This may be stale news for some, but I've been very interested to read some thought-provoking material on the 43folder website about the value of paper-based work systems as compared with PC systems.

It's particularly relevant to the frequent discussions here on software programs that assist creativity.

If you're interested, start with The New Yorker article "The Social Life of Paper" at http://www.gladwell.com/2002/2002_03_25_a_paper.htm

There is a discussion thread about the article (including some mind blowing personal systems) at http://209.162.194.61/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00008c&topic_id=1&topic=Ask+E%2eT%2e

Fascinating stuff.

Jack

Gladwell is an interesting writer (e.g. _Blink_ and the other one, which extolled the theory of the straw that breaks the camel's back), but I think there's an element of sentimental anti-technology in his thinking. The days of paper are numbered. While it's correct to point out that computers have yet to improve upon some of paper's functions, it is tendentious to insist that if paper came after computers, it would have been seen as the greater invention.

Stephen R. Diamond