History (Cont.)

We all admit the first of these statements to be true. Time will tell whether the second will be.

Printing, or more correctly, the printing of books, began in earnest in 1439 when Johann Gutenberg set up presses using movable type. Prior to this time, any printing that had been done was ‘block printed’ from a negative-relief surface, and so was not editable. Movable type made the proofing and correction of text possible. It added simplicity to production and possibility to the economics of the art. (Though it must be pointed out that poor Gutenberg lost his shirt in his endeavors, with the presses going to the creditors.)