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Posted by Cassius
May 20, 2011 at 05:30 PM
Is the memory in my 70-year-old brain failing? As I recall, Word has both footnote and endnote capabilities. ... Well, I just checked my Word 2000. Phew! My memory is still OK! Word DOES have footnote and endnote capabilities!
Posted by critStock
May 20, 2011 at 07:24 PM
Hugh, thanks for the info.
Steve, thanks for the link.
Posted by Gary Carson
May 20, 2011 at 10:33 PM
Graham,
There are still a lot of typewriter stores in business, usually run by ancient codger typewriter mechanics who have been in business for centuries and are still holding out. They can supply you with ribbons and the like. They also sell reconditioned typewriters. Office supply stores still sell ribbons for IBM electrics like my Wheelwriter and they also sell “universal” ribbons which may or may not work on your machine (I don’t like them myself. I never could get them to fit and they don’t have much ribbon).
I bought some ribbons for my Olympia SG1 recently from Cambridge Typewriter Company, 102 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington, Ma 02474. The guy who runs this place is great. He doesn’t have email, but you can call him direct at 781-643-7010. (I have no connection with him). He inks his own ribbons (so does Dan Puls—see below). You want to make sure you’re not getting an old ribbon which has been sitting around for years. That phone number should be current, but if it isn’t for some reason, you can look up the company on the internet (he doesn’t have a web site).
You can also get ribbons (and all kinds of typewriters) from Mr. Typewriter, Dan Puls (http://mrtypewriter.tripod.com/). He used to have a business in St. Louis, but I think he’s moved to California. His email and contact numbers are on his web site. I’ve bought three manuals from him and a couple of cases of ribbons over the years. The typewriters (two Olympia SM9’s—the best manual ever made for usability—and an SM4—very nice, but it has a basket shift which I think is clumsy to operate) were all in perfect working condition. He sells a box of 12 ribbons for about $60, I think, which is pretty cheap. See http://mrtypewriter.tripod.com/ribbons.htm for details. I’ve got to warn you, though. If you call him (the quickest way), he’ll probably talk your ears off. Note that a couple of ribbons will probably last you for a year. I’m told that the best way to store them is to keep them in one of the drawers in your refrigerator, but if they’re sealed and fresh, they should stay fresh for a long time.
Also, check out the Yahoo Portable Typewriter forum, a fantastic resource. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/theportabletypewriterforum/
Lots of people still use typewriters even though they’re not being manufactured anymore (I think the last company—in India—stopped production just this year).
Other links that might be of interest (these are from the Portable Typewriter Forum):
Operational help (tips, buying ribbons and manuals): http://willdavis.bravehost.com/
Basic typewriter operation:
http://www.geocities.com/wbd641/OnlineManual.html
Portable typewriter research/reference:
http://www.geocities.com/wbd641/PortablesIndex.html
Will’s Internet Typewriter Links:
http://www.geocities.com/wbd641/links.html
ETCetera, a quarterly collectors’ magazine:
http://staff.xu.edu/~polt/typewriters/etc.html
Posted by Dominik Holenstein
May 21, 2011 at 09:15 AM
I like the idea to use a good old typewriter for writing. But I personally prefer to write with a pencil. This is the model I am using every day:
http://www.caran-dache.de/Writing-Instruments/Graphite-Pencils/Edelweiss/Pencil-Edelweiss—1114.html
Remember, I am a software addict and I am suffering heavily of CRIMP :-)
Dominik
Posted by Graham Rhind
May 21, 2011 at 11:59 AM
Thanks for the your typewriter ribbon supply response Gary. Many of those sales points are on the wrong side of the Atlantic for me, but the links do give me a place to start looking for supplies over here. Cheers!
Graham