paperclip (was Looking for XyWrite)

["Wendell Cochran" atrypa@xxxxxxxx]

> On Mon, 30 Nov 1998, Leslie Bialler wrote:
> > > I think we can unite, however, over the matter of the moronic animated Word
> > > paper-clip, a bit of anthropomorphic evil . . .

In mid-1963 I became editor of a small magazine without benefit of
predecessor or other staff, & spent my first days on the job
reading files.  Very soon I lost an important paper: realized it
had been stolen by a paperclip & thus misfiled -- & spent hours
recovering the paper.

In a fit of temper I banned paperclips.

A year later I decided to be reasonable, & allowed my secretary to
use paperclips.

The very first week it happened again.

The ban, reinstated, held for at least 20 years.

Ob-Xy note: After I bought 2 Atex machines I thought I'd never
again be threatened by paperclips. It was too early to get the
Word.

Wendell Cochran
West Seattle