Re: Digital

Lou Lesko <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:

> Just wanted to add a wrinkle to the digital storage argument.  In as
> much as it is true that technology changes and magenetic media doesn't
> last forever - a solution that we've been looking at is that of
> technologly transfer.  Every four years a review is done of the current
> storage technologies and we transfer all out digital archives to that
> newer medium that has the best longevity.
> 
> This offers the advantage of keeping current and evolving with
> technology.
> 
> Another advantage to digital archiving is the ability to create
> redundancy, easily.  Entire libraries can be stored in several places
> eliminating the threat of any catastophe that may befall the archive.
> 
> Some have argued that this type of archiving is a lot of work.  We have
> found it to be excelent.

Yes, that's exactly the tradeoffs in digital archiving as I understand
them.  Constant attention, but the potential for *perfect*
preservation, and the ability to use replication to guard against
local problems.

> BTW - DVD life expectancy is only a year or two.  The dies that are used
> fade pretty rapidly.

Ouch.  I didn't want to know that.  Why so much worse than CD?
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David Dyer-Bennet, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, <www.dd-b.net/dd-b/>
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