GADGET UPDATE: From the Department of Bad Ideas, it's the Smith Corona PWP 5000 Word Processor . . . Like the post a few weeks ago, it's another look back. The picture is scanned from a 1990 Writer's Digest--
In the ad, the clunky-looking machine was billed as "the word processor for people who are convinced they need a computer." It continued:
So, you're absolutely certain you need a computer. The odds are very good you absolutely don't.
The fact is, over 70% of the people who go to all the expense of buying computers and all the aggravation of trying to figure them out end up using their computers mainly for word processing and spreadsheets. . . .
Just look at the features the PWP 5000 puts at your fingertips--50,000 characters of editable memory, 100,000 character DataDisks, our exclusive Smith Corona Grammar-Right System, a 24 line by 80 character screen, a detachable keyboard, even CoronaCalc Spreadsheet program and Sheet Feeder options.
With or without "Sheet Feeder options," history belonged to those aggravating computers, not stand-alone word processors.
I worked on too many stand alone word processors to count. The IBM mag card put all the others to shame, though. It was nice.
The lawyer I worked for in 1984 called me into the office to hear the pitch from someone at Royal. It went: If you buy this word processor, you'll never need a personal computer. And buy it we did. For about $4,000+.
Posted by: Marie | December 03, 2005 at 01:32 AM
I just purchased a PWP 5000 Personal Word Processor from Value Village Thrift Shop. I got it for $6.00 and thought it would be a great addition to my peronal computer collection. I also have a very old personal word processor called a Apha 12 by AEC. The belt is gone in it, but other than that it works great. This desk dinosaur is about 100 pounds and has a monochrome screen. Unfortunately I can't find any information on the internet about it. I believe it's from about 1980 or so. I guess it was quite rare. Anyone with info I would greatly appreciate to hear from you.
Tommaso Petrella
-Computer Collector
Posted by: Tommaso Petrella | December 13, 2005 at 08:38 AM
Ya I have one too. It was my mothers until I found it in our basement went I bored. I made a YouTube video of it. If you want to see it:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiHMHPPczq8&feature=youtu.be
I find it fun to play around with and it still works well but I'm not sure how to totally use it.
Posted by: antnoob | January 13, 2012 at 11:32 PM