Discussion

By Dov Isaacs on Feb 09, 2024

The most important and useful course I ever took was “personal typing” in eighth grade (junior high school). Not only were we taught how to “touch type” but also how to do rudimentary page layout including tables with both text and numbers. That training served me well throughout my educational and subsequent professional career. I never needed to hire or use a typist and for software development in the days of mainframe computers and Hollerith cards, I did my own keypunching!

By HARVEY LEVENSON on Feb 10, 2024

Yes, Frank, I totally agree. But what is a person like me supposed to do? When I was in high school, they told me that with a hand like mine, I should cut it off! And, over the years things got worse! When I write something down, I have to ask my wife to read back to me what I wrote. She’s a pharmacist, so she can read anyone’s handwriting. So, I say, thank goodness for the keyboard. Better yet, that’s why I went into printing…because I can’t write!

By JESUS RODRIGUEZ on Feb 13, 2024

Taking written notes is much easier by writing what you hear, typing or keyboarding assumes one can type (fast and accurate). I am in agreement with Frank and Harvey. A more relevant consequence is that today's experience in the classroom does not include learning how to write in cursive and some is done by hand printing. Most is using the keyboard. Personally, I would take notes and eventually rewrite them. Think of the idea of dialing my number when calling, that does not happen now. Consider the idea of clockwise, soon most people will not be able to read time on a clock or their wristwatch, just pick up your phone and there is the time. Its a matter of what is happening, its shifting.

By Joe Treacy on Feb 15, 2024

Hi, Frank — I see the marvelous “Shift Happens” Kickstarter project has culminated with publishing a gorgeous, three-volume printed set. Tremendous is an understatement.

Even as someone always fascinated with my Royal, Remington, Selectric or Smith-Corona typewriters over the previous decades, and love to type, I still prefer to take notes by hand.

Honestly, I spend so much time with keyboards and mice every day, the opportunity to take a break and write by hand is a pleasure that I highly recommend. (My preferred writing tool is the Pilot Razor Point pen, which I’ve used my whole career. It’s such a great invention.)

Since school is supposed to prepare the student for success in the world of business (among other things), it seems important to teach what actually transpires in business meetings, with perhaps 5 to 20 people around a conference table. It can often be equally progressive and dysfunctional, diverging wildly despite the written agenda.

In meetings where I sometimes consult, it can look great to bosses to be furiously typing meeting notes on your MacBook Pro. But I notice that for those doing that, there’s still a disconnect from fully listening and participating. Especially when meetings go off the rails.

White boards connected to a printer can help, if the presenter uses them well. I suppose some of the new generation of meeting transcription software might help, but transcribing literally only what was spoken might actually miss the intent.

And, taking notes by hand allows me to automatically append right mearby earlier meeting notes when topics are circled back to later in a meeting.

Of course, it’s still incumbent on the meeting presenter to distribute an advance agenda with some slight detail pre-typed. That can help take some burden off attendees, allowing them to focus and participate.

If they do provide that in advance. They often don’t provide anything except the most bare-bones outline, with most participants entering fairly clueless.

People designated as a “secretary” taking meeting notes often get key details such as vendor or product names, or delivery timelines, wrong.

Even with all that, I still prefer to take my own notes, and by hand. And I always feel I leave meetings well-informed.

And, writing personal and certain business letters to be mailed, is another irreplaceable joy.

Joe Treacy
President & Director of Typography
Treacyfaces.com