Fountain Pen Use At Work In The Digital Age

[EmilyB613]

I keep six fountain pens at hand hanging on my desk's top drawer. My co-workers are entertained by the variety of inks used, but also how strange such 'antique' instruments seem in the hands of one so fluent and immersed in the current technologies......

 

I just tell them that is a past life dominating that part of my current revision.

 

Please, don't start a discussion on tube audio gear versus, ......... please ...... don't ..........

 

HAHAHA! (I won't)

[EmilyB613]

I am a teacher (college) and a (mainly academic) writer. FPs are for writing lessons, notes taking and first/second/third drafts. This is the right tools for the job. I can take it in my pocket with a notebook and go anywhere I want. I can work on a small table in a café or a pub, totally not dependent of electricity.

 

Computer is for the "first final" draft. Phone and tablet for quick note taking g and occasionally for reading. Several years ago I went on a six month sabbatical and had a book on the way. I scanned my (voluminous) notes and had it all in my tablet. Winning electronic technology there.

 

That's fascinating! My second cousin is a medieval English professor and uses fountain pens for her notes and then uses computer for "first final" draft as well.

[inkstainedruth]

At Lloyds of London the use of a fountain pen is standard amongst 3000 employees, most underwriting boxes still sign and stamp brokers slips and once you choose your ink colour you keep it for life to avoid the very small risk of error or fraud.

 

With 3000 employees, there must be quite a range of inks!

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Sandy1]

 

With 3000 employees, there must be quite a range of inks!

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

 

Hi,

 

It may be case that they have a Sterling silver hogshead of Pelikan Edelstein Topaz in the attic! And that each person is ID'ed more by their hand than their ink.

(My jottings are known by both my hand and ink: Blimey- not her again.)

 

​Giving blondes a bad rep since birth,

S1

Edited July 1, 2017 by Sandy1

[hbdk]

I am in my late 50'ies and have been in the tech business for 30 years. I do IT support for private people and small companies and run a small web shop as well. My meetings with clients are usually rather short and notes are few but they are done with paper and FP.

 

When I got my first smartpone (Symbian) 14 years ago I figured out how to sync the calendar with Lotus (anybody remember Lotus 1-2-3?) but it was too much trouble so I stayed with my paper calendar. When I got my first Android phone 7 years ago I tried Google calendar - wow cool - I can check my appointments on all my devices! Gave up after 3 months and went back to paper and pencil (erasable...); it was too slow to use the electronic calendar and very cumbersome to get a quick overview. If I had 50 colleagues and we had to see each others calendars that would not work of course - but I would still use paper for my own purposes. I make a back up of my calendar about every 2 weeks using my camera

 

I do a little blogging and write some manuals - everything is written with an FP first; when I type the text at a later time, I'll find omissions and correct errors. If I just type, I most likely publish or print right away - not a very good idea

Edited July 3, 2017 by hbdk

[ac12]

Hi guys,

 

I can't believe how many replies this thread has received! From all ages - which is great.

 

I think we use whatever we want to use. My best friend (my age) pulled me into the fountain pen world and I have never looked back. BUT, my major is in digital marketing, so you can see that I work with computers all the time.

 

It's like me having a 1969 Hermes 3000 manual typewriter - I think as the older I get, the more I appreciate the tools other generations have used. For me? Digital age rules. However, I want a balance between the two, to not forget what generations before us millennials have used. I'm not hipster by any means - I just appreciate things from another time and place.

 

(Oh, I do have my dad's Technics SL-BD25 turntable - but that's another story for another day)

 

Use what you want!

 

Thanks all!

 

I just picked up 2 old portable manual typewriters.

- A Royal, Companion (I think). This one has the round glass keys that my father's typewriter had so neat.

- A newer Olivetti Lettera 33

And I'm looking for a 3rd portable

 

I bought a turntable for my wife, who wanted to play her new LPs.

 

 

@ Ricky

I used a Palm Pilot for MANY years.

Many people asked WHY???

I wanted to keep my personal calendar and address book SEPARATE from the company calendar and address book, which was on Outlook on the company laptop.

IMHO, the old Palm III was the best. It ran on AAA batteries that you could find anywhere, and you were not dependent on an AC charger.

Too bad the old Palm Pilots died as a product.

[N2theBreach]

Emily,

 

I'm not a millennial, but I went for my Masters a few years ago with a cohort that was around 75% millennials. When we started the program we all used laptops. Then, one-by-one, we all switched to pen and paper. Me first, the youngest woman last. Couldn't get them to use fountain pens, though.

 

If you look around enough, you'll find that science is on your side. Studies show that A-writing by hand engages different parts of your brain than typing does, and B-students are more creative when they write by hand. So, you can tell your colleagues that your "old-fashioned fountain pens" are the best technology known to modern science!

Edited July 7, 2017 by N2theBreach

[jackenhack]

I've been in the computer industry for 35 years, mainly working with pre-press and ad agencies. I've always been in love with fonts, but never learned to write cursive in school. They simply gave up on me, mostly for me being a southpaw. My son just graduated from collage and wanted a Caran d'Ache Chevron gold fountain pen. Discovered that he's been writing with a fountain pen for years, but wanted a nicer one. Naturally I got hooked. So now I'm slowly learning to write American Cursive and have already hoarded some eight pens in the last two months.

 

I still have a problem of not automatically go for the computer, iPad, iPhone or other electronic gadget instead of using my pens, but I'm forcing myself to do so. I'm trying to find uses for it, so I'm thinking of continue writing my diary on paper instead of on the computer.

 

My goal is to start writing letters to friends and family, because let's face it, it's classy to be able to write beautifully!

[marcelo]

At Lloyds of London the use of a fountain pen is standard amongst 3000 employees, most underwriting boxes still sign and stamp brokers slips and once you choose your ink colour you keep it for life to avoid the very small risk of error or fraud.

What? Seriously?!

[marcelo]

At Lloyds of London the use of a fountain pen is standard amongst 3000 employees, most underwriting boxes still sign and stamp brokers slips and once you choose your ink colour you keep it for life to avoid the very small risk of error or fraud.

What?! Seriously?!?!

Edited July 8, 2017 by marcelo

[violetpeanut]

I run the front desk at a veterinary hospital so slightly different circumstances, but here are my thoughts. We are currently in the middle of a transitioning to becoming a paperless practice. Being a complete tech geek and the most computer literate one in our office, I've been spearheading most of this project. I am all for technology in the workplace. However, personally, I prefer good old fashioned pen and paper for my notes and to-do lists. Although we have an online "worklist" that functions like a to-do list and project list, I still prefer to keep my own to-do list on paper and, of course, I use my fountain pens. I find that it's more convenient, quicker, and I remember things better when I write them down. I also write out brainstorming ideas, meeting notes and such. I never scan or convert to digital unless it's something that other employees are going to need as well.