[OT] paper on Retro ?

From: Stan Barr <stanb_at_dial.pipex.com>
Date: Fri Oct 18 05:20:01 2002

Hi,

"Eric Smith" <eric_at_brouhaha.com> said:
> > While we're on the subject, did anyone see the article "Data
> > Extinction" in the October 2002 issue of Technology Review?
>
> Yeah, but I was somewhat disappointed. The cover made it sound like they
> would discuss *media* that would last a long time, but they were just
> talking about maintaining the ability for software to handle the data.
> That's obviously worthwhile, but it's also much easier to figure out:
>
> 1) Use industry-standard data formats, not proprietary formats
> 2) Use text-based formats where possible rather than binary formats 3)
> Keep a specification for the format along with that data, ideally
> on the same physical medium
> 4) Keep the source code for the software that processes the data,
> ideally on the same physical medium. Ideally use software written
> in a programming language that is widely used, not something
> obscure.
> 5) Keep the tools used to build the binary of the software.
> etc.
>
> On the media side, though, AFAIK there is only one high-density
> machine-readable media that can be expected with any confidence to last
> much more than 20 years. That is CD-R with a gold-coated substrate
> rather than silver or aluminum. Note that gold-tinted dye is NOT
> sufficient. The main failure mechanism for CD-Rs is oxidation of
> the reflective layer, and a gold layer won't do that, so then your limit
> is based on other physical processes that occur even more slowly.
> Kodak's accelerated aging tests indicated a typical life of several
> hundred years, so they conservatively claimed one hundred. They used to
> have a white paper on their web site.

You might also like to search for ISO 18921 which is available on the
net as ISO_18921.pdf (can't remember exactly where...) which discusses
the life expectancy of CDs in respect of photography - which is why I
located a copy.

Also the book "Avoiding Technological Quicksnad: Finding a Viable
Technical Foundation for Digital Preservation" by Jeff Rothenberg
is available online as html.
http://www.clir.org/pubs/reports/rothenberg/contents.html

-- 
Cheers,
Stan Barr  stanb_at_dial.pipex.com
The future was never like this!
Received on Fri Oct 18 2002 - 05:20:01 BST

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