RE: filmscanners: Re: paperless office

["Laurie Solomon" <laurie@advancenet.net>]

>Ironically, when we have computers that more mimic our relationship with
paper, we
>will get closer to the "paperless" society.

Computers do not have to mimic our relationship with paper.  We are
adaptable enough to use even those which do not mimic our relationship to
paper in ways that resemble our relationship to paper; just look at the way
we organize and use word processors, database and spreadsheet programs, and
other applications.

However, it is more than merely our relationship to paper based procedures
that makes for the existence and continuance of a "paper" based society.
Convenience of paper forms and documents, for one, will continue to be a
very big factor.  You can't take as easily a laptop computer to the toilet
to read books, magazines, newspapers, or business documents and reports
while going to the bathroom as many are wont to do or use your computer
 whatever they type) to write reports or read reports while laying in a tub
full of warm water as some do.  You cannot conveniently read materials while
standing in a crowded subway going to and from work; nor can you safely use
electronic items in certain locations or at certain times where paper items
can be safely used.  I do not know about anyone else; but I find it easier
and faster to write down my checkbook information in a paper register with a
pencil or pen than to try and do it on a computer ( even a hand held one).


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-filmscanners@halftone.co.uk
[mailto:owner-filmscanners@halftone.co.uk]On Behalf Of Arthur Entlich
Sent: Wednesday, January 31, 2001 3:46 AM
To: filmscanners@halftone.co.uk
Subject: filmscanners: Re: paperless office




Laurie Solomon wrote:

> I would suggest (a) that your office is a rarity, (b) your office
> technically is not a "paperless office" in that you still receive
invoices,
> receipts, etc. from others that you need to scan in, and (c) most other
> places which are relying heavily on electronic operations still tend to
keep
> paper backup files and archives of their files and records just in case as
> do their workers for their personal security and use.  It is still easier
> for people to printout and read a hard copy version of a 100 page report
> than to read it online or off the monitor - and often more convenient as
> well.
>
> Statistics show that with the advent of the digital age paper usage has
> increased rather than decreased.  It seems everyone wants their own hard
> copy of each and every document just for safety and security reasons; so
now
> files are keep both in electronic form as well as in hardcopy form by most
> offices just in case of some electronic disaster, some hacker intrusions,
> some virus, some inadvertent or deliberate deletion of files by happy or
> disgruntled employees, and the like.
>

I have to agree with Laurie that the previously discussed "paperless"
office is just one that is discarding the paper.

My brother is a library scientist, and this is actually one of his
fields of expertise.  He's been involved in a number of projects with a
"prestigious university" in regard to the issues of how to translate the
paper experience to that of the "paperless one".

When I visited him, he picked my brain about this issue quite a bit. The
problem is many fold (excuse the pun).  We have enculturated certain
specific habits and styles of functionality over many hundreds of years
which have involved the use of paper/hard copy documents, books, etc. We
currently have no gone out of our way (in part, due to technological
constraints, which are only now being broken) to make a surrogate
paper-like electronic product.  We either have to evolve at a faster
rate, or transform our digital/electronic media into something than more
resembles what we have grown used to as a culture, something that
resembles paper.  I won't get into the many values paper has, but I
think smaller, lightweight, easily readable screen which can accept
input, or electronic paper., which can be erased after use, are more
likely to succeed where heavy, CRT laden computers cannot.  Ironically,
when we have computers that more mimic our relationship with paper, we
will get closer to the "paperless" society.

Art