Re: [ARSCLIST] Preservation/dissemination of info

[stevenc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Richter" <mrichter@xxxxxxx>
> Think of the online collection as the catalogue. That may be - indeed,
> should be - in low-rate MP3 or a similar, lossy format. The primary file
> would be in a much less accessible format with much higher quality.
This would be possible, in fact, since modern databases (i.e. MS Access)
allow binary fields. On one level, this seems illogical; the function of a
catalog is to inform the user(s), including the holder of the collection,
what the collection contains and where it is, rather than to BE the
collection.
However, given the effects of Moore's Law on both computers and storage,
it would be possible to duplicate the collection in a sound version of
"thumbnail" form as a field in the catalog database.
>
> >I think something more like Google or Altavista but specifically
> >searching for sound archives would be best. These engines keep on
> >searching, so the links don't get so out of date as they do on web
> >pages.
>
> The links go out of date as the library (or catalogue) is revised and
items
> are removed from the WWW or other filesystem on the Internet.
It would probably be possible to use a similar program to create a
non-internet
search engine to do the same sort of search but over a defined and limited
domain
such as a catalog/database. In effect, this makes the catalog/database an
intranet. What could be searched for/on could be defined when the "miniature
search engine" was built.
> >So what would be needed is a new meta tag for HTML to indicate to a bot
> >that the page contains sound archives. For example,
> ><meta name="robots" content="soundarchive">
This assumes a HTML format for the catalog, at least...although similar
searching is possible in database programs if those are used for
cataloguing.
Remember that there will be users for both the archive, if it is accessible
via the internet (this could be done via FTP rather than having an HTML
archive)...and users for the catalog as a data source. If, for example,
someone is simply trying to establish when Song A was popular and who
recorded it at the time, they would only be looking for information as
opposed to the sound itself!
>...would be of value if there were also a commitment to eternal
> preservation of that soundarchive. I keep my files up for two weeks.
Others
> may keep them up until they change interest or ISP. Others may intend to
> maintain them as long as the Internet shall last - which may not be
> anywhere near as long as people seem to assume.
Not necessarily...see above! There are other uses (and users) of the data in
a catalog rather than users of the archive. When I first created my Dating
Guide, I used ADBD as a data source on the dates certain record numbers were
issued based on the applicable recording dates in spite of the fact I only
owned a few hundred of the listed records. Even though a 1939 Sears catalog
is useless for buying goods, it contains a wealth of information about the
goods then available!
Steven C. Barr