On Fri, 6 Aug 2004 at 16:35:52, Dave P wrote:
(ref: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>)
>
>
>On Fri, 6 Aug 2004, Michael Berger wrote:
>
>> The question is: did Siemens steal the Sincair key design or was it just the
>> other way around... or did both parties have the same idea accidentally.
>> Probably it is impossible to tell the truth about that after all those
>> years.
>
>I don't know, but I do know that at school in 1980-1984 I regularly used a
>teletype terminal of a modern design (ie dot matrix) that had this exact
>style of key - not just the key tops but the bubble mat and membrane were
>of the same construction with a different layout.
>
>I know this because some enthusiastic fellow pupil thought it would make
>the printer quieter if it were oiled. I took it upon myself to strip the
>unit down to remove all the oil before the print mechanism siezed.
I have, though, used WD40 to successfully resurrect my 1986 Brother
print head. The bottom row of mainly unused pins seized.
>
>I am looking for an old teletype now, as it happens. It would be a very
>fun way to do the opening credits for my short movie about a bank :)
I started earlier than dot-matrix.
I used some IBM golfball terminals as printers - well I only managed to
get one working! This was slightly pre-QL, on a UK 101.
Tony
--
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