The Buzz Blog

December 20, 2022 Transcription Services

Fun Transcription Facts

We love transcription! Marking down words, thoughts, and opinions has been a passion of our team for nearly two decades. Just as we are fascinated at the evolution of transcription since our business started, we enjoy looking back at the decades and centuries of transcription used by mankind. As the world keeps pushing forward with voice recognition software, and incredible advancements – machines are still far from matching the accuracy, formatting, and style choices of humans. Since the dawn of time, transcription has existed, and here are our top fun facts:

  1. Scribes were an important job in ancient Egypt. Those who had this role were not tasked with physical labor or taxes.
  2. Typists keep getting faster!  In the late 90s, 40 WPM was fast, 35 WPM average & 23 was slow. Today, 40-60 is average and 120 is very fast.
  3. In 1946, the fastest typing speed was clocked at 216 WPM on an IBM electric typewriter.
  4. The first company to mass produce typewriters did it on sewing machine platforms.
  5. Speaking is 4 times faster than typing and 7 times faster than writing.
  6. Typically, it takes close to 2 ½ minutes to type 1 audio minute.
  7. Mark Twain submitted the first ever book to a publisher that was typed on a typewriter, “Life on the Mississippi”.
  8. Typewriters are still the most secure. No one can hack a typewriter.
  9. In areas with no reliable power, typewriters are still the common way to transcribe.
  10. QWERTY is not the most efficient system. It was created due to key jams on a typewriter. Yet, it is so ingrained now, change is unlikely to happen.

For the best possible professional transcripts created by a team with a true love of transcribing, let FFTranscription be your first choice for transcripts. Contact us today to learn more about how we can create fast, accurate, and cost effective transcripts for you.

 

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