Re: typewriter function for an impact printer?
On Fri, Feb 22, 2008 at 06:28:10AM -0600, Russell L. Harris wrote:
> If you ever watch someone (for example, at the county clerk's office)
> using an IBM electronic typewriter to fill out a form, you'll see
> constant manual adjustment of the platen, using the clutch which is
> built into the platen and is actuated by the knob of the platen.
>
> But common dot-matrix and daisy-wheel printers have no platen clutch.
> While they may have a "micro" up and down adjustment buttons, they are
> too slow and cumbersome for constant repeated use.
>
> While the IBM Selectric (and particularly, the Correcting Selectric
> II) also does a fine job and is easy to use with forms, the problem is
> that the Selectric needs periodic adjustment (by a skilled
> technician), including replacement of certain parts. Such maintenance
> appears no longer to be available commercially. Without periodic
> maintenance, the Selectric slowly degrades into an almost unusable
> state. Also, with only occasion use, ribbons and correcting tapes dry
> out and become unusable. Regrettably, in the present day, it appears
> impractical to keep the machine running.
>
> All things considered, it is difficult to improve upon an old type-bar
> machine for occasional use in filling out forms. A type-bar machine
> which is in good repair needs only an occasional ribbon; and so long
> as there are dot-matrix printers, ribbons can be had readily and
> cheaply.
Right, but an old manual typewriter is hard to find, and a collectors'
item (with associated price) along with it. I learned on a good solid
Underwood. Those were the days...
A dot-matrix (mine is 24-pin) can place text anywhere on the page (with
the right controll codes). I guess I'll need to start writing the app.
Hey, maybe I buy a Soekris, hook up a VT520, and plug in the dot-matrix
printer, put OpenBSD on a CF card, with my app. Presto, instant
manual/electric typewriter. Shouldn't cost more than $300 plus $1000
(for a new version of my Epson wide-carage 360 dpi printer).
Perhaps I can get away without the VT520 if I can tell unix to use the
printer as the console output and a USB keyboard as the console input.
:))
doug.
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