Re: Why we'll never be paperless

[Romay Jean Sitze <rositze -at- NMSU -dot- EDU>]

This is the best set of arguments I've seen yet for paper documents.

> The problem isn't always the durability of the file, it's the durability
> of the equipment to read that file.

I, too, have a stack of floppies that I cannot read on my PC.  I'm told
that there is still equipment around that will read them, but it might as
well not exist as I have no way to access it.

With current trends in the PC market, I've no doubt that what I have now
will also become obsolete before too many more years.

> I'm retired. Already, CD formats are changing, all we need is a switch to a
> smaller size CD format, and all existing CDs will be unreadable when the
> existing CD drives fail over time.

> I also have a scrapbook at home, it came from my late grandparent's basement.
> When I first opened it, I found a photograph from 1917, of a man I had never
> seen before, but knew by name. A nearly 80-year old image of my great grand-
> father. Now I know what he looks like.

> Good thing the 80-year old stock certificate that was also stuck in the
> scrapbook was paper, not electronic......

> Rick Lippincott
> Eaton Semiconductor
> Beverly, MA
> rlippinc -at- bev -dot- etn -dot- com



        RoMay Sitze, rositze -at- nmsu -dot- edu

        You can't solve a problem unless you first admit you have one.
                        --Harvey Mackay in _Swim with the Sharks_