BTW if you ever get to see a linotype machine operating in a tech museum get someone to show you - especially look at how the type molds are mechanically sorted

BTW if you ever get to see a linotype machine operating in a tech museum get someone to show you - especially look at how the type molds are mechanically sorted after use, how automatic line justification is done - see how a line of type (hence the name) is cast in molten type metal - it's absolutely brilliant and completely mechanical machinery Dad could read type backwards, it was part of the job, he still worked for the newspaper after getting an accounting degree after coming back from the war, I spent a summer working there, got to see a full hot-metal system working before computers came along and made lots of people redundant (used to be a reporter's copy was checked by 3-4 people: lino operator, reader, copy holder, sub editor) now it's just spellcheck ... and before the evening paper was essentially killed by TV