The Paperless Society
Summary: I’m an old guy who grew up when paper was king and digital was something that applied to technology used in the Apollo space program. So with guys like me around, I think print will survive for some time.
In a previous entry, I reported on a “green report card” issued by a group called Forest Ethics to rate various office-supply outlets for their conservation efforts around paper.
Several readers suggested that the most effective green paper is the sheet that is never printed at all. We should, they maintain, move to electronic documents as much as possible.
Hey, Doc is right on board with everyone doing their part to minimize unnecessary printing, yet still has a problem with the concept of a truly “paperless” society. But then, I’m an old guy who grew up when paper was king and digital was something that applied to technology used in the Apollo space program.
So with guys like me around, I think print will survive for some time. But I admit as each digital generation comes into its own, the use of print is likely to decline. So let’s let things progress at their natural pace, which means print will be around a while longer. And if we’re going to print it, we ought to do it in the most ecologically sound way possible. So we need groups like Forest Ethics to help us make informed choices.
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Doc
ZDNet introduces Doc (The DocuMentor), sponsored by RICOH. Through his blog, Doc will educate you about Document Management. So who is Doc? Doc is something of an enigma. He was born to a Russian ballerina and a German electrical engineer who some believe was running covert operations for shadowy corporate interests. Doc grew up in various locations in the United States, although no one seems to know precisely where, least of all Doc. His early schooling was unremarkable except for the time he was caught trying to replace all the mimeograph machines with high-tech color copiers that had mysteriously disappeared from a shipment to Albania. At MIT, he made a name for himself by transforming a large printer into a robot that hunts and eats Roombas. Professionally, he reportedly has seen the insides of more brands, versions, and generations of printer and printer-related hardware than almost anyone. Some say his obsession with paper, printing, and mechanical movement was either started by, or evidenced by, a traumatic childhood episode when he crawled inside an old Xerox 2400 and tried to print himself.
Anyway, Doc has hands on experience with stuff like printer maintenance and fleet management, but his mastery of document management leaves no stone unturned. Important issues like sustainability, security, and regulatory compliance are top of mind for Doc, as are other business technology needs like networking and IT services, making him a true blue IT renaissance man.
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Related Links
- New White paper: Managed Print Services and Beyond: How You Can Cut Costs and Go Green While Increasing Employee Productivity
- Learn how document management systems can help reduce the tide of paper that is swamping our offices
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