Jim Regan - Site Reviews
Classic Typewriter Page
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Richard Polt is also a fan of typewriters. A big fan. THE fan. And proof of his dedication can be found at the Classic Typewriter Page -- a tribute to the history, the mechanical genius, and even the art of the mechanical typewriter.
Two of the site's greatest strengths reveal themselves immediately on the home page -- specifically, spartan design and abundant, quality illustration. Polt proves that not every Web page needs patterns, gradients or other backdrops to complement (or, too often, compete with) content. The plain, white background not only looks clean and bright, (and refreshing, considering its relative rarity) it represents one less thing that needs to be downloaded to your desktop. Meanwhile, the images of the typewriters, essential to entertaining those of us who aren't connoisseurs, include photographs that, for the Web, are unusually sharp and well-exposed, plus an impressive number of period newspaper and magazine ads.
Of the three main sections into which the site is divided, the one of most interest to the casual visitor is Typewriter Fact. Exhibits include The Illustrated History of the Typewriter, (worth a look for the images alone) Frequently Asked Questions and a collection of Typewriters of the Month. Though no new entries are being added, the 34 examples here already extend from the unique, (the Yetman Transmitting Typewriter, which converted typing to Morse Code, and possibly back again), to the archetypal (the Underwood #5, which can be seen in any number of period movie newsrooms).
If your visit ignites a deeper curiosity, Typewriter Collecting and Care provides frequently updated classified ads, restoration tips and other collecting resources, while the real specialist can link to a exhibit of 70 years of typewriter ribbon tins. Typewriter Fun holds recommended links and a treatise on, "A Phenomenology of Early Typewriters: The metaphysical significance of writing machines". (As I said, Richard Polt is a big fan.)
The Classic Typewriter Page does an effective job of serving two distinct groups. For the merely curious, or those who have never seen a typewriter (I can't believe I said that) this is an attractive diversion -- an online version of a coffee table book. For the serious collector, there is a wealth of information that is easily skirted by the rest of us. Personally, I've got my keyboard sounds turned back on, and if anyone asks about the noise, I'll just say I've got a very, very old computer.
The Classic Typewriter Page can be found at http://xavier.xu.edu/~polt/typewriters.html.
(Speaking of old computers, if you just can't identify with Underwood nostalgia, but feel the odd twinge for your old VIC-20, The Museum of Dead, Gone and Obsolete Computers has entries on over 300 models, from the Apple 1 to Zenith/Heathkits. Each entry is accompanied by photographs, technical specs, a history and when available, related links. My faithful DataVue Spark isn't in there, but it looks like everything else is.
And, on a tangentially related note, The Luddite Reader, "the online bookstore for people who don't buy books online" is looking for help in making its catalog as complete as possible. If you have, "suggestions of luddite (or "luddish") books, movies, and music to add to the site", an e-mail link is posted at the Reader's home page - http://www.ludditereader.com.)
Jim Regan provides 'Today's Links' to the e-Monitor. He lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.