I read about the near-demise of two things this past week and it has me rather blue.
After a 244-year run, the good people at Encyclopedia Britannica announced they are giving it up and will stop print-publishing the hefty reference. They will maintain an on-line presence, but it’s just not the same.
My parents never purchased the Encyclopedia Britannica so I would go the school library and hope another student was not using the volume I needed. Remember how they smelled? Musty and intellectual. My brainiac best friend in junior high had a set in her home. Apparently her parents deemed her education more important than mine did. As a result, she went on to be a doctor and I am a lowly writer.
They say the end of the Encyclopedia has nothing to do with Google or Wikipedia, but I don’t believe them.
The second thing in a declining state because of our digitized era is the business card. With LinkedIn, Smartphones, tablets, and social media, who needs a business card to exchange contact information anymore? I understand it, but I still like a business card. I wonder how the Japanese are adapting to this trend. They consider presenting and accepting a business card a ceremonial rite.
Volumes have been written about the disappearance of books, CDs, and DVDs so I won’t go into that. But I must make a note to learn more about this “cloud” thing everyone is talking about.
Don’t misunderstand me. I’m all for change, but the changes have me a little nostalgic. I’m going to pat the books on my shelves to let them know I still love them. That could take a while.
Robin Coyle 
The thing about business cards is that to get one you have to meet the owner. Electronic contacts can be collected wholesale with a lot less effort. I bet that those cool kids all have a thousand “freinds” on Facebook, most of whom they never see or talk to.
Contacts in business terms are at least as much about quality as quantity. 10 people who buy from you are worth more than a hundred who don’t. If I speak to you and hand you a card, you feel like we have a proper connection.
Good point about the quality being more important than quantity.
As soon as I have a name worth the print I’ll make my own fancy-dan business card and EVERYONE will want one. I can’t believe there will ever be a loss of those sweet little cards. Those were my introduction to graphic design and marketing altogether. Great Post Robin, I think we all feel the same way.
Can I be the first to get one of your new business cards?
What a Sweety you are 😉
Why thank you. Same to you!
I expect there will come a time where when we meet someone for the first time, instead of shaking hands, we will just press our electronic devices together and details will automatically be exchanged. We probably won’t even need to speak. Is anyone looking forward to that day? I’m not.
I like business cards too and I have some that I give out whenever I can. A card is also a prompt isn’t it; sometimes I will look through my purse and will come across someone’s card and it will remind me that I was going to contact them about something – this doesn’t happen with electronic details stored amongst hundreds of other electronic records.
I got a visual of something out of a science fiction movie from your comment. Two droids wordlessly pointing their phones at each other as they pass on the street. . . no eye contact. Scary.
I use 200 or more business cards a year; one for work, one for my band, and one for me. It makes it easy for people to add me to their digital system, book the band, and fav my web sites. I’m just sayin’…
Good for you. I like business cards too. They are more personal than zapping your contact information to someone’s phone with the push of a button. I hate the idea that someday we will go into antique stores and see vintage business cards for sale. I also hate when I go into an antique store and see stuff I grew up with! Does that make me an antique too?
There should be a LOVE button instead of the ‘like’. You’re after my own heart.
Phil made a good point too. I can’t imagine trying to give somebody all YOUR information any other way. I LIKE business cards. They save time and are already correct. Bing. Bang. Boom. DONE.
BTW, I’m going to go to pat my books too. Right now. . .
I say we petition WordPress to add a LOVE button. Then we can all spread the love around!
I like to think that business cards aren’t dying a slow death but according to Matt Stevens at the Los Angeles Times, “to young Web-savvy people . . . the cards are irrelevant, wasteful – and just plain lame.” They aren’t to me!
The end of the business card ?
No chance. In this digital world you need something to hand over with your web address, e-mail address, home phone, work phone, mobile phone, Twitter account etc. on it.
Either that or spend an hour trying to make sure your new contact has everything written down properly.