Is paperless really more?
Ziming Liu, David G. Stork · Communications of the ACM · 2000
The article focuses on the evolution of paperless office as an inevitable result of technology advances. The introduction of new technologies has often stimulated dynamic interactions between old and new. New technologies are commonly misperceived as total replacements for old ones, when in fact the introduction of a new technology can stimulate a synergy between old and new. Electronic media and printed media complement, and in some ways even reinforce each other. Today, paper remains the most popular document medium because of its credibility, tangibility, and ease of use, portability and compatibility with all imaging devices, such as facsimile units, copiers, printers, and scanners. Despite the enormous popularity of computers and personal digital assistants, along with the improvements in screen technology, mobile computing technology and navigational and input tools, paper usage in the U.S. continues to increase. While paper will not become obsolete any time soon, a shift is occurring in how it is being used.