Saturday, September 22, 2012

Go and love a Wedge



13 comments:

  1. Oh, that's a nice little typeface! I could be sold one on that!

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    1. One of the pluses to having a wedge. They're not amazing machines, but they are still useful and I think fun.

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  2. The reason I have all manuals now and no electrics is just that: they're electric. I want my typers to pound out my post-apocalyptic angst long after doomsday is here and gone!

    (...I am sooo quoting that in my Facebook profile...)

    I am more fond of the electric typers/word processors than I first appear, however. All of my teenage angst was poured into and out of an early 90's Brother. It's at my mom's house, and I think some of my crappy poetry still lives, lurking deep within its memory banks. I would probably have the machine if it wasn't 2,000 miles away from me. But using that machine let me to a love of its predecessors, and that means a lot for one humble little Brother electric.

    (Want me to smack JP for ya? Tell him stop picking on you or no more manuals from Anna! Ha!)

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    1. Oh, he means well. He admitted watching this print was actually pretty cool.

      And you should totally go grab that Brother, it can be your one wedge.

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  3. My first typewriter was an early 1980s-era model something-100 daisy-wheel Smith Corona electric, dark gray plastic body, snap-on case and, using carbon ribbon and correction tape cartridges, had a 1-line memory erase feature, but no LCD screen. Actually a great-typing machine, better than most any manual, but then again there's that whole post-apocalypse, beat-the-zombies-over-their-heads-with-heavy-iron aesthetic of manual typers.

    The closest thing to the electric wedge that I still own and use is a several years-old AlphaSmart Neo. It's like a full-sized computer keyboard (sans the number pad to the right) with a 6-line LCD screen, built-in word processor with enough memory for a 50,000-word screed, powered by 3 AA batteries that last, on average, about 2 years. A USB connector enables you to transfer documents to other devices. A great writing machine, perhaps the best for getting that rough 1st-draft down.

    Thanks again for the post, I might have to do a blog article about my AlphaSmart Neo, and perhaps look for an e-wedge in good working order.

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    1. Don't spend more than $10 on it, in fact, try and spend less than $5, but certainly I think every one of us should have ONE at least. Unless someone really truly hates using them (unlikely) then is $4-6 really a big sacrifice for what is actually a respectable writing machine?

      I'm glad to see stories about wedges. It's far from my favorite machine, I just think it deserves some credit for being kinda fun and cool to use.

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  4. I agree that is a lack of love for electrics in the typosphere. Various reasons are given: they won't work after doomsday, their lack of tactile feedback, their inherent noise. If someone didn't love and care for them, a large portion of typewriter history would be lost.

    Vive les electrics.

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  5. Actually, I think most of us have hearkened the siren song of the plastic wedge at one time or another. I've done so myself on occasion, and I find them to be a perfect gift for someone who wants a typewriter, but doesn't need the aesthetics of a manual and wants correction or spell check capability:
    http://munk.org/typecast/2011/05/05/brother-can-ya-spare-6-99-for-a-decent-writing-machine/.

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  6. I have been thinking more and more about getting an electronic machine. More recently, actually, as I received a letter written on an electronic Brother a week or so ago, and it was delightful! Looked as though it was printed on a laser printer.
    Of course, I am not actively pursuing one, but if I happen upon a nice one that is cheap enough, I may just grab it up.
    The typeface of yours is quite nice. I imagine this is a daisy wheel machine? Have any other wheels?

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    1. It is a daisywhell, and I have at least 5 different wheels for it. Found them in the warehouse at work and bought em cheap.

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  7. i agree with you - everyone should have at least one of these 'grey wedges'. I have several - and I love them all.

    I regularly use electronic typewriters for work purposes. One of them holds a database for me to print letters out (the simplicity far outweighs any computer for mailmerging).

    The Smith Corona is one of my favourites, and I have quite a few supplies for them - enough to keep going forever (as long as the power supply holds up!)

    John

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  8. PS - I find with my script font that setting the pitch at 12 (or 15) makes the cursive lines of the font flow beautifully.

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    1. You are totally right and I usually do that when typing, but this was word processed and I didn't change the settings for the word processor.

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