
Ask HN: What are some things done on paper that can be replaced with software? - kilimchoi
In your industry, what are some inefficiencies that you noticed which are currently done on paper or some outdated technology that could be potentially improved by using better software?
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tyh
Buying a car requires a lot of paperwork and signing. When you finish you get
a folder with all the copies and disclosures which you will file away and
never remember what they were about until you want to complain about something
some day.

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znt
AFAIK teachers spend quite a lot of time grading student papers. This would be
easy for multiple choice type homework, but grading essays etc is all manual
work at the moment.

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Someone1234
There is a handful of companies which offer the multiple choice variety. They
often use a smartphone app to scan a QR code (ID student) and the answer
bubbles.

This software is often expensive to license and from what I understand heavily
patent protected (like much educational software), making it an absolute
minefield to enter unless you're a massive publisher or similar.

~~~
zhte415
Really?

I would have thought putting multiple choice questions online (internet or
intranet) would be incredibly easy. Infact, I've done so myself.

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MalcolmDiggs
Business cards. IMHO there's _still_ no good universal way to give someone
your phone number in real life.

A number of apps have been built to address this (remember "bump" technology
for example), but most have fallen out of favor. Until there is near-universal
adoption of some kind of alternative, I'll have to keep carrying around
business cards...which just seems silly...

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brudgers
The more powerful question is what are the tasks for which computers can
replace people.

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tmaly
obtaining a mortgage and all the disclosures is still a paper based system.

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AnimalMuppet
People like Box have done a lot toward streamlining it - _part_ of the stuff
can be done electronically. Not all, but much of the pre-closing stuff. It's
progress, but there's still more to do.

