Thanks for the heads-up, Slade.  Haven't had a chance to view the article, but from what you posted, this sounds like another example of a writer with an ax to grind going off half-cocked without doing a little basic research.  If the author had bothered to gather a bit of background, s/he would know that the statement, "If you want to know who owns a piece of land, just grab the folder for it" is absurd on its face.  First of all, in most jurisdictions, (at least in Pennsylvania), it's the Assessment Department, not the Recorder, which maintains ownership records.  The Recorder is just the repository of real estate documents.  Secondly, the "folder" may tell you who owns the surface rights, but won't necessarily show ownership of oil/gas or minerals.  In some counties, subsurface interests aren't even subject to assessment.

I've thought for a long time that the current system of maintaining real estate records could be streamlined by combining the functions of some offices (as they have in Washington and Westmoreland counties) and introducing a unified system of recordkeeping statewide.  The latter isn't likely to happen anytime soon, but even it does, title insurance will still be necessary.  There are numerous examples of how title examiners and others in the title industry are an integral part of maintaining an accurate system of records.  Technology is a wonderful thing, but I believe that the current system is more than the sum of its parts, for the reasons you cited above.

Regards,
Scott Perry