Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Keyboards, correction tape and word processors


A favorite car



1988 Chevy Caprice

Now:
Do you have problems with key boards? This one came off Sherry’s computer, would not work over there. Seems to be working okay here.  I must have 5 or 6 keyboards around.  It was probably just a bad connection.
My biggest problem is that my finger nails eat the letters off the keys. I type with my eyes mostly on the keyboard so there are times I go a line without knowing I am not actually anything on the screen for some reason or the other.   I never took typing in school,  I learned looking at the keys, I still do.
I can bounce back and forth with my eyes, but I must force myself to do just that. Typing… do you use the  finger pad or the tips of your fingers? I have watched Sherry and Shirl type and they use the pads and barely touch the keys, I hit them like I am typing on and old manual typewriter where you had to put some ‘oomph’ into the key stroke. That is what eats the letter off my keys.  Hahaha.


Speaking of typing, Isn’t the word processor just marvelous. You no longer have to use white out, correction tape or worst retype a document.



I still get a kick out of this one:
   (WE know this ain't Betty, that is for danged sure!)

 That realization hit me hard a few years into the building business. When selling a house I noticed something wrong on the contract. My attorney, Vickie, simply went to the computer hit a couple keys and a new corrected contract came out of the printer. I could remember when that would have been an hours delay of closing, because the whole page would have been retyped, no white-out or corrections allowed on original documents.


Do you remember the days before the word processor?  ;-)

                                             Nite Shipslog
ps: My best friend Sonny used to say about a farm implement or  an old  car: That can't be an antique, I used one or drove one of those!

10 comments:

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

Oh yes, I lived in the days before world processors. They were amazing and now with computers we all use a keyboard. I did take typing classes and many other business courses in schools as I wanted to be able to earning a living as a secretary. I leaned on an old fashioned manual typewriter and leaned to have a lighter touch when we sswitched over to electric ones. Now my keyboard is a part of the laptop computer I have but you can tell the letters I type the most as they are worn off too. It only takes a light touch, but they still wear off. How things have changed. I'm glad to live in a different time. Makes life easier for sure !

Jean said...

I have never had to buy a laptop computer and I have four. My granddaughter gets a new one every two years and I get her old one and they're like new. The latest one a few months ago and it has a light up key board. Sheila gave me the first new one. I guess I don't type enough to wear out the keyboard I do have to check where I put my fingers, and like you Jack I had to learn to type on my own. Hope it's cooler there it has been HOT here in Alabama.

betty said...

I wear the letters off the keyboards too. I find "m" and "n" seem to go first so I must type a lot of "m" and "n" words. Thanks for the shout out! Yep, I love word processors and I do remember life before them. I remember using manual typewriters to learn how to type years ago and how thrilled to have an electric one! My how times have changed!

betty

Lisa said...

I took a typing class in high school. That was before computers or electric typewriters so I know what it’s like to “stroke” those keys hard. I type looking at the screen with my fingers correctly in place on the keyboard.

Btw, I Made D’s in typing class.
Lisa

Mevely317 said...

Oh, yes! How I recall arguing with my parents (that) I didn't need to take no stupid typing class. (*smile*) Gosh only knows how I'd have made a living without having done so!
Yep - if I allow myself to revisit those awful old times of fabric ribbon, carbon paper, onion skin, etc. - I'd probably give myself nightmares.

Oh! To answer your question, I use my finger pads. (Had to double check before answering - ha!)

Chatty Crone said...

I took keyboarding for two years and I made both my kids do it too. They are thankful now. Remember too the days when you were making a copy on carbon paper and white out. Gosh those days were so hard. The thing is we survived it! The computer keyboard is an awesome invention! sandie

Glenda said...

So, I read yesterday's blog this morning then ran outta time....I so enjoyed the Von Dale stories and just want to say that in addition to your being a seasoned traveler ~ you're an artist, an author, an entertainer, humorist, kind and loving Husband, Dad, Grand and Great~ that ought to be enough but I'd say you're a "one in a million" to friends who know and love you!

Woody said...

I took typing in High School for 2 years, I loved typing !!! I remember the correction tape and white out that came out later, I learned to type on an old Smith Carona manual. I really tried to not look at the key board but still peek at it while typing ! Hot day today, Humid so took it easy and had a lazy day ! My Honey trimmed the bushes and shrubs in front of the house in the heat, She a tough one !
Take it easy down there ! sending love from the North, Gary an Anna Mae.

yaya said...

I took business classes in high school...yep, typing, shorthand, court reporting...110 words a minute on the electric typewriter. Still love the sound of those keys! After high school I took a temp job as a nurses aide in surgery..went back to college and bingo..good bye secretary! But I love being able to correct my mistakes on the computer with that backspace key. That would be helpful in life sometimes! We had an 88 Caprice Classic! Loved that tank of a car. I even hit a State Patrol car with it..but that's another story for another day!

Dar said...

I learned the keyboard on an old manual typewriter back in high school. I loved it. I still hear the keys hitting paper as a classroom of students learned to type without looking down. My crippling arthritic fingers are slowing me down now but I used to type quite fast and accurately. Oh the good ol' days. I still grab the whiteout once in a gray moon but for my checkbook. lol
love n' hugs from up north where the sun shines during these cooling days and nights. Life is grand.