Make has an interesting piece on this project that revives a teletype (or teleprinter), an old-school communication device that was used to send and receive typed messages over various communication channels. It’s kind of like the early predecessor to fax machines.
If you were around before desktop computers were commonplace in-home, then you probably remember the teletype. Well folks, the old school communication device is making a comeback, thanks to the efforts of a self-proclaimed nerd by the name of Robert Coggeshall (co-programmer of sudo), and of course, the popular Raspberry-Pi SBC.
Teletypes fell off the radar with the advent of the fax machine and personal computer, but for some (like Sudo Bob), having retro devices that are much more difficult to use than the newer gadgets brings a certain level of nostalgia. It’s like rushing home to use your corded home phone, even though you have a cell phone, just because you still like wrapping that curly cord all around the living room furniture. Ah. It gets you every time.
Regardless, Sudo Bob resurrected the teletype just because he can. He snagged a spare teletype from another 70s kid from the NYC Resistor crew at the 2013 Maker Faire and the rest is history. Oh glorious teletype, you have returned!
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