Pre-silicon automatons are on my shortlist of things to buy/commission and play with if I ever somehow become a billionaire. The writer automaton is something

Pre-silicon automatons are on my shortlist of things to buy/commission and play with if I ever somehow become a billionaire. The writer automaton is something I've been utterly fascinated by for decades. It feels anachronistic; people without silicon chips and transistors shouldn't have automatic programmable robots! It required a level of genius that I'll never have but can really appreciate. We take for granted how comparatively easy transistors made everything. I love seeing people's workarounds to try and reach the future.