The bulky Chinese typewriter illustrates the technical problems involved. The typist has to manipulate a handle controlling a gripping device which hovers over a tray of about 2,000 Chinese characters, picking them up one by one for imprinting on paper, before they are returned to their proper places.
但一來由於當時國內電子工業剛剛萌芽，電腦硬體造價昂貴；再則由於中文字體構造繁複，遠比英文難於處理，國人當時尚無力自行設計程式，故中文電腦的發展暫時遭到擱淺。