> I can assure you those paper tapes will still be readable
> long after your
> hard disk had headcrashed!. Why do people insist on
> transfering reliable
> storage media onto modern, unreliable stuff? It's the same with
> photographs and cine films -- people transfer them to CDs and
> DVDs. The
> originals have a much longer life...
There are two reasons I do that sort of thing (although
not with photographs or film). Partly because my older
media is unreliable (floppies mostly) and partly because
once I have something in digital form (along with some
kind of MD5SUM or whatver) I can easily move forward
with new, denser storage media. So I can keep more
stuff within easy reach (less tecking to the attic, or
garage or storage).
Of course, I also keep the originals around, so there's
no harm done.
As for film, I believe that many of the early ones are
rotting away and there is a race on to try and transfer
them to more stable media. So not *all* film is long-lived.
Just as the lowish quality paper used for the typical
handbook will become yellowed and brittle over the
years.
Antonio
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Antonio Carlini arcarlini_at_iee.org
Received on Mon May 12 2003 - 15:51:01 BST