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The Evolution of “Paper to Paper”—A Journey Defining Print Media & the Printing Industry’s Future

We hear so much about the demise of printing on traditional paper, and the demise of paper due to shortages & supply chain issues. Cal Poly Emeritus Professor Dr. Harvey Levenson shares an alternative that is developing to retain the value of printing on traditional paper. Dr. Levenson describes what he calls the evolution of “Paper to Paper” and the use of paper in the printing industry’s future. He says: “Paper, the magical carrier of knowledge and information, has been the most pervasive vehicle to advance civilization for centuries.”

Paper is the most-costly consumable used in traditional printing, representing between 30% to 50% of the cost of printing, and perhaps more today in light of distribution difficulties and unprecedented supply shortages, and is considered a “necessary evil” for traditional printing. However, a main reason for retaining paper as the substrate of choice is that print is the most durable, informative, pervasive, detailed, influential, and meaningful form of media that has existed for over 550 years, and continues to be so.

Consider the following: “If I had a copy of a Gutenberg Bible printed in 1456, when I would open it up, it would speak to me in clear Latin in its original color ink, and display its graphic embellishments in their original colors and beautiful designs...566 years later”. So, the myth is that we are moving toward a paperless society. The reality is that we are moving toward longer lasting, more durable, and more versatile paper.

This is all well presented in Dr. Levinson’s latest Graphic Communication Advisory Group white paper, available here.
 
I'm sorry, I'm not sure what he's trying to say.

article almost sounds like "clever" way of saying "print is dead"?
 
I'm sorry, I'm not sure what he's trying to say.

article almost sounds like "clever" way of saying "print is dead"?

I think the author is saying that tech like tablet computers are the new paper.
The article is all quite fuzzy to me. Maybe if the article was printed on paper it would be clearer?
 
I think the author is saying that tech like tablet computers are the new paper.
Right.which is non sense and his silly way of saying "print is dead"

There are digital options but nothing near as cost effective in many scenarios.

For example, my real estate agents can distribute a hundred door hangers to promote a nearby open house event.

What's the digital option? A geo-fence on the neighborhood and digital advertising push to neighbours phones/devices?

His article seemed absolutely absurd?!

Fyi, that ricoh live paper stuff is dumb.
 
One important thing most pundits ignore about paper vs digital is the impermanence of digital.
For just one example, Seybold seminars were a series of annual print trade educational events with accompanying seminar reports. If you have the print version of those seminars you can still read through them. But try and view them online and you get this:
Screenshot 2022-06-07 5.52.40 PM.png
 
I haven't seen seybold in over 20 years. It was crazy expensive back then.

Your point is correct... If you saved them, there's value.
 
Dear PrintPlanet industry Colleagues,

I greatly appreciate your responses to my article on the evolution of paper.

I welcome dialogue, and understand that some of you may have missed the relevant point behind the article. For this I apologize if I could have been more clear. To rectify any misunderstanding, I wrote the following piece especially for you:

I welcome any further constructive responses that you may wish to offer.

I was not being defensive in writing this piece. I am not that type of person.

Respectfully,
Harvey
 
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Dear PrintPlanet industry Colleagues,

I greatly appreciate your responses to my article on the evolution of paper.

I welcome dialogue, and understand that some of you may have missed the relevant point behind the article. For this I apologize if I could have been more clear. To rectify any misunderstanding, I wrote the following piece especially for you:

I welcome any further constructive responses that you may wish to offer.

I was not being defensive in writing this piece. I am not that type of person.

Respectfully,
Harvey
Thanks for the clarifying post.

You mentioned Ricoh's Clickable paper as an example:

"All new technologies have to go through the
product development and marketing steps necessary for technology to successfully progress from
concept to market demand and acceptance."


Ricoh's Clickable paper was introduced at drupa in 2012 making it a 10 year old technology. I think you'd agree that 10 years is sufficient time for it to go through the product development and marketing steps necessary for it to successfully progress from concept to market demand and acceptance.
So I downloaded the Ricoh app and aimed it at the page in their brochure that they told me to scan with my phone to have the clickable paper experience.

This is the message that popped up.

IMG_0859.jpeg


Not impressed.

There are some real problems with technologies such as this, not only in their functionality but also in the corporate perception of the market demand for such "solutions".
 
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You are right about the 2012 development. We helped develop it at Cal Poly. I led the team. However, it sort of laid dormant by Ricoh until 2018 when we introduced its use for books. We produced two Clickable books, one Introduction to Graphic Communication and the other, The Sound of Bamboo. We are now working on a third. The clickable app works perfectly.
Are you using the right app? It's called CP Clicker. It's a square magenta color with the letters CP in it. The reviews we've gotten from the schools are remarkably good. I'm happy to share some published articles about them them for you. If interested send me an email.

One more thing. If using the right app, are you holding the clicker over the page giving it enough time to open? Some people just starting out pulls their hand away before the page opens.
 
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I'm using CLICKA for clickable paper from Ricoh on the Apple store. The article did not say to use the CP Clicker. So now I downloaded CP Clicker and it worked.
Why are there two apps by Ricoh in the Apple store that appear identical in description, function and use except that one of them doesn't actually work?
Why did Ricoh let the tech lay dormant for 6 years?
Sorry but this feels like a brilliant technical exercise with no actual perceivable broad adoption future.
 
1. Can't answer the multiple Clicker question, but will ask my Ricoh contact when I return from a trip, leaving tomorrow.
2. My guess is that Ricoh is primarily in the hardware business and CP didn't hit the "top of the pile" of the to-do list until I got involved with the book application. They do now have a lead person handling the project.

Now I have a question. With whom do I have the pleasure of these exchanges? Do you have a website for me to learn about who you are and what you do? I'm interested.
 
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Now I have a question. With whom do I have the pleasure of these exchanges? Do you have a website for me to learn about who you are and what you do? I'm interested.

Well, at the present moment I do a bit of photograhy ( Gordon Pritchard's Photography ), sketching ( Sketches by Gordon Pritchard ), cartooning ( https://printplanet.com/forums/re-print.36/ ) and print tech consulting (mostly solving press quality troubles and giving expert testimony in print legal litigation cases) in addition to my print tech blog ( The Print Guide ). I have a short resume here: Gordon Pritchard's Résumé
I've worked in north america in advertising, marketing, and print technology since the late sixties.and globally since the late 90s.
 
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History shows that if the concept of a technology develops that serve human needs and improves quality of life, and if it improves communication, it will happen.
 
Very impressive background. We have much in common. I too do a lot of Expert Witness work and I’m familiar with many of the organizations you noted. I’ll be signing off for the night and leaving for a week long trip tomorrow. Thanks for the discussion. I posted my website on a previous communication: hrlevenson.wixsite.com/hrlevenson
 
History shows that if the concept of a technology develops that serve human needs and improves quality of life, and if it improves communication, it will happen.

The concept may be developed into a technology but that does not mean that it will be adopted nor, if adopted, be abandoned. (Where did all those 3D TVs disappear to?)
 

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