Abstract
Electronic media give us greater access to vast amounts of information than ever before. It has often been said that digital technologies will make paper, which is the standard analog medium, outdated. Digital technologies often eliminate the need for paper, but at other times they create a greater demand for it. For example, there is a growing demand for office paper. By contrast, the demand for newspaper and printing paper has plateaued. Paper supports certain human activities better than the digital alternatives do. For example, paper provides a considerably more comfortable and barrier-free interface for its users than electronic displays. In fact, people prefer to print documents on paper when they want to read them. Thus, the old-fashioned technology of paper will continue to thrive because of its user-friendly nature. The balance between the use of paper and electronic media may change depending on the demands of users, but it is important to consider how old and new technologies can work in synchronization.
