Typewriters making a comeback?

For many people reading this post, the idea of typing into anything other than a computer is something read about in history books…or more likely online, and seen in movies. But there was a time, not that long ago where typewriters were how documents were written. I’m just old enough to remember them in offices (as a kid, not one I worked in) and we owned a typewriter when I was young. There was no redeeming qualities about them what so ever. They were noisy, created crappy type (compared to a WordPrecessor today), lacked spell check and even a delete key ?

But at least in India typewriters are making a comeback.

No, typewriters aren’t being used to give the poor a voice or do to economic hardship, quite the contrary, they’ve become trendy in some quarters.

The demand is two fold. Younger people buying them to type with, and secondly an uptick in demand for typing schools that use typewriters. The theory goes that if you can master a typewriter, a computer becomes easier again.

According to a local report, one outlet selling typewriters “sold more than 800 typewriters in 2008 compared to 500 and odd the previous year” with a 30% increase in typewriter accessory sales. Sales are expected to increase by 50% in 2009.

Whilst the romantic images of typewriters, journalists and even Hemingway may seem appealing on film, and a nice antique typewriter can be nice to look at, why anyone would switch back to typewriters is beyond me. Why don’t we give up cars for a horse and buggy as well.