EOTO Blog Post

Amongst the wonders of technology, few inventions have influenced office work and communication in general as much as the creation of the typewriter. Its' development from the first design by John Pratt in 1866, to the later advanced version made by Christopher Sholes in 1864, is a turning point in history and transformed the way we write and share documents entirely.

Sholes' typewriter

In this era, John Pratt's prototype typewriter was considered incredibly advanced for its time. It was equipped with keys on both sides, and it was these machines that started the process of writing letters on paper. Just imagine the newspapers and office's enthusiasm about this tool—the first of its kind with the ability of automating the writing process. Despite today's new modern technological creations forcing many old inventions from that era to pale in comparison, Pratt's invention set the stage for typewriter technology, and thus its subsequent developments as well. 

However, Christopher Sholes is the inventor who actually was accredited with perfecting and refining the typewriter. Sholes made a number of significant changes to Pratt's original design in 1864, which made it a more useful and effective device in general. Additionally, Sholes' typewriter had a simpler mechanism that improved its reliability and user-friendliness. Precise and uniform lettering on the page was achieved with the development of the bar system, in which each key corresponds to a particular type bar bearing a raised letter. This invention represented a substantial advancement over hand written documents, which up until this point had been the only way of curating copies. 

The creation of the typewriter had significant impact to this day, the affects of which can still be seen today. For example, the modern keyboard layout can fully and entirely be traced back to the typewriter, specifically Sholes's. The QWERTY keyboard layout was created with the knowledge that office workers only complaint regarding the new common use of the typewriter was that it separated frequently used letters in order to prevent key jams, is one of his most important innovations. This arrangement, which is still in use today, demonstrates the significance of creating an interface that was more accommodating and easy to use for the users of these typewriters.

QWERTY Keyboard

One fact I found genuinely intriguing involving typewriters was how it impacted significant societal shifts, specifically within the fields of administration and business. When it was first introduced, administrative processes were made more efficient, which naturally led to an increase in written records and correspondence. This increased productivity improved recording and communication skills, which in turn  sped up bureaucratic and office procedures. This all occurred amongst the Woman's Suffrage movement, which pushed for women to have the same opportunities for school and working. Now, while it may not have necessarily become a standard yet for women to share those opportunities, it 100% represented the start of women.  Overall, the typewriter's legacy lives on as a reminder of human creativity and inventiveness, emphasizing its lasting influence on the development of written communication and technical advancement.