With technology as an emerging force in modern society, some people wonder if in the future handwriting will be referred to in the same manner as we speak today of the Egyptian's hieroglyphs.

Writing was invented nearly 2,000 years before the reign of Ramses II in 1289 BC. Hieroglyphs are a combination of ideograms (signs that stand for ideas) and phonograms (signs that stand for sounds). Hieroglyphs were both carved onto huge stone monuments, tombs or pyramids and written with a kind of natural ink in books made from bark paper. If you have a hard time keeping up your note taking with some fast talking professors, imagine taking notes in college this way!

By 2500 BCE, a cursive script, in which the original pictorial nature of the symbol was less apparent, was developed for the everyday needs of administrators and copyists working with ink on a writing material called papyrus, named after the reed from which it was made. The word paper is derived from Greek and Roman words for papyrus.

In 1714, the first recorded patent for a typewriter belonged to Henry Mill (in England). In 1829, William Austin Burt, a typographer, patented the first practical writing machine. It wasn't until 1867 that Christopher Latham Sholes and his associates, Carlos Glidden and Samuel Soulé invented a machine for commercial use in the United States. This machine was manufactured by Philo Remington and had only capital letters; in 1878 a shift-key model permitted the change of case.

It was not until 1935 that the electric typewriter came into use, followed by the Selectric, introduced by IBM in 1961. The improvements made by this machine were tremendous-type bars were replaced with a metal globe that moved across the surface of a stationary paper holder, replacing the moving carriage of the traditional typewriter. With interchangeable globes, typists were able to use a variety of typefaces and symbols all on one machine.

Personal computers evolved after the development of the microprocessor. During the late 1970s, some computer enthusiasts built computers from components or kits, and more and more people because interested in this technology. By the early 1980s the first low-cost, fully assembled units were mass-marketed.

Today, computers are a mainstay on college campuses and businesses across the globe. Laptop computers have made working from virtually anywhere a possibility. Internet access has increased the telecommuting workforce (people who do work from home) because they can access company data as easily as they could in the office. Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) like Palm Pilots have created even more mobile computing available. Handwriting recognition software on PDAs creates typeset documents and easily makes notes from classes and meetings electronic for easy editing, expanding, and for sharing.

Today, the art of handwriting is a distant second to using a computer. Have you tried to take notes using a computer? Many people can type faster than they can write so using a laptop in class is effective. Alternatively, you can try typing your notes after class as a way to review the material. You can fill in key vocabulary terms by looking them up in your textbook's glossary or the dictionary.

Think about how much you rely on your handwriting versus your computer to get your job done as a student or an employee. How much do you feel computers will affect your future career? Do you think handwriting will become nearly obsolete like hieroglyphs?

Sources:

The World Factbook 2001. http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html

Everyday Life in the Ancient World, Kingfisher ^© 2002.