I would guess they probably were since most people didn't have a personal computer until the late 90s/early 00s, but I can't remember. Did most people have a typewriter at home into the 90s?

I did.

In fact, I even used them when I took a typing class in 1997 (since the classroom was equipped with them). However, after my typing class was finished, we packed our typewriter away. They are still used, albeit rarely, in some offices (at least those I've been in).

I would guess they probably were since most people didn't have a personal computer until the late 90s/early 00s, but I can't remember. Did most people have a typewriter at home into the 90s?


In Germany we definetly had them. My father is a teacher and I clearly remember how he produced worksheets, letters etc. with a real mechanical typewriter. I have also a certificate from 1993 which was written on a typewriter and I think some of my earlier documents from Elementary School were also written on such a machine.

Around 1995, my father bought a used electronical typewriter and I got his old one. It was fun to have it and I used it quite a lot. The typewriting era was finally over after I got my first PC in 1999.

My birth certificate and the one of my sister (1978) were already written on an elecronic typewriter BTW, so especially the mechanical one was pretty old technology in the 90s.

I had a typing class in 95 or 96, and we used typewriters.  Believe it or not, we STILL use one at my current job... our accounting dept uses it for checks from time to time.

They were common even in the mid '90s, I actually had a few typewriters even after I had already had a computer. Though I think my first was like this kids typewriter which was probably in 92 or so before I had a PC. Later I got this electronic typewriter and I typed a report for third grade on it, that would have been circa 1995.

I have never used a typewriter. However, I remember there being typewriting classes when I was in Jr High school, the years were from 1991 to 1994. So yes, typewriters were still common in the 1990s especially early in the decade.

When I was a kid I remember my parents having a typewriter that just sat unused in a closet.

When I was a kid I remember my parents having a typewriter that just sat unused in a closet.


Did they have a PC and a printer instead?

When I was a kid I remember my parents having a typewriter that just sat unused in a closet.


We had a typewiter I used since the 1960s. Used it through all of high school & University. Last time I used it was to type my resumé in 1987.  My girlfriend (now my wife) got a PC in late 1989 or 1990 and  I doubt I used a typewriter after that. Even if the workplace we stopped using typewriters in 1989ish.  (Our department at work had a typing pool and it was eliminated in 1989 when everyone got a PC)

A typewriter plays a major role in a 1997 Goosebumps book, so even later in the 90s, typewriters must've still had some relevance.

http://contentcafe2.btol.com/ContentCafe/Jacket.aspx?&userID=NYPL49807&password=CC68707&Value=0590568922&content=M&Return=1&Type=M

I first learned to type on a manual typewriter in 9th grade (took typing in school). When I first went into the service, I had to learn to type on a teletype (a lot slower than a regular typewriter). By the mid 80s, manual typewriters were being phased out and electric typewriters were coming into. It was about this time when I taught typing. It was about mid-'80s when word processors came into play. Then in the early '90s, I got a job doing data entry-yet another machine I had to learn. That job only lasted about a year (I'm surprised that it lasted that long but I must have been a glutton for punishment at the time.  ::) ). By mid-90s, the computer was the craze-but I still had my word-processor.  :D :D ;D ;D


With all the typing I have done via work-not to mention my personal typing, I became quite proficient-still am. I haven't had a typing test in years but the last time I recall taking a typing test I was up to 50 words a minute (with less than 5 errors) on a teletype-like I said, it is slower than a typewriter/computer. I'm sure I can type faster than that now.



Cat

My Dad had a typerwriter in his office  in 1994.

I think between 1990-1995 typewriters were common then I think they faded out and just became antiques afterwards.

http://l.wigflip.com/3XXnjpCP/screedbot.gif

I would guess they probably were since most people didn't have a personal computer until the late 90s/early 00s, but I can't remember. Did most people have a typewriter at home into the 90s?


Yep. In fact, my Grandmother still used a typewriter to write out long letters to people into the early 00's. In my first couple of years in school (maybe about 1992-94) our school secretary also still used a typewriter.

Yep. In fact, my Grandmother still used a typewriter to write out long letters to people into the early 00's. In my first couple of years in school (maybe about 1992-94) our school secretary also still used a typewriter.


Older people seem to use it even nowadays. Some time ago, a man stood at our University campus and distributed propaganda... also written on a typewriter... in 2011 or 12  :o

Older people seem to use it even nowadays. Some time ago, a man stood at our University campus and distributed propaganda... also written on a typewriter... in 2011 or 12  :o


There's probably a segment of the older population ( such as my parents) who were terrified to use any type of computer ( Even a 286 or 386 when we had one) and would rather remain in their comfort zone and use the old reliable typewriter. I say "terrified" because of the fear they had of making a mistake on a computer and thinking they might ...I dunno...destroy the computer or shut the power down in the whole city or whatever.

There's probably a segment of the older population ( such as my parents) who were terrified to use any type of computer ( Even a 286 or 386 when we had one) and would rather remain in their comfort zone and use the old reliable typewriter. I say "terrified" because of the fear they had of making a mistake on a computer and thinking they might ...I dunno...destroy the compueter or shut the power down in the whole city or whatever.


Yes, that's true. My grandparents also don't belong to the generation that use computers. I think, they also had a typewriter, but that was it. My parents are probably part of the first wave who use computers and the internet without instruction on a regular base when they are old.

Older people seem to use it even nowadays. Some time ago, a man stood at our University campus and distributed propaganda... also written on a typewriter... in 2011 or 12  :o


Wow an antique typewriter in 2012. Who'd thought that would exist now?

Wow an antique typewriter in 2012. Who'd thought that would exist now?


I have found two old typewriters in my grandparants' attic not too long ago, while one is probably from the 50s or so. I'll probably sell them on eBay.

Yes. Only in the mid 90's did they start looking like relics. I used one to type something up in 3rd grade (1992-1993) when I broke a couple of fingers playing hockey. Also used one on a few assignments in 4th grade. Didn't use 'em often, but they were around.

I used a typewriter through part of the 1990's to write short stories up until we bought our first computer in 1998.

I have found two old typewriters in my grandparants' attic not too long ago, while one is probably from the 50s or so. I'll probably sell them on eBay.


Do they still work?

Do they still work?


I have not tried it yet. The old one is very dusty. But I think they need some oil...

I have not tried it yet. The old one is very dusty. But I think they need some oil...


does it need a black ink tape strip?

You know that last factory on the planet that made typewriters closed in India in 2011?

You know that last factory on the planet that made typewriters closed in India in 2011?


Why? They went bankrupt?

I remember my family using typewriters in the 90's. I never used it myself, but I remember always being intrigued by it.

http://jproc.ca/rrp/alert_adler_typewriter3.jpg

I think that's the one I had in the 90s:

It had no "1"-key BTW :(

http://images.gutefrage.net/media/fragen/bilder/olympia-monica-mechanisch-farbhebel-schwarz-rot-weiss-laesst-sich-nicht-mehr-bewegen/0_big.jpg

I think that's the one I had in the 90s:

It had no "1"-key BTW :(

http://images.gutefrage.net/media/fragen/bilder/olympia-monica-mechanisch-farbhebel-schwarz-rot-weiss-laesst-sich-nicht-mehr-bewegen/0_big.jpg


What happened to the "1" key? ???

What happened to the "1" key? ???

I do happen to know that many early typewriters, particularly the manual ones, lacked a "1" key; the lowercase L ("l") was used instead because of its similarity to the number 1 in serifed fonts.

What happened to the "1" key? ???


It was broken :(

I had to use indeed the "I" instead. That looked weird.

It was broken :(

I had to use indeed the "I" instead. That looked weird.


Well the "I" key and "1" key looks similiar.

yes they were, where I was it was still common in late 90s but by 2000 its started to become an antique

Well the "I" key and "1" key looks similiar.

Both of them probably looked like a vertical line, which made sense.

Both of them probably looked like a vertical line, which made sense.


Back in the l970s, it was easier to type a lowercase "l" because it was right there on the home row beneath a fairly strong finger.  On a manual typewriter, it was both faster and more accurate to use an "l" instead of a "1" than it was to reach all the way up and to the left with the weakest (pinky) finger of most peoples' weakest (left) hand to press the "1" key.

If that looks wierd, try looking at it the way it looked in a typewriter:

Back in the l970s, it was easier to type a lowercase "l" because it was right there on the home row beneath a fairly strong finger.  On a manual typewriter, it was both faster and more accurate to use an "l" instead of a "1" than it was to reach all the way up and to the left with the weakest (pinky) finger of most peoples' weakest (left) hand to press the "1" key.

And now you know why old people occasionally type things like "l970s" or "lst place" in their emails.

Back in the l970s, it was easier to type a lowercase "l" because it was right there on the home row beneath a fairly strong finger.  On a manual typewriter, it was both faster and more accurate to use an "l" instead of a "1" than it was to reach all the way up and to the left with the weakest (pinky) finger of most peoples' weakest (left) hand to press the "1" key.

That's what I thought. Our manual typewriter (which we still have, although it's packed away) lacked a "1" key and I remember asking my parents about it and they said that the lowercase "L" was to be used instead. I understood that, as the lowercase l's were mostly indistinguishable from number 1's, especially in serifed fonts. However, once typewriters were made with 1 keys, the typed 1's began to differ in appearance from l's (except for those which used Courier font).



If that looks weird, try looking at it the way it looked in a typewriter:

Back in the l970s, it was easier to type a lowercase "l" because it was right there on the home row beneath a fairly strong finger.  On a manual typewriter, it was both faster and more accurate to use an "l" instead of a "1" than it was to reach all the way up and to the left with the weakest (pinky) finger of most peoples' weakest (left) hand to press the "1" key.

of course.



And now you know why old people occasionally type things like "l970s" or "lst place" in their emails.

Yep, some of them still do. In today's world, the latter item might be interpreted by some as a misspelling of "last place", which is a far cry from "1st place"!