There are some major problems at the present time which probably prevent publishers from considering authors' word processors as a preferred medium for the presentation of manuscripts. However, when these factors are completely 'in-house' they can be more easily controlled. All the text, over 60 million words, has been converted to computer-compatible form. After that, it can be edited, up-dated and searched electronically. The computerized version can be incorporated into 'intelligent' computer systems as an aid to natural language communication.
Electronic libraries based on optical disc are now a technical feasibility.
Against this, however, the cost to the end user is currently a great deal higher, because special display devices are needed in each case. These 'reading devices' are also less convenient to handle and read than print on paper. But these are exactly the same problems which are being experienced in the office and other applications of information technology and we can expect a concentrated research effort to solve them. In the meanwhile, electronic information technology is making inroads into the conventional printing side of book and newspaper publication. Figure 2.5 compares the stages of preparing a printed page by the three methods.