[beachy]

When I worked at IBM, we hardware engineers were organised into 3 groups. We mainframe engineers went on the cool overseas courses, spent our days in chilled computer rooms and looked after the really important machines. The mid range guys slummed it with AS400s, System 38s and the like typically kept in someone's back office, and went on local training courses only. But the guys that fixed the Selectric typewriters - they were the ones with the real skills IMO. Those things are complex.

[implements]

[Related Trivia] Selectrics were much more like manual typewriters than people might imagine:

“As with other electric typewriters and electric adding machines of the era, Selectrics are electromechanical, not electronic, devices: the only electrical components are the cord, an on-off switch, and the motor. The keys are not electrical pushbuttons such as those found on a computer keyboard. Pressing a key does not produce an electrical signal as output, but rather engages a series of clutches which couple the motor power to the mechanism to turn and tilt the element. A Selectric would work equally well if hand-cranked (or foot-powered, like treadle powered sewing machines) at sufficient speed.”