What is a Teletypewriter?
A teletypewriter (abbreviated TTY), also called a teleprinter or teletype, is an old device similar to a typewriter that could also connect to other devices and print messages it received from them, making it a mixture of a typewriter and a fax machine.
It seems teletypewriters were the first terminals thanks to their ability to both input and output text, although the term "terminal" typically refers to a keyboard with a monitor instead of with a paper printer.
![A teletypewriter device printing terminal messages on a piece of paper. The messages read in all caps: CONNECTION CLOSED BY FOREIGN HOST. CONNECTION TO TTY.LIVINGCOMPUTERMUSEUM.ORG CLOSED. % % % % TELNET 192.168.251.28 TRYING 192.168.251.28... CONNECTED To 192.168.251.28. ESCAPE CHARACTER IS '↑]'. UNIX (R) SYSTEM V RELEASE 4.0 (AMIX) LOGIN: GUEST PASSWORD: UNIX SYSTEM V RELEASE 4.0 AT&T AMIGA (UNLIMITED). AMIX COPYRIGHT (C) 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988 AT&T ALL RIGHTS RESERVED LAST LOGIN: TUE MAY 7 05:11:17 FROM LOCALHOST LAST LOGIN: TUE MAY 7 05:11:17 FROM LOCALHOST SYS (text ends here)](https://www.virtualcuriosities.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/teletypewriter-printing-terminal-messages-20250326-300x237.webp)
Quotes
Computer room is fascinating
BY ROBERTA MAHONEY
You may not realize it yet, but there is a computer room on the third floor of the Science Mathematic Building, just waitint [sic] to be explored by you.
The lab was nine teleprinters and one C.R.T., (all called terminals), connected to one computer. The teleprinters are a little different from the C.R.T., in that they are noisier and slower. The computer controls all data, and is the central processing unit.
Lariat, Volume VI, Number 11, 2 May 1975 [https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=LAR19750502.2.18&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN--------] (accessed 2025-03-26)