Rose_P

I was amused to see the Google Doodle today commemorating the first patent for a paper punch device on November 14, 1886. That was the precursor of all sorts of die cutting devices, including Cricuts and such. Out of curiosity I looked up when the first sewing machine was patented, and it was even earlier than I ever suspected. In 1790, English inventor Thomas Saint patented the first sewing machine. We don't usually hear of him because he didn't succeed in marketing his invention. So, technically, sewing machines were around for almost 100 years before the paper punch. Cannons were invented in China during the 12th century. It all kind of shows what humans have considered important over the millennia, doesn't it?

JustAbitCrazy

It sure does!

SusieQOH

Interesting! Poor Mr.Saint never got his due !!

Boston1954

You sound a lot like me. I once looked up to see who invented scissors. Even if I do not remember it the next day, I like looking up interesting stuff.

carolynjo

That is the case with the first patented typewriter; the original one was easier to use that our present models, but advertising caused one model to be better known.

KarenSimon

Isn't there something about "Inquiring minds..." ? Sometimes I just can't forget about something and must look it up. Then I can put it out of my head.

JustAbitCrazy

I saw a show on tv about how Thomas Edison didn't invent the lightbulb. An Italian man invented it, applied for a patent (or some equivalent paperwork) at a lab where Edison worked. The paperwork was mysteriously stalled for years and years, then finally Edison came up with it, claiming it as his own. Stunning show!

Tothill

I had heard that typists using a Dvorak typewriter could type faster than the mechanics of the machine could keep up, the QWERTY arrangements of the letters was developed to slow down typists so they would not cause the machine to jam.

One of my former husbands geeks used a Dvorak keyboard when coding as it was much faster than the QWERTY we are all used to using.

I have not researched to see if the above is true.

I do remember Mum's old typewriter did not have any letters on the keys.

Rose_P

I looked at the Dvorak keyboard and I'm flummoxed that the vowels are all on the left. How could that be an improvement? QUERTY has several frequently used letters on the left. Maybe a mirror image of QUERTY would be an actual improvement, except for left-handed people. I would not be eager to change my touch typing after all the years, but it would be a kindness to teach children to type on an improved keyboard. I'm not sure Dvorak would be the best arrangement.

I have a big issue about kids and keyboards. I used to volunteer in my kids' elementary school in the mid-1980's, and they were very proud to be offering an introduction to computers at the time. They had the stupidest (very expensive!) software imaginable. It asked the kids to first fill in a form. They had a 20 minute class and it would easily take them half that to hunt/peck to fill out the form. The computer would then keep a record of how each kid was doing on the simple math or word problems that they were going to get to do after they signed in (unless they made a typo and weren't recognized!). In essence, they didn't learn anything at all about computers except frustration. Typing was probably offered as a vocational class in highschool, and college bound kids didn't have any instruction in this basic skill at all. Nobody learned it at the appropriate time unless they had access to a computer at home. This is one of the many ways that kids from wealthier family had an edge over others.

Of course, these days many people are typing on itty-bitty keyboards with their thumbs, or they use speech recognition. Typing is probably about to become a thing of the past, anyway.