Comments on: The myth of “The Myth of the Paperless Office” http://crookedtimber.org/2007/06/23/the-myth-of-the-myth-of-the-paperless-office/ Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made Sat, 21 Nov 2009 10:51:43 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Adam http://crookedtimber.org/2007/06/23/the-myth-of-the-myth-of-the-paperless-office/comment-page-1/#comment-202059 Adam Wed, 27 Jun 2007 15:45:12 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/06/23/the-myth-of-the-myth-of-the-paperless-office/#comment-202059 Somewhat off-topic, but: in addition to being mostly paperless, I also recently discovered that I was entirely penless. I needed to fill our an envelope, and I was unable to do so. Even more so than my reading, my writing has gone purely digital. Somewhat off-topic, but: in addition to being mostly paperless, I also recently discovered that I was entirely penless. I needed to fill our an envelope, and I was unable to do so. Even more so than my reading, my writing has gone purely digital.

]]> By: Katherine http://crookedtimber.org/2007/06/23/the-myth-of-the-myth-of-the-paperless-office/comment-page-1/#comment-202017 Katherine Wed, 27 Jun 2007 12:28:51 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/06/23/the-myth-of-the-myth-of-the-paperless-office/#comment-202017 JC, for what's it is worth I was a lawyer until a year ago. But in a large London corporate firm. And not a litigator. So perhaps there's the difference - less need to hide stuff? JC, for what’s it is worth I was a lawyer until a year ago. But in a large London corporate firm. And not a litigator. So perhaps there’s the difference – less need to hide stuff?

]]> By: hallam http://crookedtimber.org/2007/06/23/the-myth-of-the-myth-of-the-paperless-office/comment-page-1/#comment-201983 hallam Wed, 27 Jun 2007 00:33:48 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/06/23/the-myth-of-the-myth-of-the-paperless-office/#comment-201983 Err exactly how could the NYT do tests that demonstrated that a 42" monitor was optimal? Although you can buy a 42" TV monitor none of the suppliers I am aware of can supply a monitor with higher resolution than the 30" 1600x2560 Samsung panel. Otherwise I would have bought one. And even if such a monitor did exist the hardware required to drive a 30" beastie happily is not exactly trivial. Err exactly how could the NYT do tests that demonstrated that a 42” monitor was optimal? Although you can buy a 42” TV monitor none of the suppliers I am aware of can supply a monitor with higher resolution than the 30” 1600×2560 Samsung panel.

Otherwise I would have bought one.

And even if such a monitor did exist the hardware required to drive a 30” beastie happily is not exactly trivial.

]]> By: JC http://crookedtimber.org/2007/06/23/the-myth-of-the-myth-of-the-paperless-office/comment-page-1/#comment-201973 JC Tue, 26 Jun 2007 20:41:12 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/06/23/the-myth-of-the-myth-of-the-paperless-office/#comment-201973 katherine (#39): For what it is worth, I'm a lawyer and I have never seen anyone do what you describe. Maybe different practice areas have different customs? (I'm a litigator with a big corporate firm in NYC - maybe deal lawyers do things differently.) Actually, I was thinking as I read this thread of the absurd amount of time I spend dealing with tech people in order to gather and extract all of my clients' electronic documents for discovery purposes. Paper files - to the extent that companies still archive them - are an ever-shrinking percentage of what we typically gather for litigation purposes. katherine (#39):
For what it is worth, I’m a lawyer and I have never seen anyone do what you describe. Maybe different practice areas have different customs? (I’m a litigator with a big corporate firm in NYC - maybe deal lawyers do things differently.) Actually, I was thinking as I read this thread of the absurd amount of time I spend dealing with tech people in order to gather and extract all of my clients’ electronic documents for discovery purposes. Paper files – to the extent that companies still archive them – are an ever-shrinking percentage of what we typically gather for litigation purposes.

]]> By: Katherine http://crookedtimber.org/2007/06/23/the-myth-of-the-myth-of-the-paperless-office/comment-page-1/#comment-201918 Katherine Tue, 26 Jun 2007 11:00:00 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/06/23/the-myth-of-the-myth-of-the-paperless-office/#comment-201918 Lawyers will never ever stop using paper. The paper trail is the most important part of any legal file. You send an email? You print it out and put it on the file. You pdf a document? You print it out and put it on the file. Computer back up or not, having the hard copy, arse-covering stuff on file is essential. There will never be a paperless legal firm. Lawyers will never ever stop using paper. The paper trail is the most important part of any legal file. You send an email? You print it out and put it on the file. You pdf a document? You print it out and put it on the file. Computer back up or not, having the hard copy, arse-covering stuff on file is essential. There will never be a paperless legal firm.

]]> By: anon http://crookedtimber.org/2007/06/23/the-myth-of-the-myth-of-the-paperless-office/comment-page-1/#comment-201877 anon Mon, 25 Jun 2007 20:07:27 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/06/23/the-myth-of-the-myth-of-the-paperless-office/#comment-201877 <i> why do some journals refuse electronic submissions?</i> Just a guess, but to c.l. ball's list you might add a fifth reason: electronic submissions require some processing to make anonymous, thanks to author/owner information embedded in the files. why do some journals refuse electronic submissions?

Just a guess, but to c.l. ball’s list you might add a fifth reason: electronic submissions require some processing to make anonymous, thanks to author/owner information embedded in the files.

]]> By: c.l. ball http://crookedtimber.org/2007/06/23/the-myth-of-the-myth-of-the-paperless-office/comment-page-1/#comment-201857 c.l. ball Mon, 25 Jun 2007 16:12:56 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/06/23/the-myth-of-the-myth-of-the-paperless-office/#comment-201857 <i>My question is: so why do quite a number of journals refuse electronic submissions? One journal demanded three copies on A4 or American legal-sized paper AND the paper as an attachment to email. Why would any journal want to go through the hassle and expense of sending out hardcopies for review? And if that’s not what they’re doing, what are they doing with those three copies on legal-sized paper? Is this some ploy to cut down own submissions or what?</i> First, some just have those reqs as legacies. Second, older editors and reviewers want to read on printed paper, not on-screen. Editing is also harder without paper if file formats are not compatible. Third, printing copies can be expensive at the journal offices -- and older computers and printers take a long time to print 20-page papers. Fourth, reviewers sometimes demand hardcopies -- when I offered them a choice, half would ask for the hardcopy. My question is: so why do quite a number of journals refuse electronic submissions? One journal demanded three copies on A4 or American legal-sized paper AND the paper as an attachment to email. Why would any journal want to go through the hassle and expense of sending out hardcopies for review? And if that’s not what they’re doing, what are they doing with those three copies on legal-sized paper? Is this some ploy to cut down own submissions or what?

First, some just have those reqs as legacies. Second, older editors and reviewers want to read on printed paper, not on-screen. Editing is also harder without paper if file formats are not compatible. Third, printing copies can be expensive at the journal offices—and older computers and printers take a long time to print 20-page papers. Fourth, reviewers sometimes demand hardcopies—when I offered them a choice, half would ask for the hardcopy.

]]> By: bill wringe http://crookedtimber.org/2007/06/23/the-myth-of-the-myth-of-the-paperless-office/comment-page-1/#comment-201803 bill wringe Mon, 25 Jun 2007 08:07:13 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/06/23/the-myth-of-the-myth-of-the-paperless-office/#comment-201803 'At risk of cliché, you can spill half a cup of coffee on a paper print-out and not create an extensive (and expensive) crisis' and this is, of course an important part of the creative scholarly process: I generally find that the first thing I do when I have a paper sent back to me with a reject or revise and resubmit verdict is to print it out and pour a cup of coffee over it. It hasn't done much for my publication rate, but it certainly makes me feel better. ‘At risk of cliché, you can spill half a cup of coffee on a paper print-out and not create an extensive (and expensive) crisis’

and this is, of course an important part of the creative scholarly process: I generally find that the first thing I do when I have a paper sent back to me with a reject or revise and resubmit verdict is to print it out and pour a cup of coffee over it.

It hasn’t done much for my publication rate, but it certainly makes me feel better.

]]> By: abb1 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/06/23/the-myth-of-the-myth-of-the-paperless-office/comment-page-1/#comment-201800 abb1 Mon, 25 Jun 2007 07:12:41 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/06/23/the-myth-of-the-myth-of-the-paperless-office/#comment-201800 Well, joking aside, I remember I did, on a few occasions, save time by cutting wholes in punchcards with a razor. As far as grep/diff - sure, there are some useful utilities; just saying that a paper printout has its own non-trivial advantages too. Well, joking aside, I remember I did, on a few occasions, save time by cutting wholes in punchcards with a razor.

As far as grep/diff – sure, there are some useful utilities; just saying that a paper printout has its own non-trivial advantages too.

]]> By: John Quiggin http://crookedtimber.org/2007/06/23/the-myth-of-the-myth-of-the-paperless-office/comment-page-1/#comment-201792 John Quiggin Mon, 25 Jun 2007 05:16:22 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/06/23/the-myth-of-the-myth-of-the-paperless-office/#comment-201792 #31. I coded my first program with a hand punch. It used a DO Loop to add the integers from 1 to 100. This was just about the time the GoTo statement was first Considered Harmful. #31. I coded my first program with a hand punch. It used a DO Loop to add the integers from 1 to 100. This was just about the time the GoTo statement was first Considered Harmful.

]]> By: sara http://crookedtimber.org/2007/06/23/the-myth-of-the-myth-of-the-paperless-office/comment-page-1/#comment-201781 sara Mon, 25 Jun 2007 02:11:36 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/06/23/the-myth-of-the-myth-of-the-paperless-office/#comment-201781 At risk of cliché, you can spill half a cup of coffee on a paper print-out and not create an extensive (and expensive) crisis. At risk of cliché, you can spill half a cup of coffee on a paper print-out and not create an extensive (and expensive) crisis.

]]> By: Matt McIrvin http://crookedtimber.org/2007/06/23/the-myth-of-the-myth-of-the-paperless-office/comment-page-1/#comment-201764 Matt McIrvin Mon, 25 Jun 2007 00:55:26 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/06/23/the-myth-of-the-myth-of-the-paperless-office/#comment-201764 <i>I do all my algebraic equation solving on paper, if I try to set up and solve an equation on a computer screen I spend too much brain power getting the computer to format it properly.</i> When I was in grad school, evaluating Feynman diagrams, I went way, way, too long before caving in and using a symbolic algebra program. The learning curve was tough, but had I not done that, I'd never have finished my thesis work. There are just too many places to make a sign error in an equation half a page long. Most people who use these things, though, seem never to get far beyond using them as graphing devices and automated tables of integrals. I do all my algebraic equation solving on paper, if I try to set up and solve an equation on a computer screen I spend too much brain power getting the computer to format it properly.

When I was in grad school, evaluating Feynman diagrams, I went way, way, too long before caving in and using a symbolic algebra program. The learning curve was tough, but had I not done that, I’d never have finished my thesis work. There are just too many places to make a sign error in an equation half a page long.

Most people who use these things, though, seem never to get far beyond using them as graphing devices and automated tables of integrals.

]]> By: vivian http://crookedtimber.org/2007/06/23/the-myth-of-the-myth-of-the-paperless-office/comment-page-1/#comment-201762 vivian Mon, 25 Jun 2007 00:52:43 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/06/23/the-myth-of-the-myth-of-the-paperless-office/#comment-201762 <i>Abb1: "And I can’t imagine any size monitor replacing good ol’ stack of continuous paper when you have a lot of handwritten notes all over it and use your fingers for bookmarks. Some things can’t be improved."</i> Ah, you were lucky! When I were a lad, we kept our notes on punchcards. My task was to weave the little holes closed so we could reuse the cards for the next project. When I was promoted, I built my first "cubicle" out of old punchcards. Uphill, both ways. Abb1: “And I can’t imagine any size monitor replacing good ol’ stack of continuous paper when you have a lot of handwritten notes all over it and use your fingers for bookmarks. Some things can’t be improved.”

Ah, you were lucky! When I were a lad, we kept our notes on punchcards. My task was to weave the little holes closed so we could reuse the cards for the next project. When I was promoted, I built my first “cubicle” out of old punchcards. Uphill, both ways.

]]> By: Slocum http://crookedtimber.org/2007/06/23/the-myth-of-the-myth-of-the-paperless-office/comment-page-1/#comment-201755 Slocum Mon, 25 Jun 2007 00:31:01 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/06/23/the-myth-of-the-myth-of-the-paperless-office/#comment-201755 I really hate paper. I find it is such a relief not to have to worry about filing and organizing and instead let text indexing & search solve the problem of finding things when I need them again. I really hate paper. I find it is such a relief not to have to worry about filing and organizing and instead let text indexing & search solve the problem of finding things when I need them again.

]]> By: clew http://crookedtimber.org/2007/06/23/the-myth-of-the-myth-of-the-paperless-office/comment-page-1/#comment-201747 clew Sun, 24 Jun 2007 22:53:29 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/06/23/the-myth-of-the-myth-of-the-paperless-office/#comment-201747 "I can’t imagine any size monitor replacing good ol’ stack of continuous paper when you have a lot of handwritten notes all over it and use your fingers for bookmarks." But it's also true that no paper, however filled with notes and Post-Its, can replace <code>grep</code> and <code>diff</code>. Becoming a competent user of computers is as rare as becoming a competent user of paper-based scholarly habits; and few of us have the time or the need to learn both. tom s. -- Me, I have almost all articles on pdfs, and some printed, and use BibDesk to organize both; what I do print is filed by bibtex ID, and there's a mark in the bib record to remind me that I printed it out. I hate printing stuff out twice. “I can’t imagine any size monitor replacing good ol’ stack of continuous paper when you have a lot of handwritten notes all over it and use your fingers for bookmarks.”

But it’s also true that no paper, however filled with notes and Post-Its, can replace grep and diff. Becoming a competent user of computers is as rare as becoming a competent user of paper-based scholarly habits; and few of us have the time or the need to learn both.

tom s.—Me, I have almost all articles on pdfs, and some printed, and use BibDesk to organize both; what I do print is filed by bibtex ID, and there’s a mark in the bib record to remind me that I printed it out. I hate printing stuff out twice.

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