Micrographics, reprography, and graphic communications in 1981

In 1981, as in 1980, there was continued discussion of the potential of videodiscs in document storage and retrieval, but little in the way of practical results apart from visual (as opposed to textual) materials. The micrographics industry, on the other hand, introduced new products designed to facilitate the use of microforms, while library and other professional literature reported the advantages of microforms in various types of information storage and retrieval applications. Copier product developments were largely dominated by the announcement of various low-cost plain-paper units from Japan. The Japanese likewise played an important role in the development of facsimile technology, which enjoyed considerably increased acceptance during 1981.