phsc.ca

Fuji Xerox sign courtesy
of Getty Images and NPR

Toronto. When was the last time you made a Xerox copy? Can’t remember? You are not alone. I think it was a couple of decades ago for me. I usually just pop the paper or papers in my Canon All-in-one and make the copy  – or use the Canon and the Image Capture application in my computer to make a jpeg version of the paper print at what ever resolution I need.

Fujifilm in Japan and Xerox in the States joined forces way back in 1962 to make a subsidiary called Fuji Xerox. The Xerox Lab in California is often mentioned as the inspiration for the modern computer mouse and its computer screen’s user interface (UI). And Fujifilm was the most serious competitor to Kodak’s camera film business.

In the 1980s, when I worked for Bell, Xerox made a small Laser printer the size of a desk for about $27,000 Canadian. It was a minor competitor to the massive printers IBM manufactured and sold.

According to National Public Radio in the States (NPR), Xerox recently sold out to Fujifilm and a new company, also known as Fuji Xerox, will be formed with headquarters in both Tokyo and Norwalk, Conn.

We sometimes are unaware of just how deeply the digital revolution cuts, killing off or decimating so many traditional industries – printing, publishing, mail delivery, film, retailing, Over Air TV, traditional telephone switches, film camera technology, and now Xerox.

My thanks to George Dunbar for pointing out this article and the NPR link.