Why does the founder of The Next Web, Twitter Counter and several other digitally-based companies print out his boarding pass when he flies?
Because, he believes, there are times when paper beats digital.
“Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not a luddite who thinks that technology and innovation sucks,” says Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten. “There are just moments when paper is still superior to digital…”
Like when you need a boarding pass that lets you on the plane sans hassle. Or you want to read a magazine. That’s right; the digital publisher acknowledges the experience of reading a printed magazine is satisfying in a way that digital is not.
“There is just something about mindlessly flipping through a paper magazine, folding pages back and forth and making notes in the sidelines. I don’t think paper magazines are better than digital magazines, or the other way around. I just think they will turn out to become totally different products.”
We agree. There is a wide open future for digital magazines, and an equally promising horizon for print. The experience, content and engagement differ. And for many, van Zanten included, a printed magazine is the clear favorite.