Mimeo Lounge

Where Did the Name Mimeo.com Come From?

Posted on August 11, 2008 at 10:10am, written by Jeff Grill, VP Marketing

One of the questions that I’m frequently asked is where the name “Mimeo” came from.  The simple answer is that it is derived from the word Mimeograph and on this anniversary of its’ August 8, 1876 invention, I thought it only appropriate that we pay homage to this simple revolutionary printing device.

The Mimeograph was patented in 1876 by Thomas Edison.  It actually came before his other renowned inventions including the light bulb and motion pictures.  A Mimeograph works by using a stencil to push ink through holes onto paper.  At first Edison cut stencils with an electric pen.  Another inventor, Albert Blake Dick improved the stencil by using wax paper.  The new “Flatbed Duplicator” first manufactured by A.B. Dick Co. in Chicago sold for $12 in its day ($270) today.

As technology progressed the Mimeograph was equipped with a rotating cylinder to automatically feed paper and an ink reservoir to force the ink through the stencil.  Motors took over the turning of the cylinder, with earlier models using a hand crank.

At one time the Mimeograph was standard equipment in schools and offices.  It was perfect for producing 30 to 1000 copies.  Lower amounts of copies were created with carbon paper and larger amounts with offset printing (typeset and print).

This process of cutting stencils became more efficient with the invention of the typewriter where you would either type onto the Mimeograph stencil or write directly on its’ surface with a pen.  Once the stencil was ready all you had to do was attach the paper to the cylinder and watch the Mimeograph crank out copies.  Each one was damp with ink and carried a distinct smell that anyone over 40 can fondly describe.  When I was in elementary school we used to fight for the privilege of running the Mimeograph machine.  Use of the Mimeograph continued well into the 20th century.

It’s with all this history in mind that the founders named our company Mimeo.com.  A fitting tribute to a technology that was an essential part of business and education.

For more read Randy Alfred’s article in the August, 2008 edition of Wired Magazine.

Tags: a.b. dick, mimeo.com name, thomas edison