[Lady Fitzgerald]

Lessee...iPad 9 1/2" x 7 1/2" x 1/2", uses a non-user replaceable battery, and weighs 1.5 lb. Memo pad 4 1/2" x 3 1/4" x 1/4", no battery, and weighs 2 oz. My digital audio recorder 4 1/8" x 1 1/4" x 1/2", three user replaceable AAA batteries, and weighs 3 oz.

The digital recorder requires no boot up time when switched on and can be held in one hand and operated by feel with one thumb (perfect for when I'm driving; it's safer than using a hands off cell phone). The notepad can have pages ripped out and given to other people. Both combined weigh 1/3 the weight of the iPad and take up less room in my purse or in a pocket. For that matter, an iPad will not even fit in my purse. The digital recorder cost $60 eight years ago; they run less than half that for the equivalent now. The notepad runs $2 max. iPads run $500-600. Guess which I prefer?

Still, my home office is pretty much paperless. Except for documents like titles, birth certificates, etc., I do not keep hard copies of anything. I receive as many receipts, statements, etc. as possible from online and scan everything else as soon as it hits my desk.

For true paperless business to happen, digital document management and distribution will have to become more convenient and less expensive than using paper and businesses and government entities will have to let go of outdated attachments to paper. Someone mentioned digital documents can be altered. So can paper so that's a non-argument.