To those new to the name there are two common pronunciations: ‘laser fish’, and ‘laser feesh’.

Laserfiche is commonly pronounced as: laser · fish.  The origin dates to 1980’s when most records and files were as micro·fiche, and laser printers were just newly released and popularized.

Why is this important?

In 1974, a woman named Nien-Ling Wacker started a technology company.  In 1987, she created a simple software program called Laserfiche to structure data.  Laserfiche was the first DOS-based document imaging system in the world and launched the ‘less papered office’.  A physicist by training and a programmer by experience, everything she did had to be precise.  As Laserfiche Founder, President & CEO, Nien-Ling became one of America’s pioneering female programmers.  The combined energy of Nien-Ling along with her husband Chris grew the company to what it is today.

FreeDoc is a Premier Laserfiche Partner and was founded in 1999.  ‘Click here’ to learn how FreeDoc can help your enterprise using with Laserfiche software.

History Note: From 1950 to 1990, most records (think contracts, insurance policies, newspapers and periodicals) were stored as tiny photographs on a form of microfilm called microfiche.  Commonly found in libraries and colleges, you can read the New York Times from 1975 using a desktop projector-like device called a microfiche reader printer.

FAQ about Lasers and Fish

Are there fish that shoot lasers?

Fortunately, no such things exist.  Sports anglers and fly fishers have confirmed this.

Where does the word fish come from?

The word for fish in English is from Germanic origins and related to the Latin piscis, but the exact root is unknown

When the word ‘laser’ appear?

Laser is an acronym for ‘light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation’.

When was microfiche invented?

John Benjamin Dancer is credited with inventing microfilm in 1839.  By 1853, he was selling microphotographs on slides that could be viewed through a microscope, and in 1859 the first patent for microfilm was issued.  As a form of microfilm, microfiche became available in 1930’s. A single 4″ x 7″ sheet of film can hold more 50 – 100 pages of printed text.

Today, information is stored digitally on magnetic hard drives, but history shows technology is always changing.

What stays the same are the records.  Records, like pictures stay the same.

How long can microfilm last?

Nylon microfilm can last up to 500 years if stored properly (60% humidity and 60 degrees F).  Gelatin microfilm (made prior to 1987) is more fragile, and far less durable.

What is the difference between microfilm and microfiche?

Microfilm is a 200′ reel of 16mm or 100′ reel of 35mm film.  Microfiche is a flat sheet of film images.

When was the document scanner invented?

Facsimile machines existed before scanners.  The earliest attempt at a ‘fax machine’ was patented in 1843 Scottish clockmaker Alexander Bain.  Sadly it was never saw production.

When was the laser invented?

The theoretical design of modern Laser was officially published in December of 1958.  The first laser constructed is sometimes credited to Theodore Maiman (May of 1960), but Arthur Leonard Schawlow did the theoretical research and received a patent in 1960.  Eye surgeons began to use lasers in their practice within the year!

Are lasers used in document scanning?

There are lasers in printers and scanners, but laser scanning usually refers to 3D scanning and survey equipment used in the construction industry.  Most modern document scanners use LED lamps for efficiency and clarity.  The first scanner was in use in 1958 (Read more about the history of Document Scanners)

What was the first mass-market Laser Printer?

In 1984 HP released their first HP LaserJet available for the consumer market.

Laser Fish is a pop culture reference used in the video game Soul Knight.

The founders of FreeDoc ^® hope you enjoyed your visit.

Let us know how we can help you to configure your Laserfiche Cloud system. Give us a call.

Call us at (425) 977 – 4222, ext. 223.

← Back to Blog