[cmeisenzahl]

If I never hear the term 'ditto-packet' again, it will be too soon. ;-)

Aug. 8, 1876: Edison Patents Mimeograph
"Before the inkjet printer, before the laser printer, before the dot-matrix printer, before the photocopier, there came the mimeograph machine. They were everywhere — in schools, offices and the military. If you needed just a few copies of a document, you used carbon paper. If you needed thousands (and had the time and the budget), you could send it to a print shop for typesetting and publication. But if you needed something in between, say 30 copies for a classroom handout (or test!) or 500 or 1,000 for a church bulletin or incendiary revolutionary poster, you had the mimeograph."
http://www.wired.com/science/discove...dayintech_0808

[ghporter]

Now I know where "A.B. Dick" office supplies got their name... Interesting. Yes, I remember spirit duplication, purple-printed paper that could be good (neat stuff to learn) or not so good (tests :<), and even mimeography in different colors!!! I just didn't know it was one of Edison's inventions.

[nonhuman]

When did they stop using those? I had them at school until 5th grade, but in 5th grade we moved to California and I never saw one again. So for all I know my school was seriously behind the times. (This was 16 years ago.)

[Dork.]

You mean to tell me that one of Edison's most brilliant ideas was that we needed more mimes? You'd think he'd find a way to get rid of them, once and for all. That would have been useful.






Seriously, though, my mom was a public school teacher, and I remember those purple ditto sheets. I'm sure she still has a bunch in her files somewhere. I wonder how easy it would be to scan them in and get rid of the purple?

[- - e r i k - -]

Originally Posted by nonhuman 

When did they stop using those? I had them at school until 5th grade, but in 5th grade we moved to California and I never saw one again. So for all I know my school was seriously behind the times. (This was 16 years ago.)

Ditto.

[analogika]

I don't think I've seen them since I switched schools in 1985.

[Shaddim]

I remember the slightly damp pages, and the interesting (and mildly intoxicating) smell. Good stuff.

[nonhuman]

Originally Posted by - - e r i k - - 

Ditto.

Nice.

[- - e r i k - -]

Apart from the moving to California bit of course

[Oisín]

I feel like such a little punk. I’ve never heard of this contraption.

[finboy]

August 9th, 1876: TAE gets seriously buzzed off of the fumes.

This is another example of newer technology being worse than older technology. Now we run copies on an expensive Xerox machine that is prone to breaking down if used too much in one day. Mimeos were bulletproof. Extremely low tech and reliable.