This is a brief history of a time (around the mid-eighties) when my industry, which depended on business-office use of paper for everything, watched with dismay the surge in office computing. Machines were about to digitally eliminate the need for paper (or for manually marking the few stragglers). I remember hearing the warnings in national conventions to be prepared and diversify to counteract the loss of revenue.
The fact is, the paperless office never happened. Since then, computers have proven their real worth by generating more paper than ever before in the history of the world. For example: medical providers, junk mailers (including political surveying fundraisers), lawyers, and our court system — all serving us the best they can ... with paper.
It’s so easy.
On the other hand, financial institutions increasingly promote the “convenience” of paperless statements so customers can “avoid the clutter” and print them at their leisure in the comfort of home ... only when needed for easy reference or proof of something.
We’re also privileged to keep photographs, journals, vital documents, and other family history in “the cloud” ... without any trace of paper. Posterity can enjoy it all on their little phones wherever they go, along with e-books and video games.
Thus, we see two sides of the outcome from that brief history of a time that changed our life. Simplified?
(Reminder for me to finish digitizing our family history papers at home. May need to buy more cloud storage this year to go beyond the free limit.)
dedicated family history organizer
and NHS English teacher, 21 April 2017,
nearing end of grading papers for 20 years
