ztyper wrote:

Why are there two typeface sizes?
And just purely Pica can Elite?
Why is there also different typeface styles, like script and the awesome Royal Vogue?
Also, why was it important to save time an set margins quickly? Every manual from the 40's-60's has expressed "quick margin setting" and something simlar. It's so important that Royal sued SCM and Remington for using their Magic Margin feature.
I know it's a lot and probably a bit stupid, but I am just too curious for my own good. (I suppose this is a good thing since a lot of people I know aren't curious enough. I'll play it as a good thing I guess).

Two sizes to give buyers a choice. Some people prefer the compact, elegant appearance of elite while others can't read such small type and need the larger size of pica or just think it looks better. Students often prefer pica because it fills up ten pages of essay faster.

Pica at 10 characters per inch and elite (They don't have to be capitalized.) at 12 cpi (also called "pitch"; 10 pitch, 12 pitch) are by far the most common in the US, though there are many other sizes for special purposes, and European sizes are not "per inch" but are translated into cpi from the metric system for us---Olympia commonly has 11 cpi and some owners have measured their machines at 8.5 cpi, 10.5 cpi, and so on. If the other pitches have distinct and reliable names, I do not know them. These names have nothing at all to do with the height of the characters---the measurement in "points" does not apply to typewriters and is used in typesetting and computer type measurement. If a particular pica "M" is taller than a particular elite "M", it is a coincidence and not an essential part of picaness.

Different typestyles to give buyers a choice. Businesses want a conservative, confidence-inspiring look; friends like the informal, almost handwritten look of script; Vogue is clearly modern, peppy, fresh (even today, 90 years later); the various sans serif styles also convey a direct, modern, no-nonsense feeling. Variety, same as the thousands of typestyles available for our computers.

Quick-set margins were mainly invented to give a competitive advantage, a selling point in the stores and catalogs. They do have a useful place in the busy offices of years ago, but today I doubt that any typist is in such a hurry.

Your questions are great and not stupid at all and I don't think it is possible to be "too curious"! You have a very healthy attitude. A few weeks ago you and I talked about our ages and I think your interest in knowledge is very encouraging. Anyway, I hope this long-winded answer helps....

Oh, I also prefer a Pica typeface compared to Elite. It's easier for me to read. (I'm going blind already...). And that it fills up a page more quickly doesn't hurt either.