Not Very PC: Why Typewriters Beat Computers

Favored by novelists and technophobes and sold out of car trunks, typewriters remain the implement of choice for some Brits, reports BBC. Despite their weight and Internet deficiencies, the tangible writing experience free from computer meltdowns or deletions may save the typewriter from extinction—at least for now. One sales rep says he’s “amazed” his company still sells models at nearly $1,000.

The clacking invention that once brought women into the paid workforce as typists has appeared headed for extinction in recent decades, and few expect a miracle for the flagging industry, as Brother’s typewriter sales continue to experience an annual 10% decline. However, novelist Fredrick Forsyth says there’s still no substitute for old-school technology: “Have you ever tried to hack into my typewriter? It is very secure.” (More typewriter stories.)