The Document Processing Revolution

This paper examines the thesis that processes of creating, publishing, and managing documents are undergoing radical changes. In order to assess the validity of the thesis and to better understand the nature of the revolution, it is necessary to establish a framework for analysis. The paper takes two perspectives to set the stage. First, an historical analysis attempts to posit the current developments in a larger context. Second, the nature and the magnitude of the changes in several aspects of the technology of document processing are explored. Following these analyses, the paper attempts to outline the document processing revolution. This is done in two parts. First, relevant changes in enabling technologies and information infrastructure are explored. Second, the changes in roles, processes, and products of modern document processing are reviewed.