A digital pen and paper system comprising a digital pen adapted to acquire disposition data representing a position and orientation of the pen relative to a portion of a carrier using a position-determining pattern on the carrier, the pen comprising a display operable to present to a user of the system display data representing at least one character for transcription by the user, the or each character transformed to appear to the user as if it is printed on the carrier, and a method for effecting transcription of information using such a system.