Comments on: Where Paper is Still King

By: greenworld

greenworld — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 20:04:20 +0000

I use paper only to write down some notes, which then get transcribed into a project and task management application that we use at my company. This tool has reduced by 98% the amount of paper we use, because we can write all our notes and messages to the rest of the team on the online system. Furthermore, we can upload all the documents we need to share, we track our time through there without need of paper timesheets. Also the system keeps track of our budgets and even generatesreports and invoices for the clients which can be viewed online. It really makes our work-life so much easier, we really love it! and we are basically paper free! saving more trees to breathe…
You should check it out and can try it for free
http://myintervals.com/php“

By: Paper Ain’t The Answer » Solo Technology

Paper Ain’t The Answer » Solo Technology — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 01:37:04 +0000

[...] recently read Mike Gunderloy’s “Where Paper is Still King” article and it caused me to do some thinking. No matter how many time I proudly proclaim [...]

By: Chris Webb

Chris Webb — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 15:15:11 +0000

As a publisher, I will leave the obvious book references alone. But I must admit that although I sit in front of a PC all day I still like to keep my paper todo list.

By: Hacking the Real and Virtual worlds « Shadow of a Doubt

Hacking the Real and Virtual worlds « Shadow of a Doubt — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 07:39:50 +0000

[...] Worker Daily goes retro in a post on Where Paper is Still King. The article discusses tasks that might be better left to pen and pad. It’s focus is on the [...]

By: Dipesh

Dipesh — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 06:26:46 +0000

Personally i also still prefer paper for those quick notes, sketches, to-do lists etc. I think its the best way to quickly put down your thoughts informally and those productivity and organizational web apps can’t beat this ease of use. The real value of these web apps though doesn’t lie in just doing what you can do so easily on a peice of paper. When you need a make those thoughts a little bit formal, when you want to share them with your clients or colleagues, when you need a better storage mechanism which is can also keep those thoughts a little bit more organized, thats where these web apps come into play and provide real value. Otherwise its like trying to kill a mosquito with a Katana. If you really don’t need to share your notes, sketches, to-do lists frequently with others, sticking to paper is better.

By: Mae

Mae — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 06:09:51 +0000

I use it on my task lists and notes, I do not use paper for calendar as schedules are crazy and it can change all of sudden, I hate erasures on paper.

By: びっくり

びっくり — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 04:41:34 +0000

Pete Aldin mentioned that computers won’t replace paper in the toilet; however, I am living in Japan and we have done just that. Many homes have computerized toilet seats that will wash and dry your butt after you complete your business. (I am afraid to use them though, and still cling to paper.)

My biggest use of paper right now is practicing writing Japanese characters. There are programs that allow you to write with a mouse or on a tablet with a stylus, but they are never as smooth as handwriting for practice.

By: Nate Smith

Nate Smith — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 03:19:35 +0000

if i’m trying to wrap my head around some code, the first thing i do is write out pseudo-code on paper.
i find that it allows me to flesh out an algorithm without worrying about syntax or digg/slashdot/wwd/lifehacker or anything else not directly related to solving the problem. it also allows me to catch any faults when i go to actually code it. i find pen and paper to be the best text editor i run.

By: Matt

Matt — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 02:07:19 +0000

I use paper still for all of my notes during meetings and phone conversations. Maybe a tablet PC would change this, but right now I still often want the ability to draw a brief diagram of what I’m talking about to illustrate a point.

I’m also in the process of writing a book and I find that using pen and ink can help words flow differently which is useful when I’m trying to add a plot twist.

-Matt
http://metaviper.com

By: Nick

Nick — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 01:33:28 +0000

I always keep a notepad around to jot things down. Writing something down on paper makes it stick in your mind. I just don’t get that same experience with typing. If I type something out, I often need to refer back to it. But it I write something down on paper, it sticks in my brain.

I will also take my notepad and walk away from the computer to sit, think, and write. When I need to think things out, the colorful monitor inhibits my thoughts. It beckons me to take action – not think.

Oh, and one more thing to add to your list. Toilet paper. I’d hate to see a paperless office restroom. BTW, if you think I’m kidding on this one, I’m not. I read a piece recently about a Japanese company that makes toilets with built-in bidets and dryers. Some environmental groups are advocating them. Sorry. No thanks.

By: Pete Aldin

Pete Aldin — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 01:16:36 +0000

No one else has said this here, so I will. (You can always delete the comment!)

The other place that computers will never replace paper is in the toilet…

By: ben

ben — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 23:12:24 +0000

Something tells me that I’m the exception. Of course, I have a computer handy 100% of the time if I’m working – everything goes into one of two textfiles, one a diary, one a phonebook.

If I need to take down a phone number or appointment, it usually goes on the back of one of the business cards in my wallet, to be transcribed later.

Oddly, the one thing for which I routinely rely on paper is doing long arithmetic – it’s easier to check figures that have been written down.

If I had an adequately powerful cellphone, I’d probably only use paper to do arithmetic.

And no, I can’t really say why this works for me… but it does.

By: Paul Glover

Paul Glover — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 21:20:31 +0000

I use a low-end Palm for my calendar, contacts, “major task” to-do list, and long-lived notes (such as my “how-to” list). I also use it for quick notes in situations where I’m not near my desk. Data entry is high friction, but being able to stuff it into a pants pocket and have it everywhere I go makes up for that.

For quick notes at my desk, more detailed to-do list breakdowns (sub-tasks of the major tasks in the PDA, one page per major task), and pretty much all design work, paper and pencils just get it done quicker than anything else I’ve tried, and as Mike said, it’s “in your face” so it’s kind of hard to forget what you’re meant to be working on.

By: Aaron B. Hockley

Aaron B. Hockley — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 20:42:52 +0000

My thoughts, in no particular order:

I carry a PDA containing task list and calendar. If you’re going to lug around a paper version, you might as well lug around something with some brains.

Most of my high level designs end up on a whiteboard initially. Not paper, but not electronic either.

Business cards get info moved to my contact manager software and then recycled.

My quick notes are paper. Yay for post-its.

By: Tim Molendijk

Tim Molendijk — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 19:50:42 +0000

(Correction of former comment: 2nd ‘is’ must be ‘I’.)

By: Tim Molendijk

Tim Molendijk — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 19:49:46 +0000

This is exactly what is use paper for too. No more, no less.