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FarewellEtaoinShrdlu

Drinks and Dice · documentary · Watch on YouTube

Graphic design & typographyDocumentaries & storytellingMedia, journalism & propaganda

What it is

A documentary on the last day the New York Times was printed with linotype machines in 1978, following the process from the newsroom to the press. It marks the move to computerized typesetting.

Why Hacker News recommends it

Frequently recommended as an absorbing look at hot-metal typesetting and the end of the linotype era.

  • 6 people recommended it
  • 6 different months
  • 1 strong recommendations
  • first 2017, last 2026

What HN commenters said

  1. “It is a truly interesting way to spend 28 minutes.”

    Documentary walking through the New York Times newsroom-to-press linotype workflow.

    avs733, 2017-10 · Strong recommendation · in “Linotype Typesetting (1960) [video]”

  2. “there's a good documentary about the last edition of the New York Times published using the linotype process”

    Good documentary on the last linotype-printed New York Times edition.

    oasisbob, 2018-02 · Recommendation · in “Typesetting and paste-up, 1970 style”

  3. “I'm amazed at the engineering that went into linotype printing.”

    30 minute documentary on the end of the linotype era.

    Agent766, 2022-11 · Recommendation · in “Why do we call it “boilerplate code?””

  4. “There are lots of videos of Linotypes on YouTube. Really interesting stuff. This one is my favorite”

    Commenter's favorite linotype video.

    lisper, 2023-03 · Recommendation · in “The Machine That Bankrupted Mark Twain”

  5. “the final day the New York Times was printed using their linotype machines.”

    Neat documentary on the last day the New York Times used linotype.

    pfarrell, 2024-02 · Recommendation · in “The Last Linotype Newspaper (2022)”

  6. “There's a pretty good documentary showing the last day of linotype typesetting at the New York Times.”

    Pretty good documentary showing the last day of linotype at the Times.

    ginko, 2026-07 · Recommendation · in “The Ever-Receding Pocket”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: linotype, new york times, printing history, typesetting, newspapers

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