Ask Slashdot: Teaching Typing With Limited Electricity, Computers? 325
An anonymous reader writes "I am tasked with developing a service project to teach students in a Bangladeshi village how to type. The school has about 500 students, 12 computers donated to them in 2006, and a limited electricity supply. The students will be given job placement opportunities at a local firm in the city once they reach a certain proficiency. Therefore, we are trying to teach as many of them typing skills as possible. The problem: limited electricity, limited computers, many kids. I have some additional funding collected through donations. Instead of buying more computers, I am looking for a cost effective way that does not need a steady flow of electricity. I realize that to teach typing, I do not need a computer. I could achieve the same using a keyboard connected to a display. A solar powered calculator is a perfect example of a cheap device which has a numpad for input and an LCD for display. But so far I have not come across a device that has a qwerty keyboard and an LCD to display what's typed. I know there are some gaming keyboards that have LCDs built in but they are quite expensive. I am aiming to build a device that cost below USD 50. I considered using typewriters but they are in limited supply on the market. I also considered OLPC but it is double my anticipated budget. Do you have other suggestions?" Considering that (at least in China) sub-$50 Android tablets with capacitive screens are already here, I wish the Alphasmart line was cheaper, but apparently it currently starts at $169.
Typewriter (Score:4, Insightful)
What about an old fashioned typewriter?
Re:Typewriter (Score:5, Informative)
My point is: stop being obsessed with technology: anyone in the third world can have a photocopy of a picture of a keyboad, and probably has the motivation to try and learn with it. Once a week, use a real machine to test their progress if you have to. (Yes I have visited third world countries).
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stop being obsessed with technology
I think the whole point is to learn technology, otherwise, what's the point.
Re:Typewriter (Score:4, Insightful)
Technology for technology sake is never the answer - old school devices still rule, there is usually never a need for fancy modern devices, they just make thinks easier and more convenient if you happen to have money (and in this case electricity)
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No - the point is to learn typing. Once you learn to type you can efficiently learn the technology of the limited computers. Frankly - the only class that has any value to me from high school was my freshman year typing class taught on an old IBM Selectric typewriter. Heck - the description in the summary is begging for a typewriter.
Technology for technology sake is never the answer - old school devices still rule, there is usually never a need for fancy modern devices, they just make thinks easier and more convenient if you happen to have money (and in this case electricity)
I agree with you (wrt mechanical typewriters). I see a problems of logistics though (speaking from personal experience since I learned on a mechanical typewriter). You need paper (lots of it the better), ribbons and white-outs. It takes practice, practice and practice, with the actual output available for grading. Hammering at the keys, hitting an empty rubber drum won't tell the student whether he's making typing mistakes.
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Another anecdote from 20+ years ago: I grew up using the hunt-and-peck method, and then I took a typing class my first semester in high school. The class used powered, mechanical typewriters with the correction ribbon removed so we wouldn't be tempted to backspace; our exercises were timed, and we had to start with a fresh piece of paper to fix any mistakes.
I was doing very poorly in the class, so one afternoon I took the bold step of covering my hands with a piece of blank paper. This forced me to visualiz
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For that matter, let them learn with a real PS/2 keyboard - just not connected to anything. That would still be quite useful for the look and feel part.
[Otherwise, PS2 keyboards are easy to interface and power - you could build something cheap ($10) out of a PIC and a 1 line LCD display]
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My mother, now aged 85, learned to type using a printed picture of a keyboard, and exercises very similar to "Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing". Its true there is no record of what keys you actually press, etc, but she could type a lot faster than I ever could, and is using an IPad as I type this.
My point is: stop being obsessed with technology: anyone in the third world can have a photocopy of a picture of a keyboad, and probably has the motivation to try and learn with it. Once a week, use a real machine to test their progress if you have to. (Yes I have visited third world countries).
That won't work. I speak from personal experience (borned & raised in a third world country). I learned typing with a mechanical typewriter. You have to have a physical feedback from the type writer to develop the necessary muscle memory.
You also need paper to see that you are typing, and to see if you are doing it right or wrong. And when you commit errors, you need to see how often you made them and where on the keyboard layout. Finally you develop the speed to type with a high degree of correctnes
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"Yeah, it's quite clearly absolutely impossible to learn anything off of a picture of a keyboard,..."
People have learned to play the piano that way for centuries.
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I went to a secondary school where they had a computer science curriculum.
One of the first things we learned was how a computer worked.
It was a cardboard thing with writing on it that showed the program counter, accumulator, memory, etc.
You "computed" by advancing the PC, then doing ( in your head, then writing it down ) what the instruction said.
I think it was called CARDIAC.
Yep, like this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CARDboard_Illustrative_Aid_to_Computation [wikipedia.org]
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I totally like your suggestion! It seems like a low tech, high efficiency solution. One can ALWAYS learn the layout on paper and then practice on an actual keyboard.
Why paper? Why not just use disconnected keyboards? They're dirt cheap new, and practically free used; and since they are disconnected they don't even have to work; electricity is a non-issue, etc.
Then rotate the kids onto live terminals for feedback and testing. gradually add more live terminals as budget allows.
True touch typing is done with
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What about an old fashioned typewriter?
The summary says: " I considered using typewriters but they are in limited supply on the market."
So...exactly how did that get modded 'insightful'?
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What about an old fashioned typewriter?
I learned on regular typewriters in middle school in the late 80's. Worked fine for me. Of course he's got to buy ink and paper. If he could find them, he could probably get used typewriters free. Brother still makes electric typewriters, but that doesn't really solve the problem.
You know what would be cool? (Score:5, Funny)
If you just want to learn to type, you could possibly provision some purely-mechanical keyboards.
The displays would not need to be particularly high-tech; you could go with a hemp or wood pulp WOD (write only display) that works by mechanically striking the pulp with an embossed pigment delivery die.
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A A A A
S S S S
ASDF
etc.
If the kid is going to hit the letter 'W' 12 times in a row, they don't need to see it actually show up on screen or paper, that's not the point, the point is to establish the muscle memory. Make sure the kids have the finger movements down in drill before yo
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Heck, you can even pair them up and monitor each other.
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Did any of you even read the question? (Score:2, Informative)
"I considered using typewriters but they are in limited supply on the market"
" I also considered OLPC but it is double my anticipated budget."
"Do you have other suggestions?"
PS2, Arduino, and an LCD (Score:3)
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You don't even need the LCD. There is no reason for the student to review their results real-time. Just a simple circuit to read the keypresses and store them for later retrieval. You could probably operate the device on a watch battery for a year.
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Indeed... buy it now... $9.99
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ALPHASMART-dana-wireless-Portable-Word-Processor-100-Tested-Working-DANA-/370652122952?pt=BI_Typewriters_Word_Processors&hash=item564c968f48
AlphaSmart (Score:3, Informative)
One computer between two (Score:2)
Pair typing. It's agile and totally moar extream.
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Obligatory:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Y2zo0JN2HE [youtube.com]
Touch screen downfall (Score:2)
Considering that (at least in China) sub-$50 Android tablets with capacitive screens are already here
The problem with trying to type (or to game) on a tablet with a capacitive touch screen is that most such screens have no texture to indicate the positions of the keys. A touch typist positions his hands relative to the keys by feeling the bumps on the F and J keys and the edges of the other keys, and he can't do that on a typical tablet [pineight.com].
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Android tablet with Bluetooth, then paired with a Bluetooth keyboard.
If you can get one keyboard per student, they can practice the fingering even when not attached to a tablet.
They can share tablets (1 tablet per 3 or 4 kids), and practice fingering the rest of the time.
If cost is an issue, I'd see if you could find a tablet that works with USB OTG. "Bluetooth" seems to quadruple the price of a keyboard, and usually implies that it will be designed for thinness, not ergonomics. USB keyboards are cheap as dirt by contrast.
Manual Typewriters (Score:3)
Go to the district in Dhaka in that sells used stuff. Buy some manual typewriters. They, obviously, do not need electricity.
Paper Keyboard, Goldenboy Style! (Score:2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd9As_DlH6E [youtube.com]
Benkyo benkyo benkyo!!
Awesome (Score:3)
Question: "... I considered using typewriters but they are in limited supply on the market. ..."
Slashdot: "Typewriters"
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Exactly. My experience is in the sub-continent is that nothing usable gets thrown out or, if it does, someone grabs it from the trash and makes use of it.
Sounds like a great excuse for (Score:2)
No problem (Score:3)
about 500 students
The students will be given job placement opportunities at a local firm in the city once they reach a certain proficiency
OK huge call center moving in
The problem: limited electricity, limited computers,
The solution seems obvious, ask the call center how they're dealing with having limited electricity and limited computers. If the problems seem insurmountable to them, then your problem doesn't matter because the call center will not be opening. If they have a solution, presumably you can copy their solution.
Also some simple math here... you've got 500 students and 12 computers. Hmm. You can't really "practice" for too long at a time, even under ideal conditions. So 500 / 12 computers = 41 students per computer. Probably the best way to do this is 48 half hour practice sessions per day. So some kids session will be from 2:30 am to 3 am local, so what, welcome to transcontinental call center operations, he's gonna have to get used to it sooner or later.
Frankly, the biggest call center problem isn't slow typing. As long as the kids know the alphabet and numbers before learning to type, you'll be OK.
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The students do not live in the city. They live in a village. They will move from the village to the city where the call center is located once they learn how to type. I imagine there is much less trouble getting a reliable supply of electricity in the city. The call center also, presumably, has a larger budget.
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I think he should put the financial burden on the "local firm". If they want a work force, supply the education center. If the "local firm" works in unbalanced shifts, maybe let the classes run in the "down" shift. That shift might actually be during the day...I am not sure of the market of the "local firm", so I don't know for sure.
Raspberry Pi Centered Idea (Score:5, Interesting)
So to start at the core of it, I would personally select a $25 non-ethernet (Type A?) Raspberry Pi, an $8 USB keyboard [monoprice.com] and $5 flash card [amazon.com]. From there those little devices have the RCA Video (analog) out and also an HDMI out. So if one of your computers goes bad, you can always rig it up to one of these little guys. However, I also understand that you need more displays. Now this is where you have the option to become a rockstar superman. If you are not afraid of code and working GPIO pins [elinux.org] I would suggest purchasing some of these little guys [parallax.com] first getting it to simply display and read across what they are typing and secondly maybe use one row to take in a file that progresses in typing difficult and displays that on the first line while it waits for input and validates on the second line (might even have room to use LEDs or something else on the RPi for score keeper/carrot/stick. If you document all this, it might turn out that the villagers get wise on how to ripe a seven segment display out of anything and hook it up to these GPIO pins?
So how to power this? Well the easy way would be to use what you have already available for power but get some of these guys [monoprice.com] and daisy chain these guys [chinabuye.com] from one of your existing computers until they don't produce enough power. I would suggest researching that screen and the Pi and figuring out what their power draw is. Maybe get some cheap fuses to protect your hardware. A lot of broken appliances still have good electric motors in them and electric motors often produce energy as turbines if you spin them. Now, the big problem is how do you clean the power if people are cranking these turbines with their hands or connected to a bike's gear set? That's something I'm not much of an expert in. I do know the Pis run off of two rechargeable AA batteries just great but you also have to take care if they're planning to try to charge those batteries with a hand cranked appliance motor. From my understanding it's pretty tough to not screw stuff up if you're dealing with human generated power. Had to keep that steady and to find existing ways to clean it down to what tiny sensitive devices need.
The upswing of all this would be that the RPis are versatile, any of those students could really do a whole bunch of things with these. And if you make this a part of the Raspberry Pi wiki, you might get people helping you with those screens -- might. At least others will be able to use your work.
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Mod UP! This is the next best alternative to mechanical keyboards.
any recent Android tablet/phone (Score:2)
You can plug a USB keyboard into any recent Android phone or tablet. Obviously, you can charge them when you have power and use them for many hours. If you look around, you should be able to get a Coby or other Chinese Android tablet and a cheap full-size USB keyboard close to your price range (you also need a USB-to-Go cable, but they are less than $1). I've used them and they are perfectly fine tablets. Students can also use them for reading books.
There are also some typing tutors, although more geare
You have defined a null set (Score:3, Informative)
You have effectively eliminated all of the commercial solutions with your boundary conditions. You indicate that you don't have reliable power - that means you need a power generation device - or a power storage device - as part of your kit, or a device which does not require external power, but you have ruled out typewriters.
You have $50, total, per piece, into which you would like to provide a monitor of some type. Given that you need a display device, a power supply, and a usable input interface, you have nearly priced yourself out of the market with this parameter alone. To that you need to add a keyboard and an interface (a raspberry pi would work) to the display. But even at the rock bottom price of a Pi, you've in for $30-35 between these two devices.
I suppose if you can come up with a display with a DVI or HDMI input, plus a power supply, for under $20, you can get close. With the world market these days, if you need it to be cheaper than a COTS solution (commercial off the shelf) - you need a different budget or enough units to justify hardware production runs.
Have you considered seeing if Dell will ship you a crate of 6 year old laptops for $40 a piece, and you can throw away or keep for salvage the ones which don't work?
Well... (Score:4, Interesting)
New alphasmarts are hilariously overpriced; but used ones can easily be a factor of ten cheaper, so that isn't a bad route to go down. You'll need to fleabay or otherwise scrounge; but you can get them at pleasingly low prices.
Another option, if the locals have some TVs, might be 'famiclones' or their slightly more modern ilk. The ones that just have controllers are no good; but there is a genre of 'c64' styled keyboard-based ones. RF and/or composite out to a TV, keyboard, usually some sort of BASIC or other typing environment of some degree of not-entirely-useless. Nasty; but cheap, cheap, cheap at the right dodgy flea market.
Kids Vtech Laptop (Score:3)
I hate to do this... (Score:2)
It's a bit above your $50 price tag, but moments googling "typing tutor toy" [google.com] took a total of 0.8 seconds to complete and brought me this solution [amazon.com] not far from your price range.
I had something like this as the oldest of 8 kids, the batteries were C or D and lasted for months/years. It was sturdy enough to easily endure the abuse that 8 kids put it through. We weren't "nice" to it.
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Laptops are the way to go! (Score:2)
the UPS part is a must for unreliable electricity.
depending on what your budget is, how about a single large, UPS for the entire room? or even a small generator?
Typewriters are the right answer (Score:2)
Limited supply or not, manual typewriters are the right answer for several reasons:
1. From the submission, it seems that everything else that is not in limited supply is too expensive in either cash terms or electricity usage.
2. High technology devices are more likely to fail, and if they fail, are much more difficult (or impossible) to fix.
3. Even if the limited electricity supply goes away, a manual typewriter still works.
4. A decently constructed manual typewriter will outlast any electronic device.
A propeller-based design would work. (Score:2)
Parallax Propeller would be a good CPU for this. It has ready-made libraries for PS/2 peripherals and LCDs, including video output if you'd need that. A project like this would run on a few dozen milliamps at 5V. A single solar battery charging a car battery could easily supply a few full classrooms of those.
Handspring Visor plus GoType keyboard (Score:3)
I just checked eBay, and there are still plenty of Handspring Visors left for sale cheap. Those things go a very long time on a pair of AAA cells. You don't want the color model, you want the black-and-white that takes AAA cells.
Then for a keyboard:
http://www.amazon.com/LandWare-GoType-Keyboard-Handspring-Visor/dp/B00004TF4V [amazon.com]
Finally, buy a stack of NiMH AAA cells and some chargers.
These should suffice for learning. The keyboard is a little bit small, but I was able to type on it, and my hands are not small.
I don't know if there are any actual typing tutorial programs, but you might be able to get a college student to write one for you as a project.
I do remember that there is at least one "typing speed" program for PalmOS. It was intended for users to test their writing speed using the stylus, but it should work for typing.
steveha
Ebay (Score:2)
Ask people to donate OLPC computers (Score:2)
I know you said you can't afford OLPC computers. You could try just asking people to donate them, and see if you get any.
I used to have an OLPC and I gave it to a school in India. Before I handed it over, I bought a $10 USB keyboard, a USB mouse, and I installed a program called "Typing Turtle". Also, I bought an an SD card, and installed a copy of Wikipedia for Schools [schools-wikipedia.org] on it (this is a collection of Wikipedia articles, vetted to remove any vandalism, and indexed so you can use them as pure static web pa
stop suggesting typewriters (Score:3)
Seriously people, stop suggesting typewriters - they're a bitch to repair assuming you can get parts, which you probably can't, are way overbuilt for what he requires of them and, at this point, probably cost more than his $50 budget anyway; all he needs is a qwerty layout with error-checking to make sure the kids are on the right track.
Just because something is mechanical or non-powered doesn't mean it's simpler, easier, or cheaper. Try to answer his actual question without getting all condescending about it.
--Triv
Get a kids computer + battery charger (Score:3)
Toys R Us has a $20 CDN toy laptop with QWERTY keyboard:
http://www.toysrus.ca/product/index.jsp?productId=11495909 [toysrus.ca]
add 2 sets of rechargeable batteries: $2*6 = $12
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__25023__Turnigy_AA_LSD_2400mAh_Low_Self_Discharge_ready_to_use_.html [hobbyking.com]
and a charger: $6
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__27991__NiZN_AA_1_5A_Battery_Charger.html [hobbyking.com]
You can charge the batteries when you have power.
Alternatively reduce the number of batteries and chargers to less than 1 set per computer and pool the leftover $$$ to get a solar panel to power a charging station
OLPC + keyboard (Score:3)
Posted this elsewhere deep in a thread... wanted to make sure you saw it:
I suggest:
50% of your students get OLPC @ 100$; 50% get a 5$ disconnected keyboard. They rotate between exercises.
Or 1/3rd get OLPC and 2/3rds with disconnected keyboards, and rotate. Every third exercise they're on the real keyboard.
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I think the key here will be virtualizing.
I did this a while back with Virtual Desktop and my Mac, I am sure other VM can do the same thing.
I took the VM and I Mapped the USP Device to that virtual machine, then I repeated the process with an other virtual machine. Then I used the laptop keyboard for the primary OS. I in essence had one computer with keyboards(and mice) that controlled 3 OS's at the same time.
I normally only did this with 2.
OS X and Virtualized Windows XP. And a seporate monitor plugged
Re:"One laptop" program may be what you want (Score:5, Insightful)
Seems like that would be the most straightforward answer to learning typing.
Hell, I learned mostly on the old IBM Selectric type writers...granted that was electric, but only really a couple of steps above full mechanical.
I assumed they still made mechanical typewriters....?
Re:"One laptop" program may be what you want (Score:4, Insightful)
Err...do they not make mechanical typewriters any longer??
Yeah, my thoughts exactly. I learned with a mechanical typewriter when I lived south of the border. It is still far cheaper to get mechanical typewriters than to provide computers for each student (if the goal is to teach typing.)
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So much misinformation...
Royal/Olevetti still make manual typewriters. They suck. They are also damn expensive compared to a tablet, $150
Manual typewriters use a lever system with one lever per uppercase/lowercase character, IBM Selectrics are a ball typewriter.
Power requirements are significant, based on the heat they gave off, at least 60w, probably more.
They are still in demand, so a working one is around $350 and up. Way more than a tablet.
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Ok..where are you finding a tablet for $150 and less??
Also...you don't really 'learn' to type on a tablet...it isn't like real typing at all. You need a full sized keyboard to learn that on....and a manual typewriter still sounds like the cheapest solution to use to approximate a real typing experience (touch typing, not hunt and peck).
Re:"One laptop" program may be what you want (Score:4, Informative)
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You're talking an order of magnitude more power consumption than Raspberry Pis talking to LCD TVs and connected to bargain-priced keyboards. For myself living in the USA I am able to source LCD monitors with DVI connectors for $15 and less, I have three such here. And keyboards for $5. I hear the Raspi shipping price doesn't change much if you get more than one so I you can get say three of those for around $120, so call it $200 for three machines with displays and keyboards and throw the mice in really bec
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Take the PCs you have, install linux and do multi seat. Then all you need is cheap pci video cards, monitors, keyboards and mice. You should be able to get 5+ displays for each PC.
It might be better to get some typewriters.
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Indeed. It is "a device that has a qwerty keyboard and [a method to immediately display] what's typed".
The old Remington worked just fine for teaching me touch typing.
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I still have the crappy old Royal manual I learned typing on stashed away in storage somewhere...
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That was my first thought too.
Even though the summary says " I considered using typewriters but they are in limited supply on the market."?
Re:Here's an idea (Score:5, Interesting)
http://articles.businessinsider.com/2011-04-26/news/30072856_1_typewriters-manufacturers-machines [businessinsider.com]
You could probably look around for enough of them, eventually, but the effort probably isn't worth it.
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He doesn't need thousands with a guaranteed supply. If nobody wants them, they should be going for cheap.
Re:Here's an idea (Score:5, Funny)
Everyone knows that the typewriters aren't worth anything, because they make such a huge profit from the ink ribbons.
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I assume you're joking, but in case you're not, typewriter ribbons are still easy to get (and are reinkable) and quite inexpensive. They also have a pretty lengthy lifespan.
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The last factory shut down *last year*. That was actually better than I expected. There must be millions of them still out there, a large percentage still in use.
Let's look at it from their point of view. I have no power, or very problematic power. I have a very limited budget. (More limited than us fat, gadget-festooned westerners could possibly imagine.) Now, I have to type a letter. What's the practical solution, given the conditions and the budget?
I'll bet you an iPhone XXVI (due out the latter p
Re:Here's an idea (Score:5, Informative)
That is a myth that the last typewriter factory in the world shut down. They are still very much in use (and demand) in the Third World.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/26/worlds-last-typewriter-factory-closes_n_853670.html [huffingtonpost.com]
The very fact that this question is being asked just reeks of stupidity. You just DON'T go straight from stone age to 21st century, especially without electricity. Buy some manual typewriters. C'mon man....
Necron69
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Mod parent up.
If you are teaching typing, that means you are teaching touch typing – to rapidly and correctly depress keys without looking at the keyboard / hands. Computers are a bit of a disadvantage because they don’t encourage accurate typing. i.e. the penalty for making a mistake on a typewriter is greater than that on a computer – yeah backspace! Learning how to 10k is very different then learning how to use a solar powered
Learning how to 10k is very different then learning how to us
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I'm in Argentina and the police here, in some jurisdictions (especially in small towns) still use typewriters for paperwork.
Sure, they have computers, with internet and all. But if a typewriter does the job just fine, why even bother? They use the computer for the tasks that require, for example, reporting to a remote location. But if it's for forms and paperwork, a typewriter is cheaper and much more reliable.
In OP's case a typewriter is just fine. And paper, you can get for really cheap (doesn't have to b
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Mechanical typewriters are actually pretty expensive to buy and maintain compared to something electronic.
If you want to go low-tech and used, a whole bunch of old serial terminals (VT100 etc.) hooked up to a PC via USB-to-serial ports would be another option. Linux supports that kind of usage fully and there is tons of software available for it.
Of course, as I was saying, I think a low-end Android tablet and a USB keyboard are really the way to go.
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Read to the end of the summary: he has considered typewriters but does not think he can find them in adequate supply.
Re:Here's an idea (Score:4, Insightful)
From the summary -- "I considered using typewriters but they are in limited supply on the market."
Seriously, what is wrong with Slashdot people that you can't even read an 8-line summary, and mod something like the above to maximum value? Geez.
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He is in Bangladesh. Everything local gets reused until it wears out. He can find used typewriters if he looks.
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Plus, it needs paper...
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You clearly have not been in that part of the world. You can make paper in your back yard, if you're patient enough.
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Steal it from the photocopies. Just remember to copy the last sheet if you need more.
Dude! Paper and ink are expensive (Score:2)
You clearly have not been in that part of the world. You can make paper in your back yard, if you're patient enough.
Actually, I *live* in a similar part of the world, and as much as I can indeed make paper in me backyard if I'd feel like doing so, paper (tons of it anyway) happens to be pricey -- as is ink. I'm very suspicious that the bottom line cost is in favor of the mechanical typewriter.
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He isn't looking hard enough.
Typewriters were manufactured in India, right next door, until last year. There has to be a huge used market if he could figure out how to tap into it.
But, if all you know is gadgets, then gadgets tend to be your solution.
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Considering the very submission reads " I considered using typewriters but they are in limited supply on the market." I bet that must be the case... and all the non-trollish replies to the article so far just point "use a typewriter". That said, this does seem bit of like a solution looking for a problem, or what have you - any other solution one could come by would be even more "limited supply on the market", given there's not general demand for that.
Only thing that comes to mind to me is that USB-attached
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>>>My kids are in their twenties and I doubt either one ever saw a typewriter, period, let alone a manual one.
They've never watched old movies with secretaries typing-away on their manual or selectronic typewriters?
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>>>My kids are in their twenties and I doubt either one ever saw a typewriter, period, let alone a manual one.
They've never watched old movies with secretaries typing-away on their manual or selectronic typewriters?
They only watch SpongeBob Squarepants or the Kardashians.
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India is right next door!
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Indeed. They work even better as a teaching tool if you stick a poster size picture of a QWERTY keyboard on the wall and use sandpaper to remove the markings from the keys so the kids are forced to look up instead of looking at the keys. That's how I learned to touch type, back in high school... looking back, it was the most useful course I ever took.
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Yep. The typewriters in my high school class had blank keys too. It's amazing how fast you learn when you're forced to remember. Of course, this predicates that there is some kind of standardization of keyboards, especially for the cute little symbols you don't use much.
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Some more thoughts for the next stage - moving them onto actual "computers". You might want to looking into re-purpose one or more of the 12 PCs as a *NIX box using your favourite distro (via LiveCD if need be), then running some dumb terminals off it
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If it accepts a cloth ribbon, It can be re-inked. If the intent is simply to learn typing, it doesn't have to produce a crisp beautiful page, it just has to show what was actually typed.
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You have it all wrong. Breed them by typing proficiency.
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If you can find enough of them, a TRS-80 model 100 is perfect. Just big enough of an LCD screen. You could load custom typing programs written in BASIC via cassette or serial interface (3K of RAM/storage by default, so each lesson might need to be a different program that has to be loaded/unloaded). They have a 4-line LCD, which is just enough to give feedback on your typing or even show them what text to type and show their typing below.
Four AA batteries last about 20 hours, so it wouldn't be too hard t
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Since the Pi + LCD listed above pull a total of less than 7 watts a piece, you should have no trouble powering several with a low-cost portable power solution, such as solar/wind generators, or hell, even a dynamo; I mean, why not?