While those things may not have been true in 1987, many of them are true today, now that computers have had several decades to evolve.
1. Cost is arguable today, as cheap computers exist, and quality typewriters have become more expensive. A cheap computer will work better than a beat up old typewriter.
2. A modern laptop, tablet, or phone is much smaller than a typewriter.
3. A computer is demonstrably better than a typewriter, by several orders of magnitude, assuming the user has electricity and a printer (if one of their goals to end up with a printed page).
4. The typewriter still wins here. Though, one could argue, that it takes less physical energy to transport and use a computer vs a typewriter.
5. A computer could be powered by solar energy today, with enough solar infrastructure behind it. I’m also thinking back to the OLPC that had a crank to charge its battery.
6. The typewriter still wins here, though I don’t think the average typewriter user is doing their own restoration or major repairs.
7. Computers now win here, simply due to popularity.
8. This seems to go hand and hand with number 7. A few lucky people may have a local typewriter shop, but they are few and far between.
9. I don’t think the computer inherently creates this disruption. I didn’t notice a shift here until the internet really exploded in popularity. The computer has also attempted to solve the division it created, and has been used to keep families together. I’m thinking of times where I had to travel for work, and I’d get a FaceTime call to bring me into a birthday party happening thousands of miles away.
1. Cost is arguable today, as cheap computers exist, and quality typewriters have become more expensive. A cheap computer will work better than a beat up old typewriter.
2. A modern laptop, tablet, or phone is much smaller than a typewriter.
3. A computer is demonstrably better than a typewriter, by several orders of magnitude, assuming the user has electricity and a printer (if one of their goals to end up with a printed page).
4. The typewriter still wins here. Though, one could argue, that it takes less physical energy to transport and use a computer vs a typewriter.
5. A computer could be powered by solar energy today, with enough solar infrastructure behind it. I’m also thinking back to the OLPC that had a crank to charge its battery.
6. The typewriter still wins here, though I don’t think the average typewriter user is doing their own restoration or major repairs.
7. Computers now win here, simply due to popularity.
8. This seems to go hand and hand with number 7. A few lucky people may have a local typewriter shop, but they are few and far between.
9. I don’t think the computer inherently creates this disruption. I didn’t notice a shift here until the internet really exploded in popularity. The computer has also attempted to solve the division it created, and has been used to keep families together. I’m thinking of times where I had to travel for work, and I’d get a FaceTime call to bring me into a birthday party happening thousands of miles away.