[Overview]
Digital publishing became mainstream in 1997. This was a new step in
the changes underwent by the traditional publishing chain since the
1970s. The traditional printing business was first disrupted by new
photocomposition machines, with lower costs. Text and image processing
began to be handed over to desktop publishing shops and graphic art
studios. Impression costs went on decreasing with desktop publishing,
photocopiers, color photocopiers and digital printing equipment.
Digitization also accelerated the publication process. Editors,
designers and other contributors could all work at the same time on the
same book. For educational, academic and scientific publications,
online publishing became a cheaper solution than print books, with the
possibility of regular updates to include the latest information.
[In Depth (published in 1999)]
Since the 1970s, the traditional publishing chain has drastically
changed. The printing work done by pre-press shops was first disrupted
by new photocomposition machines. Text and image processing began to be
handed over to advertising and graphic art agencies. Impression costs
went on decreasing with desktop publishing, copiers, color copiers and
digital printing equipment.
In 1997, text and image processing was provided at a low price by
desktop publishing shops and graphic art studios. Digitization
accelerated the publication process. Editors, designers and other
contributors could all work at the same time on the same book.
Digitization also made possible the online publishing of educational
and scientific publications, which appeared as a far better solution
than print books, because they could be regularly updated with the
latest information. Some universities began distributing their own
textbooks online, with chapters selected in an extensive database, and
articles and commentaries from professors. For a seminar, a small print
could be made upon request with a selection of online articles sent to
a printer.
Electronic publishing allowed some academic publishers to keep running
their business, with lower costs and quick access. This way, small
publishers went on publishing specialized books, for which the printing
in a small number of copies had become more and more difficult over the
years due to budgetary reasons. These books could now be regularly
updated and their readers benefit from the latest version. Readers
didn't need to wait any more for a new printed edition, often postponed
if not cancelled because of commercial constraints.
Electronic publishing and traditional publishing became complementary.
The frontier between the two supports - electronic and paper - was
vanishing. Most recent print media already stemmed from an electronic
version anyway, on a word processor, a spreadsheet or a database. More
and more documents became only electronic. And more and more print
books were scanned to be included in digital bookstores and libraries.
At the end of the 1990s, there were no reliable statistics yet proving
that the large-scale use of computers and electronic documents would
make us paperless and save some tress, as hoped by all of us who
believe in nature preservation. We were still in a transition period.
Many people still needed a print version for easier reading, or to keep
track of a document in case the electronic file was accidentally
deleted, or to have some paper support for their documentation or
archives.