When is the last time you read an article/blog/etc. on the Internet and saw a button for a print friendly version? That used to be something on every page, and one people often shared on social media (or email) because it didn't have all the advertisements in it. I remember having to help code this feature on SQL Server Central when we started as plenty of people wanted to print articles out and read them later. That desire led to Andy brainstorming that we should release The Best of books each year.

I was reading about how the Internet has changed many things in our lives and I thought about these links. I searched a number of places I visit often and there are no more printer links. I'm guessing with mobile devices and various save services, most people have gotten used to using digital technology to consume information?

I still print things at times, though fairly rarely. I don't often consume anything on physical media anymore, including books. I've tried to read a few times on paper, but it's inconvenient to me now. I have to remember to pack something or carry it, I need a light often, it just doesn't work as well.

I rarely see paper in use in meetings anymore at all. Whether I'm at a Redgate office or a customer site, most people seem to have monitors, projectors, sharing apps, and more so paper is just rarely used.

At the same time, it's not completely out of date. It works well and it's simple. I see it used for announcements, for small handouts, signs, and menus. Quite a few of us don't like the digital menus from QR codes and it seems most restaurants I've visited still create physical menus. Signs and announcements are the places I still see paper in use regularly. I will say I've seen a few people (a very few) using e-ink devices, which is something I'm tempted to use. I do find writing helps me remember things better.

The world continues to create more and more data, while finding more numerous and novel ways to disseminate it. For much of the time, the paperless office exists, and I see less and less use of paper for distributing information, but it hasn't completely disappeared. Except, perhaps, from the web.