Topic 56

Paper files versus electronic files by Tomer

Throughout history databases of information were the centers of learning, however, with the computer revolution taking place, enormous libraries containing countless amounts of paper have been replaced by a small box with a screen.

Do digital databases make paper filing systems obsolete?
Does paper hold an advantage over digital databases which will never make paper disappear?

Although both have advantages and disadvantages, the two are not equal, one is better than the other.

1. What are the issues involved in ITGS?

One such ethical issue includes whether using one such technology is better or right than the other. Others include whether the penalty for breaking laws such as copyright would be more for one type of technology than the other.


2. How did this technology emerge?

The conversion from the tradition paper databases to t8e new digital database cause both social and ethical problems. However, from an ITGS point of view, the technology of digital both solves old problems that paper records have, but creates problems. The databases have been around for as writing was. A great library such as the one in Alexandria, were two of the many great databases that history describes. The ITGS issue originates with the digitalizing of those databases. Instead of the endless space and time it takes to organize paper files and folders, the processing power of a 2 by 4 processor in a metal box proved more efficient and convenient to store data.

3. How are the stake holders?
4. What are the advantages and disadvantages for these stake holders?

A stake holder is anyone with database. Clearly the properties of each type present themselves as advantages and disadvantages. The paper based databases do not have much advantage over the digital ones. The electronic database is smaller and more convenient: its accessibility is far faster, and its organization is a lot quicker. Moreover, copying a digital database requires seconds as opposed to rewriting scripts of paper as once people did, thus backing a database up is much easier this way. Even the durability of the database became superior with storage devices like magnetic tapes, hard disks, and compact disks. These days last for long period of time, a CD-R can function well from 70 to 200 years after its burning, while the data contained is maintained and can be copied without any loss of quality. Although paper can last that long just as well, paper decays and is oxidized by the air over time, quality is lost sometimes to a point of loosing of information. Digital databases prove more reliable. The only advantage paper has over digitalized files is the cost. Paper is cheap.

5. What solutions can overcome the problems?
6. What areas of impact does it affect?
7. Evaluate the impact locally and globally.

Once technology reduces the cost of electronics to that of paper databases’ only advantage over digital databases will be overcame. Slowly, information will be stored electronically all over the globe, and databases will grow even more efficient that they are today. The digitalization of information will have a very positive effect on the future of the human race in terms of efficiency.

1. What are the ethical issues?
2. Who is responsible?
3. Who is accountable?

With the internet developed to the proportions in reached today, an ethical issue arises, are digital database safe? If a database is linked to a network or the internet, hacking becomes a problem. Any hacker who knows what he is doing can break though to the data. The database’s manger suffers security problems.

4. What laws apply?

Laws of copyright, theft, hacking, identity and information apply.

5. Are there alternative ethical decisions?

Some alternatives may be to use a different technology or to change existing ones.

6. What are the consequences of these decisions?

Although hacking is a threat to digital databases, paper databases suffer similar threats. One can physically break into a paper databases as one can cyber-physically break into a digital database. The same laws of personal property and breaking and entering apply in the real, and cyber world, same punishment, same consequences. Therefore, digital databases are rather similar in concept to paper ones, but they are more efficient, more economic, and just as safe. There is no reason why digital databases should replace paper databases.

Throughout history databases of information were the centers of learning, however, with the computer revolution taking place, enormous libraries containing countless amounts of paper have been replaced by a small box with a screen.

Let us first define both those terms.
Paper is a commodity of thin material produced by the amalgamation of fibers, typically vegetable fibers composed of cellulose, which are subsequently held together by hydrogen bonding. While the fibers used are usually natural in origin, a wide variety of synthetic fibers, such as polypropylene and polyethylene, may be incorporated into paper as a way of imparting desirable physical properties. The most common source of these kinds of fibers is wood pulp from pulpwood trees, largely softwoods and hardwoods, such as spruce and aspen respectively. Other vegetable fiber materials including those of cotton, hemp, linen, and rice may be used.(www.wikipedia.org)
A paper file is referred to a document or a piece of information on paper used to many purposes.

An electronic file is a file stored in digital form; for example, on a CD, magnetic tape, DVD, HDD.

Do digital databases make paper filing systems obsolete?
Does paper hold an advantage over digital databases which will never make paper disappear?

Although both have advantages and disadvantages, the two are not equal, one is better than the other.
We will talk about those in the document hence onwards.

1. What are the issues involved in ITGS?
There are many issues involved with this topic. First of all, we have to resolve whether one type of storage or technology is better than the other or not. We can either state the advantages and disadvantages and then postulate on that. Or we can list the importance of each and then decide. Another issue is the history and emergence of such technologies. Something else might be whether something will be useful to one type of majority than the other.

2. How did this technology emerge?

The conversion from the tradition paper databases to the new digital database cause both social and ethical problems. However, from an ITGS point of view, the technology of digital both solves old problems that paper records have, but creates problems. The databases have been around for as writing was. A great library such as the one in Alexandria, were two of the many great databases that history describes. The ITGS issue originates with the digitalizing of those databases. Instead of the endless space and time it takes to organize paper files and folders, the processing power of a 2 by 4 processor in a metal box proved more efficient and convenient to store data.
Paper as written by wikipedia is as follows.
The word paper comes from the Greek term for the ancient Egyptian writing material called papyrus, which was formed from beaten strips of papyrus plants. Papyrus was produced as early as 3000 BC in Egypt, and sold to ancient Greece and Rome. The establishment of the Library of Alexandria put a drain on the supply of papyrus. As a result, according to the Roman historian Pliny (Natural History records, xiii.21), parchment was invented under the patronage of Eumenes of Pergamum to build his rival library at Pergamum. Outside of Egypt, parchment or vellum, made of processed sheepskin or calfskin, replaced papyrus as the papyrus plant requires subtropical conditions to grow.
In China, documents were ordinarily written on bone or bamboo, making them very heavy and awkward to transport. Silk was sometimes used, but was normally too expensive to consider. Indeed, most of the above materials were rare and costly. While the Chinese court official Cai Lun is widely regarded to have first described the modern method of papermaking (inspired from wasps and bees) from wood pulp in AD 105, the 2006 discovery of specimens bearing written Chinese characters in north-west China's Gansu province suggest that paper was in use by the ancient Chinese military more than 100 years before Cai in 8 BCE [2]. Archæologically however, true paper without writing has been excavated in China dating from the 2nd-century BCE. Paper is considered to be one of the Four Great Inventions of Ancient China.
In America, archaeological evidence indicates that paper was invented by the Mayans no later than the 5th century AD.[1] Called amatl, it was in widespread use among Mesoamerican cultures until the Spanish conquest. In small quantities, traditional Maya papermaking techniques are still practiced today.
Paper is considered to be one of the Four Great Inventions of Ancient China. It spread slowly outside of China; other East Asian cultures, even after seeing paper, could not figure out how to make it themselves. Instruction in the manufacturing process was required, and the Chinese were reluctant to share their secrets. The paper was thin and translucent, not like modern western paper, and thus only written on one side. Books were invented in India, of Palm leaves (where we derive the name leaf for a sheet of a book). The technology was first transferred to Korea in 604 and then imported to Japan by a Buddhist priests, around 610, where fibres (called bast) from the mulberry tree were used.
An electronic file can be traced back to the computer, which as many of us know, the pioneers were Dell and Microsoft.
3. How are the stake holders?
At the moment, no stake holders can be traced. The general audience and users of paper and electronic files or people who store using such types of technologies can be stake holders.

4. What are the advantages and disadvantages for these stake holders?

A stake holder is anyone with database. Clearly the properties of each type present themselves as advantages and disadvantages. The paper based databases do not have much advantage over the digital ones. The electronic database is smaller and more convenient: its accessibility is far faster, and its organization is a lot quicker. Moreover, copying a digital database requires seconds as opposed to rewriting scripts of paper as once people did, thus backing a database up is much easier this way. Even the durability of the database became superior with storage devices like magnetic tapes, hard disks, and compact disks. These days last for long period of time, a CD-R can function well from 70 to 200 years after its burning, while the data contained is maintained and can be copied without any loss of quality. Although paper can last that long just as well, paper decays and is oxidized by the air over time, quality is lost sometimes to a point of loosing of information. Digital databases prove more reliable. The only advantage paper has over digitalized files is the cost. Paper is cheap.

5. What solutions can overcome the problems?
There is no one solution to this specific problem. A majority will prefer using paper for storage while the other will choose using electronic files as a storage option. Other solutions might be to use another type of storage system, which is different than that of paper or electronic files.

6. What areas of impact does it affect?
It impacts general life, official life and professional as well. It concerns people all around the world. Since almost all of use organize and store information, it will affect us if a new type of technology came about.
Basically, it impacts the people all over the globe, and the impact is pretty strong.

7. Evaluate the impact locally and globally.

Once technology reduces the cost of electronics to that of paper databases’ only advantage over digital databases will be overcame. Slowly, information will be stored electronically all over the globe, and databases will grow even more efficient that they are today. The digitalization of information will have a very positive effect on the future of the human race in terms of efficiency.
If a new technology emerges, it will impact strongly over the globe since almost all of us store information and organize it.

1. What are the ethical issues?
One such ethical issue includes whether using one such technology is better or right than the other. Others include whether the penalty for breaking laws such as copyright would be more for one type of technology than the other.

2. Who is responsible?
The company who makes the new technology, or changes existing technology. Or the people can be held responsible for choosing which of the existing ones are better. This can have an impact locally as well as globally.

3. Who is accountable?

With the internet developed to the proportions in reached today, an ethical issue arises, are digital database safe? If a database is linked to a network or the internet, hacking becomes a problem. Any hacker who knows what he is doing can break though to the data. The database’s manger suffers security problems.
As I said, the person or company responsible is accountable as well.

4. What laws apply?
Laws of copyright, theft, hacking, identity and information apply.

5. Are there alternative ethical decisions?
Some alternatives may be to use a different technology or to change existing ones.

6. What are the consequences of these decisions?

Although hacking is a threat to digital databases, paper databases suffer similar threats. One can physically break into a paper databases as one can cyber-physically break into a digital database. The same laws of personal property and breaking and entering apply in the real, and cyber world, same punishment, same consequences. Therefore, digital databases are rather similar in concept to paper ones, but they are more efficient, more economic, and just as safe. There is no reason why digital databases should replace paper databases
To use a different technology would mean to change rules, regulations, test many ideas, etc. It would cost time and money and resources. To change technology would have approximately the same impacts.

or this

Spread sheet programs such as Microsoft Excel have been invented as a systematic method to input and store data. This allowed a more efficient way of storing numerical data, but it also allowed the user to convert the data easily into different formats such as graphs. These programs also allowed users to program equations and calculate new values. What was the significance of these automated functions in terms of daily life? The answer lies in the changes that these programs brought to office work. Before these programs were introduced, companies needed to hire specialized and organized workers who had ability to effectively collect data and reconstruct the bits and pieces into an understandable format.

People who had these skills were not that common at the time, and even the people who were skilled in these aspects took considerable amount of time to complete these tasks. Due to this fact, it was common before for companies to skip organization of data, and keep them in their original format. However, with the introduction of spread sheet programs, ordinary people with no skill were able to do this in a shorter period of time by completing a simple task of punching in numbers in rows and columns. Thus the spread sheet programs succeeded in significantly increasing the process of office work, and providing more doable jobs for the general unskilled people.

However, the introduction of spread sheet programs was not all benefits which it brought in. It was said, prior to the public introduction of PCs that the public distribution of computers would increase the efficiency of jobs, and therefore decrease the time that workers had to work, for they could complete the same job in the same time. This proved not to be true as corporations gradually increased the amount of work required for their employees, as technology progressed.

This follows a trend of capitalism which was criticized by Karl Marks as an exploitation of the working class by middle class entrepreneurs. The example of spread sheet programs combined with past historical evidence shows that corporal interest is not to lessen the pressure of workers and lift them of their burden, but make them produce as much output as possible. Each time a new technology is introduced, corporate leaders use the cost for introduction of this technology as an excuse to not to lessen their employees’ work hours, where actually the cost is hardly enough to stop the corporate profit from increasing dramatically as technology advances.

This reveals a limitation in the capitalist system that is so accepted in the developed world. In a capitalist society, we consider seeking for profit and seeking economical success stepping on others an accepted idea, and as a result we let ourselves be exploited by greedy corporation, and also create a low working class which makes about 1/100th of what the top10 entrepreneurs make in total. This teaches us a lesson that we must not fall behind technology and let businesses use our ignorance about it as an advantage to maximize their profit while increasingly exploiting us.