So join the Future of Documents webinar in just a bit under 3 hours – Not sure you’ll get the whole truth, but it should be a lot of fun!
Sorry for the Europeans – that’s a bit late, but hope you can still join.
Also, you can use this post to provide feedback / impressions right after the actual webinar. I hope I can collect “hot off the press” feedback collected right after the broadcast.
Remember, tomorrow will be the unique opportunity to view a few of the cool technologies you’ve been reading about on my Future of Documents blog. I’ve shot videos of the Digital Mailroom, Glossmarks, and even Transient Paper – should be pretty cool!
Plus the presentation will be followed by a Q&A session – a great opportunity to ask burning questions on the Future of Documents!
So no hesitation, register at http://tinyurl.com/6e8q58 !
It is still time to register for the Future of Documents Webcast – registration page is at http://tinyurl.com/6e8q58.
Looking forward to a great online experience this wednesday, Dec. 3rd, 1-2pm EST!
Somewhat similar to reframeit in the idea, but quitedifferent in the implementation, here comes WebNotes. Instead of “scribbling in the margin”, this technology uses the (equally famous) Post’It metaphor.
You can write your notes in post-its which can be positioned anywhere on the page, or highlight specific highlight elements on the web page. A sidebar lets you organize and manage your annotations easily with a drag and drop interface.
This nice tool is probably better suited for workgroups or single users than broader social bookmarking applications. The annotations are only shared by email, when the user requests it, as opposed to “shared on the cloud” by default like reframeit.
A number of OASIS members have formed a new committee, called OIC, to help implementors create applications that conform to the OOXML specification.
Technology companies such as IBM, Oracle, Sun Microsystems, Google, Novell, Red Hat, but also large governmental organizations such US Department of Defense, Belgian Fedict, South Africa Dept of Science and Technology, and others have joined forces to collaborate to deliver “true data interoperability for office applications”.
The group will analyze current interoperability, and specify “profiles” which will be aimed at vertical domains (e.g. archiving – maybe that will lead towards semantic representations, such as HR-XML version of ODF?), but also horizontal domains (e.g. browser-based editors).
Definitely good news for the Future of Documents as it will ensure future interoperability of the various ODF implementations (which is now the format of choice for office documents). Could that move be IBM and Sun’s response to Microsoft’s increasing control over ODF?
A very extensive report for those of you who are interested in e-reader technologies and its market: “E-reader technology and markets 2008-2020″ takes you from the basics of “what is an e-reader?” to the various subtypes and potential market shares: rollable / bendable e-readers, E-book readers, A4-sized bendable e-readers, paper replacement readers, Magazine e-readers, newspaper e-readers, and A4 bendable “convergence” e-Readers. Along the way, interesting findings, like the fact that e-readers actually appeal to older generations because the font sizes can be increased.
It details the technologies, the existing devices, as well as some market projections – 578 million units produced in 2020. It also lists the top applications an e-reader will have to fulfill – Annotation, Clipping, Gathering, Sharing, Notebook and Personal Library management, before discussing the actual content formats which will be key to e-reader publishing.
The most comprehensive guide to e-reader technologies I have seen to date – definitely worth reading if you are interested in the topic. To order it contact AFAICS Research.
Interesting article from the Economist on the paperless office – on its way at last?
One of the justifications for this transition are generational changes and Generation Y college kids entering active life with their “digital life” habits, and replacing older generations with their paper habits. Of course, advances in technology (including “cloud computing” and new document affordances, ie Document 2.0) are also a major factor in this mutation. e-Readers are not mentioned but will play a major role over the next few years.
An interesting side effect is that users demand less quantity, but more quality – “higher bright” paper, as the article calls it, are growing by 8%, along with color printing.
A second article: ” Technological Comebacks – not dead, just resting ” gives more precise numbers on the decline of paper usage by US workers. It should be noted that this view is quite US-centric. and might not generalize well to the rest of the world. Let’s bear in mind that the US, with 5% of the world population, represent 30% of the world paper consumption, so should lead the way to the Less Paper Office.
Practices are quite different in emerging countries especially BRIC, where paper continues to grow, if not explode. But for how long?
