As a late Boomer, I can say my particular age group is better positioned than any to marvel at and bemoan what’s become of journalism and publishing in the last 40 years.

Not that I’m a Luddite. The advent of word processors was a boon to ham-fisted typists like me. A word processor that actually stored files? Outstanding! And then, not too much later, it was amazing to see computers that allowed editors to search lists and view layouts.

Fine, just go ahead and say it now: “OK, Boomer.” I don’t care—no one can disagree that even the world’s greatest publications have more typographical and factual errors than ever. Even well-respected, mainstream publications run articles that end with a disclaimer, something like, “If you spot an error, let us know...” which I would rate right alongside, “Your call is important to us.”

The reason for the higher rate of error is, or should be, obviously simple: Publishers spend less time (read: money) on editorial quality assurance.

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