Comments on: Disappearing prints

By: Orange Box

Orange Box — Wed, 07 May 2008 14:19:06 +0000

This technology is anything but new. I used to have a pen 20 years ago where the ink disappeared after couple of hours.

By: Mostly Harmless

Mostly Harmless — Mon, 05 May 2008 16:56:38 +0000

Rekrul- That is a really good idea. EE’s observation is valid about being able to mark up documents. So develop and sell pens that can mark the page and still be erased using the same technology. Run with it!

By: Rafael Venegas

Rafael Venegas — Mon, 05 May 2008 00:52:52 +0000

How much money will be saved by reusing paper and how much will the handling of the paper for reuse will cost? If the handling will cost more than the savings, there will be a net loss.

I predict the added paper handling will cost far more than the savings in paper at current paper costs.

This idea may be good if the cost of paper increases drastically or if a law makes it obligatory to reduce paper consumption for environmental reasons.

By: EE

EE — Sun, 04 May 2008 13:20:15 +0000

I don’t think you can use ink on them. From reading the link, it appears that the paper is marked using only light. If you put something on it, (ink, pencil marks) I don’t think the marks will disappear.

By: Reader's Write

Reader's Write — Sun, 04 May 2008 08:43:08 +0000

I can see it being used for contracts. If only the cost of ink would disappear with it.

By: EE

EE — Sun, 04 May 2008 07:54:35 +0000

One time use documents that you can’t make notes on, circle an item, underline anything or otherwise annotate without ruining…

It will never catch on without significant improvement.

By: Reader's Write

Reader's Write — Sun, 04 May 2008 01:51:30 +0000

1. Sign out a loan on this kind of paper
2. ….
3. PROFIT!

By: Stray Mongrel

Stray Mongrel — Sat, 03 May 2008 22:13:09 +0000

I agree with Rekrul.

By: Rekrul

Rekrul — Sat, 03 May 2008 21:45:37 +0000

I have a better idea; Instead of documents that erase themselves after a certain period of time, which is a really stupid idea, how about documents that CAN be erased when the person wants to re-use the paper? Build the erasure mechanism into the copier. Then people can just collect old documents that are no longer needed, load them into the paper tray and re-use them. This way you wouldn’t have important documents disappearing while you might still need them.

By: Reader's Write

Reader's Write — Sat, 03 May 2008 20:35:07 +0000

I would reject it only because records must be keep for 7 years.
If some idiot at the office went and filed these we would be in shit if we got audited.

By: Reader's Write

Reader's Write — Sat, 03 May 2008 13:34:45 +0000

I can just see some stupid business executive rejecting this out of hand because of some unjustifiable need to keep records of everything. “What if someone makes a mistake and prints our important documents…”

Also, one can imagine that if this hits mainstream, a lot of people will start photocopying a lot of documents they receive, for fear they are printed with this technology.

Finally, skammers rejoice!