The printing press is one of history’s greatest inventions because it was the spark for many significant changes. However, the printing press shouldn’t be seen as just an invention from the past. Typewriters are the missing link between printing presses and the modern computers and keyboards we have today. How did we get from mechanical printing machines to today’s advanced technology?
For centuries, printing was done on specialized machines by highly trained printers. With the subsequent invention of typewriters, documents could be reproduced more quickly and more accurately. The earliest versions of typewriters date back to the late 1700s, but most models during this period were just patented and never produced commercially.
It wasn’t until the late 19th century that the first commercial typewriters were manufactured. These looked nothing like modern typewriters, though. Some versions were powered by a foot pedal like a sewing machine, while others only contained capital letters. In the beginning, the layout of keyboards was constantly changing.
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By the start of the 20th century, typewriters had become standardized, and teleprinters were developed. Teleprinters were machines that could send and receive messages from one device to another. Sending messages over long distances wasn’t new; the telegraph had been used since the mid-19th century. However, unlike telegraphs, teleprinters didn’t require a special code or people to translate the coded message into plain text. All that work could be done mechanically by the teleprinter.
Eventually, the development of computing led to the evolution of the teleprinter into modern computers. The video display terminal (VDT) was one part that helped with this. The VDT allows computer users to see the text on a screen as they type, making computers incredibly user-friendly. By the late 1970s, all computers used a VDT. Technology companies later began manufacturing keyboards for their computers, which established them as the primary input device.
印刷機是歷史上最偉大的發明之一，因為它是許多重大變化的起因。然而，印刷機不應僅被視為過去的發明。打字機是印刷機與我們現今擁有的現代電腦和鍵盤之間缺失的連結。我們是如何從機械印刷機發展到現在的先進科技呢？
數個世紀以來，印刷都是由訓練有素的印刷工人在專門的機器上完成。隨著後來打字機的發明，文件可以更快速、更準確地複印出來。打字機最早的版本可追溯至1700年代晚期，但這一時期的大多數型號僅獲得了專利，從未進行商業生產。
直到十九世紀晚期，第一臺商用打字機才被製造出來。不過，這些看起來一點也不像現代打字機。有些版本像縫紉機一樣由腳踏板驅動，而別的版本則只包含大寫字母。在一開始，鍵盤的排列不斷地變化著。
到了二十世紀初期，打字機已經標準化，電傳打字機也被發明出來。電傳打字機是可從一臺設備向另一臺設備發送和接收訊息的機器。遠距離發送訊息並非新鮮事；電報從十九世紀中葉便開始使用。然而，與電報不同的是，電傳打字機不需要特殊代碼，也不需要人員將編碼訊息翻譯成純文本。所有這些工作都可以透過電傳打字機這種機械來完成。
最終，電腦計算的發展使得電傳打字機演變為現代電腦。視訊顯示終端機（VDT）是有助於進行這一演變的一部分原因。VDT讓使用電腦的人可以在打字時看到螢幕上的文字，使電腦變得非常便於使用。到了1970年代晚期，所有電腦都採用了VDT。科技公司後來開始為自家的電腦生產鍵盤，這使得鍵盤成為了主要的輸入設備。
What Did You Learn?
1. In what order did the following items come into existence?
（簡答題）
(A) practical typewriter
(B) telegraph
(C) teleprinter
(D) printing press
2. What is special about the VDT?
（簡答題）
答案：1. (D) → IB)→ (A)→ (C)
2. It enables computer users to see the text on a screen as they type.
Word in Use
1. spark n. 起因，誘因
The king’s harsh rule was the spark for the revolution.
那名國王的嚴厲統治是該革命的起因。
2. mechanical a. 機械的
Gears are used to power the mechanical toy car.
齒輪被用來驅動那部機械玩具車。
3. specialized a. 專門的
People with the rare disease need specialized equipment to keep them alive.
罹患該罕見疾病的人們需要專門的設備才能維持生命。
4. subsequent a. 隨後的
The respected novelist influenced subsequent generations.
那位備受尊崇的小說家影響了後代。
5. reproduce vt. 複印，翻印
Printing is the process of reproducing images and text.
印刷是複印圖像和文本的過程。
Practical Phrases
1. see A as B 視A為B
= view／regard／look upon／think of A as B
Art is seen as a way to visually express the creator’s emotions.
藝術被視為一種在視覺上傳達創作者情緒的方法。
2. date back to+時間點／某一時期 追溯至……
date back+一段時間 追溯至……以前
The statue dates back to the Victorian era.那座雕像可追溯至維多利亞時期。
The ancient artifact dates back 2,000 years.
該古老文物可追溯至兩千年以前。
聽文章朗讀及講解: https://ivy.pse.is/455bfu
本文出自常春藤解析英語雜誌: www.ivy.com.tw
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