--my fault--not reread for errors) only to later learn to my chagrin that a word has been hopelessly mangled in meaning because spellcheck decided it knew better what I was trying to say and changed my word.  Happens all the time.

So I was fascinated to learn from one of my friends in Columbus, Ohio, that there is a website devoted to autocorrect mistakes.  I found it hilarious.  Check it out here.

 

Somehow that relates--at least to me-- to an article in today's New York Times about the growing numbers of people falling in love with typewriters.  Yes, the old fashioned click, clack typewriter with ribbons and keys that strike on the page.  For about $150 you can buy a Smith Corona these days and people are snapping them up.  Apparently it's a growing movement and there are typewriter aficionado groups all over the US.  They gather for typewriting fests, claiming they love the design, functionality and, yes, beauty of these hard to break wonders.

 

One of them points out that unlike computers, which become obsolete in what seems like a minute, thrown in the landfill after being replaced by a newer model, typewriters just click on and on and are useful for a lifetime.  Make that several lifetimes, since some of these beauties are generations old.

Apparently, these new typewriter lovers aren't turning their backs on computers.  They like the old technology especially for the sense of truly crafting words.  Somehow, they feel closer to the written result. There is a connection here--at least in my brain--to my obsession with face to face conversation.  The closer to the source of the words, the more physical the experience, the better.

See you at the next type-in.