Date: Mon, 11 Nov 1996 17:53:03 GMT
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Last-modified: Tue, 03 Sep 1996 23:00:31 GMT
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CS302 Printing and Paper Use Statement
CS302 Printing and Paper Use Statement
Sections 16 and 17
Promise of the Paperless Office
Several decades ago, experts predicted computer technology would create a
"Paperless Office." This environment would allow people to freely exchange
ideas and work entirely within the electronic realm. The reality is just the
opposite: computer-illiterate managers get printed e-mail from secretaries,
memoes distributed on mailing-lists are printed out for reference, documents
are reproduced on paper for editing and perusal. None of these are necessary
actions - habit, laziness, and unwillingness to learn new skills lead to
their perpetuation.
Modern file systems, editors, and viewers allow access to virtually any
document or message in a pleasing, easily alterable, and perfectly
retrievable format. Printing of documents is, except for those rare instances
when computers are not available, unnecessary. Even if personal predeliction
precludes environmental concern, the economic cost is non-trivial,
particularly when hidden costs are considered (toner cartridges,
paper-bleaching, etc).
I encourage CS302 students (and anyone else reading this) to consider the
impact of their personal paper use, especially that which does not end in
recycling. In CS302, I will try to restrict paper use to: programming
assignments, homeworks, quizzes, and exams.
Copyright (c) 1995 by Chris Weaver. The opinions herein are solely
those of the author.
Chris Weaver,
Computer Sciences Department,
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Last Change: 9/3/96 by Chris Weaver