Do you think there will ever be a completely paper-free workplace?

Yes but not for a while. I still value paper and will probably use it for years to come. Paper is cool.
***Bill HTML is limited. XML is supposedly better. Maybe you should convert Survey Central to XML-based :)

Maybe in the way way future... Or, I suppose, if what is now made of paper is made of plastic, or something.

Until we can duplicate the effects of spreading piles and piles of paper all over the place to try to organize thoughts, no...

I worked for Filemark, a company who pushed that. They actually got many huge companies like CVS and Dunkin' Donuts to change from thousands of printed reports a day to computer-terminal reports. It was completely amazing how much paper they were wasting. I think companies are the main wasters of paper and it shouldn't be *that* hard to switch them to computer reports and email. I do all my status reports and progress reports on line now, it's much easier in many ways than paper.

I think the biggest impediment to a paper-free workplace is tradition. People are used to working with paper. A lot of people who are still in the workplace are still not used to using computers, and we haven't really developed new traditions and customs to replace the old ones as to how we deal with non-paper documents, and make sure that they have at least all of the properties that paper documents have (for instance, we think it's pretty easy to detect alterations of paper documents, and we don't often lose paper documents because someone forgot to back up their hard drive, etc)

Sometimes, you've got to get a total perspective, and you can't do that without a printout.

Only if a replacement for paper can be found. i.e. a computer that is light, small, reliable, durable, has a high resolution display, and can recognize handwriting and/or understand speech.

It's almost *possible* now...the biggest obstacle is people's mindset. Like, my boss prints out most of his email, so he'll have it on his desk as a reminder--I'm from a later generation, I know if it's in my computer, I've got it and if it's important, I can back it up. I think as people grow up without paper being the automatic default, turning in homework online, doing their taxes online, etc., paper will become more and more of a hassle and it will slowly fade from most uses. I think lawyers will be the last to give it up...they're so fond of it.

The thing that I see paper sticking around for is not documents and records, but the Post-it(tm) functions--writing little notes to people that can sit exactly where they'll be noticed, scratching out quick-and-dirty diagrams of what you're thinking, keeping track of how many times I've washed my embryos, etc.

nearly paper-free, sure. completely paper-free, never. (unless you'd count switching from paper to some non-tree based sheet that we write on)

Computers just aren't good enough yet. Paper is still superior for some things. Maybe in another 20 or 30 years.

what will money be printed on?

Yes in my lifetime...assuming that I live to a ripe old age.
We'd need a computer "monitor" that could be as big as a desk. I don't see it with standard "look at this box" type monitors...some type of VR seems more likely.

There will never be a paper free anything for quite a while. Only when computers are tiny and advanced will paper disappear (I'm guessing 2070).

I think they need to work out the details of electronic signatures first, but I'm optimistic. By paper-free, i meant no paper memos, having digital bulletin boards instead of paper ones, sending proposals and stuff through an electronic approval process instead of paper signing, etc.

nope. not until the isolate the gene that causes people to PRINT OUT email and keep it around like pages from the book of bloody Kells.

HTML saves tree. Isn't XML and evil Microsoft invention? *** even though I am young and love computers, I still print things out if they are long (like design notes) or if I need my screen for other things while I also need to read the doc - e.g. game walkthroughs)

With current scanning technology and data back-up systems there is little need for actual paper forms. The IRS now allows you to use scanned documents in audits instead of paper receipts.

I hope so.. We are the most wasteful society.. just a bunch of capitalist butt-holes

Yes, if there are no more trees. In the other side, it's very easy to replace celulose, but governements dont seem to want it.

I work for a law firm and it is very hard to get away from the "official signed paper" mentality when it comes to wills, corporate mergers, and various court papers.

actually, I think it would be scary. But things do seem to be moving in that direction. I hope it doesn't happen, but that is my paranoia talking. I like to have 'hard' proof of things, as opposed to easily confused electrons.

when i have a laptop, a lot of my paper-generation will cease (notes, etc). I sort data better than paper. the paperless workplace wont happen until the contract-writers and lawyers get into digital signatures; the majority of essential paper (non-notes) that i deal with are contracts and POs an suchlike. hardcopy sucks --"you can't grep dead trees". SGML/HTML/XML will all fade anyway - Normal people don't grok markup languages. you already hear ads for "html programmers", as if it were hard to do markup. feh. and then there'd paycheques - even though I have direct deposit, they insist on giving me a stub in an envelope. screw that - just tell me when the transaction occurs and I'll confirm it. as for paying bills, well, I trust quicken to help me organize, but not to make automagic payments. so i'll bewriting cheques for a while... but that's home, not business...

... and let it begin with me.

Only when people stop printing out their email. Yeesh.

Never

There is something concrete about having a piece of paper. It makes the item seem more official. I wouldn't want click yes to sign my contract!

Not a chance. The more my office automates, the more computer printouts I seem to have. We will always have to have back-up documents

hmmm, interesting question. Never thought about this before, but my intuition says yes, there will be, but I don't know whether it will be in my lifetime or not. Does a paper-free workplace mean that no paper is used officially for a job, or that all paper is banned, even like a slip in someone's pocket? ***just because it seems strange right now, and there are some logistical problems, doesn't mean it won't happen eventually.

Absolutely not. If you disagree, try programming for a year (with new technologies and languages coming into play all the while) with nothing but online manuals, and see how long it takes -you- to snap. (And every person on my programming team would side with me on this, wholeheartedly.) *** Mind you, total paper use will go down a fair bit, but completely paperless? Feh. A pretty fantasy, and as unworkable as any Utopian vision.

"The paperless office is about as likely as the paperless bathroom"

*** JOE: plastic has already made it unnecessary to print, as we once did, notes with values greater than the value of an average worker's day's labor

No, in the sense I assume you mean it. Yes, in various other senses that I won't bother listing here.

other. Who cares?