Path: utzoo!utgpu!cunews!micor!isishq!testsys!doug
From: isishq!testsys!doug (Doug Thompson)
Newsgroups: comp.society.futures
Subject: Re: Paperless office
Message-ID: <104338707DN5.35B@testsys.uucp>
Date: Mon, 08 Oct 90 21:19:06 
References: <9010031156.AA26927@encore.encore.com> <542181945DN5.35B@testsys.uucp> <27575@bellcore.bellcore.com> <5971@minyos.xx.rmit.oz>
Distribution: na
Organization: SKAN Communications Inc., Ottawa, Canada
Lines: 78

In article <5971@minyos.xx.rmit.oz> (Felicity Jones [Ice]) writes: 

> Actually, I was told by our bank that they only verify cheques that are
> over a certain amount (in this bank's case - $1000) for signature verification
> and in our case - for the presence of two signatories.  Guess that means I could
> write a cheque for under $1000 and present it unsigned...... like you say, 
> the volume is just too great. 

That's right. In fact, if you think about the effort involved in
verifying a signature on a cheque - and the fact that cheque clearing
houses do not *have* the signature records - you realize that the bank
has no practical choice except to clear cheques unless something looks
fishy or a customer complains about an unauthorized withdrawal.

In contrast, the electronic verification can and does check its
records on each transaction.

> EDI constitutes more than a "bit" as far as I've read.   And it's accepted
> and even forced upon companies.   Take the example of Levi's.   They gave
> their suppliers a deadline - get onto EDI or you no longer deal with us...
> Large supermarket chains, the automotive industry, I could go on and on -
> a lot of these corporations will not deal any other way than through EDI and
> the list is growing bigger and bigger.  E-mail was just the beginning.  
> Millions of business transactions every day are being conducted electronically -
> invoices, purchase orders, payments, you name it, it's being done
> electronically.

Right you are. EDI *is* e-mail, with standard forms and verification 
for the purpose of invoicing and making payments. Didn't know it was
doing so well down-under.

> In Australia, EDI is seen as a way to bring us closer to markets that have
> been too far away for practicality and economy to deal with.  Our largest
> retail chain has just signed a contract for what will be one of the biggest
> EDI projects in the world (or so the hype goes) - certainly it's the biggest
> this country has ever seen.  Many will follow their lead and their suppliers
> will have no choice, it will become an economic necessity.

Yep. Just as the telephone and the typewriter became economic
necessities for businesses, so computer communication will in due course.

> > I guess, I am arguing that what you suggest is a more reasonable use of e-mail
> > compared to how it is currently used.  However, the model of use is different
> > at this point in time.  The technology is unquestionably there, but are people
> > prepared to use it and accept its use in these ways?
> > 
> Let's hope for the sake of the trees that soon they will have no choice :-)

That introduces a couple of interesting perspectives. The pulp and
paper industry is very important in this province. A lot of rural
areas will lose a big chunk of their livlihood if the demand for paper
goes down. Of course, newspapers still represent the largest consumer
of trees for paper.

One can think about a consumer computer communication system which
could be an effective alternative to printed newspapers, but that is
almost certainly further in the future than the replacement of
paper business forms.

And both EDI and this hypothetical consumer computer communication
system are immensely beneficial to remote areas where the cost of
transportation is very high.  Electronic links tend to be relatively
cheap, and certainly fast, regardless of where in the world you are. 

Think about Third World development issues for a moment, where
isolation and the cost of transportation and communication are major
impediments to economic development. Electronic communication offers
possibilities for participation in distant markets, especially for the
trade in information which can be transmitted electronically, which
would not really be there without it.

Distance really does cease to be a major issue for the exchange of
data.  The fact that you are sitting in Melbourne and I am sitting in
Ottawa - communicating easily and economically - is evidence of this. 

Best,

=Doug
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{...} watmath!isishq!doug
doug@isishq.fidonet.org