Interesting research forum...
 
"It is becoming increasingly likely that from the perspective of a not too distant future the period from the late Renaissance to the beginning of the 21st century will be seen as dominated and even defined by the cultural significance of print – not least in the form of the mass-produced book which is virtually synonymous with Western culture. It accordingly seems appropriate to designate this period, roughly corresponding to the half-millennium from 1500 to 2000, 'the Gutenberg Parenthesis'."

Here's their position paper: http://bit.ly/cXCWbU

Bernie Sloan