Gutenberg has been hailed as the father of printing. He was the first one who introduced a modern typeset and set up a printing press. A compositor using Gutenberg’s press could put together about 2,000 characters or letters in an hour; today a computer could do more in three seconds. Printing has advanced to such a level and with such speed that today more words are being printed every second than they were in all of fifteenth and sixteenth century. The sheer potential of how fast technology can advance is baffling. However, it is important to know that up until the nineteenth century, the same printing process was being used as Gutenberg. After this, steam and electric engines were involved in printing, increasing their productivity and efficiency. This is how we arrived at the modern printer.

By the 70s, computers had become an active part of the printing process and eventually the idea of desktop printers was evolved. The print then eventually led into the digital age, so much so that now we have iPhones with the printed words on them, rendering some functions of book obsolete. For example, books were first published or written for the purpose of imparting knowledge and education. The digital world has now taken over this function. Yet the mystery remains unsolved. Why is print still as important to us as it was years and years ago? Why are newspapers still being published by printing press in Dubai? In fact, so much so that now we have 3D printing that is used for marketing purposes. How do we have all of this and the digital world?

These questions can be answered very easily. First, we must not forget that the original will always remain in a position of power and no alternative or modern technology, by any means, can manage to replace it. This is how books should be viewed; books were the original technology that the digital is mimicking or trying to provide an alternative for. Printing is used in many things still, marketing campaigns, art installations, educational or creative pieces, business campaigns and these needs will never diminish to a point where we don’t need printing press in Dubai or in any corner of the world. Print is a medium that has evolved tremendously and continues to advance, even integrating into the digital, showing its true mettle and well deserved power.