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Rolodex:
A Public Radio Commentary
by Bill Hammack
Listen using RealAudio
Although we live in a disposable society, there are a few things
designed so well that they are never out of style. The premier
example may well be the Rolodex.
The inventor of the Rolodex, Arnold Neustadter, was fascinated
with what he called, in his quirky way, "dexes." Buy "dex" he
meant a method to store and organize information. He used "dex"
as a suffix, which he appended to just about every word in our
language.
For example, his first invention, in the 1930s, was the "autodex"
a flat phone directory that popped up at the desired letter. Then
he moved to devices that helped people create information - for
example, the "Swivodex" a spill-proof ink well; and then to the
"Clipodex" a writing pad that attached to a secretary's knees. In
spite of these failures, he kept thinking of ways to organize
information. His big breakthrough came when he modified another
of his inventions, the "Wheeldex" to come up with the the classic
Rolodex.
Neustadter was trained as a journalist, so he worked with an
engineer to design and perfect his ultimate dex. They created a
masterpiece, partly because Neustadter was very interested in the
arts. He collected glass paperweights and studied modern art, and
this influence is clear in his classic Rolodex. He wanted it to
fit the hand perfectly, be easy to move, and yet be attractive.
The result was simple and elegant: His classic Rolodex has a
shiny, tubular steel frame, which is strong and robust, yet
streamlined. Its in perfect balance as the card wheel cantilevers
over the base. Since Neustadter had a great sense of human
kinetics, the knob fits a hand perfectly, and the balanced wheel
rotates easily throughout 360 degrees. Neustadter started
marketing his new Rolodex in the late 1950s. Its sleek no
nonsense design fit well with the efficient image of a 1950s
office. Rapidly the Rolodex became a fixture in offices,
especially after Jack Lemmon used it in the popular movie The
Apartment. By the 1970, it was a true cultural icon, even an
emblem of power, growing into an essential tool when the
"networking" fad of the 1980s hit.
I've said it was a perennial design, but what about this decade
-- surely the computer has forced the Rolodex to the trash heap?
No. Some ten million units are still sold every year, and in fact
the computer has been modified to accommodate the Rolodex. You
can buy programs that will print out cards, which you can store
in your old-fashioned revolving Rolodex.
Copyright 2002 William S. Hammack Enterprises
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