Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has made the bold claim that print will be extinct within the next 10 years. He says magazines, newspapers and all media will no longer exist in physical form as we know it, and will only be delivered via IP networks. His essential theory is that both producers and consumers crave the interaction that only networked communications can supply. Ballmer also sees a further blending of commerce and content which will make it increasingly difficult to distinguish between advertising, communication and entertainment.
[Washington Post via Buzzmachine]
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I’d believe it more coming from someone who wasn’t trying to sell me something.
June 6th, 2008 at 9:44 am
I agree with you there Liz.
The “death of print” story crops up every time a new media takes off. I’m pretty sure they said the same cinema began to take off.
Then again, 20 years ago if some one told you that over 50% of human communication would soon be mediated via artificial intelligence and/or machines/software you would have laughed in their face.
June 6th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
As long as people have dogs that aren’t housebroken, print will continue to exist. Wee-Wee pads are too expensive.
June 6th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
People fail to appreciate rituals. There is a ‘ritual’ that people enjoy when they kick back and read the Sunday paper. Could they do it on their laptop? Sure…but they don’t…again, because there is a ritual that dictates the physical relationship with that paper.
Same with books. Same with magazines.
Vynil survives because of this ritual.
June 6th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
And not only is it associated with ritual, but printed media remains a perfectly valid, usable product with its own advantages, like not relying on a device that costs hundreds or thousands of dollars in order to view it. I do believe that we will see a drastic decrease in the usage of printed media, but to suggest that it will disappear entirely, and do that within 10 years, simply because we have more sources of information at our disposal seems pretty ignorant in my opinion. I don’t think the Amazon Kindle has made that big of a dent in book sales yet.
June 6th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
Adding to the idea of “ritual”, nothing can truly replicate highlighting, jotting down notes, turning and dog-earing pages on a whim. No form of media has ever eliminated another. Video never killed the radio star. There will always be a need and appreciation for print.
June 6th, 2008 at 10:42 pm
I think he’s right
Paper will be too expensive
(would you print at $1 a sheet?)
No media ever disappears entirely but we are running out of world to make this stuff with
On the other hand I cant see Microsoft being here in ten year’s time either they are too reliant on trying to enclose and own technology that will increasingly be a commons; generic & free
:J
ps really nice to see all the environment day (DIY etc.) articles it was a great day in London, I spent most of it with green minded folk at the BBC
June 7th, 2008 at 8:50 am
He’s obviously never been to the third world, either.
June 9th, 2008 at 11:11 am
Steve is way off on this one.
Newspapers and magazines are far too convenient to see them just disappear. As much as I enjoy technology, its a lot harder to take a laptop to the toilet than a magazine.
June 9th, 2008 at 3:07 pm