Reviewer:
Wilford B. Wolf
-
favoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
November 8, 2010
Subject:
The handkerchief is hardly ruffled
A "teaching" film that chronicle some machines that were used in offices in the late 1940s, though it feels more like an advertising film. A few of them are real novelties, such as the Fileomatic desk, a desk that uses a conveyor belt to bring up files. Others were probably uncommon, such as the microfiche reader and the Auto-Typist, a gadget that could run mechanically three typewriters at a time for form letters.
Of personal interest are the dictating machines. The most common type was one that that used a wax cylinder and an electric microphone, but also show a wire recorder (this was just before magnetic plastic tape became available) and a disc based system that basically created acetates. The demonstration of a stenographer's machine, which was commonly used up until the 1980s, was also interesting.
A number of the machines dealt with the handling of form letters in the pre-computer era. The creation of metal stencils and small offset printers at this was a real advancement, though still far too expensive for most small businesses.
An interesting film if you are into the history of technology.
Reviewer:
Hg80
-
favoritefavoritefavorite -
August 11, 2009
Subject:
Engineering marvels