When I hear the term "paperless office," I have to control an overpowering urge to laugh. Why? Because there is no such thing as a paperless office. And, unfortunately, it's not likely to become a reality anytime soon.

Championing the paperless office isn't merely a case of adopting the latest technology simply for its own sake. There are sound economic and environmental reasons. Paper is expensive. Cut down on paper use and you cut costs. The less paper that is used, the fewer the trees that have to be killed.

The Technological Side

It's not that the technology hasn't kept up with the vision. Technologies touted as the digital version of paper include HTML, e-mail, Windows Help, Adobe Acrobat, and the list goes on. Most companies use Microsoft Word and Excel to create and exchange documents. They're simple to use and they effectively present information. The software used to create and view output is widely available. But instead of decreasing the amount of paper we use, these technologies have actually increased the volume of paper being spit out by printers.

If you don't believe me, walk by a printer at the office and take a good look around. Chances are you'll see literally dozens of sheets of paper lying either on the printer or in its vicinity. Everything from memos and spreadsheets to Web pages that have been spat out in the last few hours or the last day.