The white paper
If you believe Wikipedia, the term "white paper" originated from the British Government, with many pointing to the Churchill white paper of 1922 as the earliest well-known example (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Churchill_White_Paper). Some say that white papers developed from blue papers, but since the material was too light, they were published with a white cover instead. (http://klariti.com/white-papers/origin-of-white-papers/).
A white paper can be thought of as a persuasive essay that uses facts and logic to promote a certain product, service, or viewpoint, or an authoritative, in-depth report on a specific topic that presents a problem and provides a solution.
The actual definition varies widely from industry to industry, but in technology, a white paper usually describes a theory behind a new piece of technology.
Etymology: Although it seems that the white paper is more commonly written with a space between, as in "white paper", there is no right...