🚀 go-pugleaf

On Tuesday, April 3, 2018 at 9:07:35 PM UTC-4, Quadibloc wrote:
> On Tuesday, April 3, 2018 at 3:27:39 PM UTC-6, han...@bbs.cpcn.com wrote:
> > Here's an ad for a Royal typewriter that includes an optional paper
> > tape punch/reader to allow for word processing.
> 
> > https://books.google.com/books?id=yEgEAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA74&dq=life%20%22electric%20typewriter%22&pg=PA74#v=onepage&q&f=false
> 
> That is interesting.
> 
> I knew about the Flexowriter and the Justowriter, but I didn't think the IBM 
> MT/ST had any other competition.

I don't know how common a Royal tape unit was.  That was the
only ad and reference I could find.  I suspect Flexowriters and
the MT/ST were a lot more common.

I'm actually surprised it took IBM until 1964 to introduce
word processing, and did not offer a paper tape attachment to its
electric typewriters earlier.  It may not have been cost-effective--
charging hundreds of dollars for a machine to save $1/hour labor
may not have been worth it.


I knew of people in an insurance company who used them and said
they were a great machine.  In later years, you could attached
various accessories to it (see bitsavers materials).


> Note that the unit is by Royal McBee, not just Royal. So we are talking about a 
> company with some acquaintance with computers... i.e. the LGP-30.

McBee was the maker of "Keysort", the edge-punched cards used at
many places.  With a needle, it was relatively easy to sort a 
deck of cards.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_McBee

We had a mod on our 029 keypunch which read edge punched cards
and punched out IBM cards.

McBee, Royal Typewriter, and other companies eventually became
part of Litton Industries.  Later ads by Royal Typewriter
note Litton's ownership (in fine print)

https://books.google.com/books?id=mlUEAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA23&dq=life%20litton%20industries&pg=PA23#v=onepage&q=life%20litton%20industries&f=false

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Typewriter_Company

They are still around:
http://www.royalsupplies.com/



By the way, around that time (1969) there were personal adding
machines offered.  Here is an ad by Victor:
https://books.google.com/books?id=mFAEAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA29-IA4&dq=life%20litton%20industries&pg=PA85#v=onepage&q&f=false