Making Light:  Typesetting:  when it changed ::: June 21, 2004, 05:05 PM

Erik:

  ...Were there by any chance any in-between versions out there?  For
  example, mechanically-controlled moving font films or moving font
  films controlled by more primitive electronics?

On Merggy, the Linofilm Superquick, there were mirrors controlled by
stepping motors that acted to guide the light shining through the
glass plate onto the correct spot on the photographic paper.  The
paper didn't move, except that after every line it advanced from
source cassette to destination cassette.  And the glass plate with
the fonts didn't move either, except when switching from one plate
to another.