Internet Killed the Papermakers...?
 

Are there things you still prefer to do with hard paper rather than electronically? I saw an article about Americans still preferring real books over reading from a screen, and we just bought our college student a laser printer because she prefers to read long documents from paper...

ugh I was trying to do a poll, but I give up. Here are the options, feel free to add more:

Which of these do you prefer to do paper/hard copy rather than on a screen/online?

1) Read a book/long article
2) Receive Bills/Receipts
3) Pay bills
4) keep "To-Do" lists/notes
5) Maintain a calendar/diary
6) Send copies of important documents
7) File Taxes
8) Communicate with family and friends
9) Use coupons

Amanda vastly prefers real books. I'd rather listen to an audio book.

As for the other end, my handwriting has gone to shit. I can't remember when the last time I wrote a late letter. Probably some thing we did on here.... Email gets there instantly and legibly.

Bold = paper
italic = internet

1) Read a book/long article
2) Receive Bills/Receipts

3) Pay bills

4) keep "To-Do" lists/notes
5) Maintain a calendar/diary

6) Send copies of important documents

7) File Taxes
8) Communicate with family and friends
9) Use coupons

Bold = paper
italic = internet

1) Read a book/long article
2) Receive Bills/Receipts
3) Pay bills
4) keep "To-Do" lists/notes
5) Maintain a calendar/diary
6) Send copies of important documents
7) File Taxes
8) Communicate with family and friends
9) Use coupons

I'm all italics

No matter how much to push the envelope, it's still stationary.

Bold = paper

1) Read a book/long article
2) Receive Bills/Receipts
3) Pay bills
4) keep "To-Do" lists/notes
5) Maintain a calendar/diary
6) Send copies of important documents
7) File Taxes
8) Communicate with family and friends
9) Use coupons I don't do this at all. They don't give coupons for plain produce and meat.

The other morning, the network was down on my floor at work. A fried switch. We had to wait about 5 hours for a replacement to show up and be installed. Couldn't even make a phone call.
After cleaning my desk and filing away a bunch of papers, I started writing letters to acquaintances my cousin had before he died. I didn't have email addresses for then and had planned to type up a note that I could address and sign for each of them. But I hand wrote seven notes to them instead. My office mates were laughing at me (good naturedly) that I had resorted to passing time by writing letters. But I think it was a nice touch. I hadn't written a letter by hand in years.


Taxes are always electronic.
Email is too.
Calendar is both.
Everything else is paper.

1) Read a book/long article
2) Receive Bills/Receipts
3) Pay bills
4) keep "To-Do" lists/notes
5) Maintain a calendar/diary
6) Send copies of important documents
7) File Taxes
8) Communicate with family and friends
9) Use coupons

Research indicates reading comprehension on electronics devices is less. Many theories have been proposed. But research makes obvious that comprehension is less on electronic screens.

I observed same. For example, an article that describes complex electronic theory (ie how cell reception works) basically provided no useful comprehension. That may be due to graphs and pictures on a different electronic page whereas same are on one big sheet of paper. But I notice more complex articles (even on economics) are mostly uncomprehendible on electronics. I also print them on paper.

So maybe print out what UT said about Comcast so you remember if it comes up again

Research indicates reading comprehension on lost paper notes is less. Research further substantiates that reading multiple times is best either on electronic devices or paper, but infinitely better when able to reread which is impossible on lost or damaged paper notes. Hoarders gonna hoard

Bold = Paper
1) Read a book/long article
2) Receive Bills/Receipts
3) Pay bills
4) keep "To-Do" lists/notes
5) Maintain a calendar/diary
6) Send copies of important documents
7) File Taxes
8) Communicate with family and friends

Bold = paper

1. Read a book/long article
2. Receive bills/receipts
3. Pay bills
4. Keep to-do lists/notes
5. Maintain a calendar/diary - actually I use both, for different types of calendars.
6. Send copies of important documents
7. File taxes
8. Communicate with family and friends

Reading light fiction electronically is no problem - it's linear in structure and doesn't demand cross-referencing. When it comes to scientific/medical information, textbooks, cookbooks, basically anything with actual information rather than a story, paper is by far my preference. And some fiction - the type that demands thought and sometimes a look back at earlier pages, is also best on paper. I use electronic means for everyday tasks and communication, but I think permanent storage or organization of information should be on paper.