There is almost nothing stemming from the age that made literacy
necessary that will not be replaced by higher efficiency
alternatives, by structurally different means. What about the
technology of literacy? One can only repeat what once was a good
advertisement line: "The typewriter is to the pen what the sewing
machine (Remember the machine driven by foot power?) is to the
needle." Remington produced the beautiful Sholes and Glidden
typewriter in the 1870's. It was difficult to decide whether the
ornate object, displaying hand-stenciled polychrome flowers,
belonged in the office or in a Victorian study. Now it is a
museum piece. Compare it to the word processor of today. Its
casing might survive the renewal cycle of two to three years
that hardware goes through. The chip's processing abilities will
double every eighteen months, in accordance with Moore's Law.
The software, the heart and mind of the machine, is improved
almost continuously. Now it provides for checking spelling,
contains dictionaries, checks syntax and suggests stylistic
changes. Soon it will take dictation. Then it will probably
disappear; first, because the computer can reside on the network
and be used as needed, and second, the written message will no
longer be appropriate in the new context. Those who question
this rather pedestrian prediction might want to ask themselves
some other questions: Where is the ornamental ink stand, the
beautiful designs by Faberg‚ and Tiffany? Where are the fountain
pens, the Gestetner machines? Carbon paper? Are they replaced by
miniature tape recorders or pocket computers, by integrated
miniature machines that themselves integrate the wireless
telephone? Are they replaced by the computer, the Internet
browser, and digital television? Edward Bulwer-Lytton gave us
the slogan "The pen is mightier than the sword.
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