One
demonstrator said that the machines "were complicated that
the average man would have keep his eye constantly the
. 22
book directions while working them.XI-12
per week according the Edison advertising literature."
2 The company longer talked about displacing skilled
stenographers, for these could used manage the
correspondence process and also dictate the machine.
Replacing stenographer might reduce labor costs, but also
put the burden operation the businessman, and this placed
unacceptable demands his time and patience. The problem with
the early dictating machines was their difficulty use.
.
Edison's return this market the twentieth century
marked more realistic approach sales; the business,
phonograph was marketed means make the stenographer
more productive. The argument used Edison salesmen was that
the phonograph could used replace expensive
stenographer, skilled short hand dictation, with typist
who would transcribe the correspondence taken with the
phonograph. Even the dictation was successfully
recorded the minute cylinder, there were assurances
that the stenographer, and later the typist, would able to
understand it. The latter need only able type, and the
slogan the Edison company was "You can secure half-priced
typists take the place your experienced stenographers." The slightest
mechanical failure brought this technological revolution the
work place halt
