Paperless debate

Paperless debate refers to debating with computers instead of physical paper. While common in other leagues, it is not yet generally accepted in the NCFCA and Stoa, and its use is restricted to practice tournaments and other informal debates.

Potential advantages
The proposed advantages of paperless debating include:


 * Saving money - if the debaters already own the necessary equipment, eliminating the need to print evidence can save a lot of money.


 * Flowing - typing is generally faster than writing, so using computers allows more detailed and accurate flowing.


 * Organization - everything is digital, so important briefs don't get lost in a pile of papers on the table.


 * Efficiency - with appropriate software, many common tasks can be automated.


 * Preparation - tournament prep for paper debate is complicated (finding which files have been updates to print them, collecting pens and flowpads, etc.) Tournament prep for paperless debate just requires putting your laptop in its case.


 * Record-keeping - digital files make it easier to maintain records of what material was used in each speech.


 * Saving the environment - manufacturing paper and ink is polluting, so using less of them is good for the environment.

Controversy
Paperless debate is highly controversial, and as a result, is not presently allowed in either the NCFCA or Stoa (see Legality, below.) The most common objections are listed below:

Fairness: Opponents argue that, if paperless debating is truly superior, it may be unfair to competitors who cannot afford the necessary equipment. Proponents argue that actual debating skill is far more important than laptop use, so any disparity would hardly be insurmountable; further, laptops are becoming almost ubiquitous, and the difficulty of acquiring a hand-me-down is not high. Some proponents argue that the socioeconomic bias introduced by laptops is no greater than those that already exist: attending a lot of tournaments helps debaters improve, but doing so costs money.

Internet use: There is widespread concern that paperless debaters will attempt to do internet research in-round. Proponents of paperless debate generally argue that a ban on internet research is no more difficult to enforce than many other rules; unless the tables are at an odd angle, the debaters could generally see each other's screens, and browser histories and file modification dates could be examined for evidence should an issue actually arise. A few proponents have also argued that internet access is not necessarily a bad thing, in that the limited in-round research possible during prep time could improve the quality of debate by discouraging debaters from running squirrel cases on the assumption that no one will have researched them.

Transferring evidence: Without paper copies, it is harder to show evidence to opponents when asked. The most common solution is to use a flash drive, but this may be slow, and only works if both teams are debating paperless. Otherwise, the most commonly-proposed solution is for the paperless team to provide a second "viewing laptop", which they can loan to the paper team. Providing such a device may be inconvenient for the paperless team, but proponents argue that this is not a reason to ban paperless debating; the inconvenience is entirely on the part of the paperless team, so any difficulties posed by requiring viewing laptops are entirely voluntary. If you don't want to provide a viewing laptop, you don't have to debate paperless.

Software
In theory, well-designed software could provide paperless debaters with a significant edge over paper debaters, by simplifying or automating common tasks. In reality, software solutions are incomplete and most paperless debaters use a combination of word processors and other tools.

Debating with a word processor alone can be extremely awkward, and is not necessarily an advantage. Most paperless debaters use Debate Synergy, a set of extensions for Microsoft Word that assist in flowing, retrieving evidence, and constructing speeches.

Legality in the NCFCA
Current NCFCA tournament rules state that "internet use during the debate round is not allowed; therefore, any item that may have internet access (i.e. computers, smartphones, etc.) may not be used." In theory, a debater could physically disable the internet capabilities of a laptop, and then use it in-round. However, it would be difficult for tournament officials to prove definitively that a laptop does not have internet connectivity, so they would be unlikely to accept it. Thus, computers are effectively banned.

In the past, the use of computers was at the discretion of the tournament director, and some tournaments allowed the use of laptops in-round.

Legality in Stoa
Stoa Team Policy rules state that "evidence must be physically present, on paper, in the debate room." This policy does not strictly rule out the use of laptops; debaters could do most of their debating with laptops, but also have paper copies available in a file box. However, this option negates some of the advantages of paperless debate, so it may not be attractive.