Re: [ARSCLIST] Zits cartoon strip (trying to get back to matters archival)

["Marie O'Connell" <Marie.OConnell@xxxxxxx>]

One of the things I teach everyone - students, professors, researchers, etc,
who are conducting oral histories, is to firstly identify the equipment they
are using.  This includes recorder, microphone, tape or CF or mini disc
used, the date, where the recording is being conducted and who is being
interviewed.  This then leaves a permanent trail, in the spoken word, on the
recording itself.  

I have encountered thousands of recordings which never give any information
like that, and ofcourse, never trust those boxes they are in, or the reels
they are on, or even the cassette casing (having replaced many in my life!)

Just leave that "fingerprint" and a trail, which anyone can follow, down
that Abbey Road to preservation!

Cheers
Marie

Marie O'Connell
Sound Archivist/Audio Engineer/Sound Consultant
The Center For Oral History & Cultural Heritage
The University Of Southern Mississippi
118 College Drive #5175
Hattiesburg, MS, 39401-406
Ph: 601-266-6514
Fax: 601-266-6217
 

-----Original Message-----
From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
[mailto:ARSCLIST@xxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Karl Miller
Sent: Wednesday, March 29, 2006 7:57 AM
To: ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Zits cartoon strip (trying to get back to matters
archival)

On Tue, 28 Mar 2006, Lou Judson wrote:

> On the other hand, kids these days are able to search but barely to
> reason...

I assume you mean the ability to discriminate? How does one tell the good
from the bad and how do you tell what is "real" and what is not in the
digital world.

While this may be a reach...one other aspect of digital information that
is not considered as often is the notion of authenticity. We have so many
untrue emails floating around that there are sites which question the
authenticity of those "myths." Audio is not immune to such
considerations...we had the Chopin cylinder and more recently the "sound"
from the etchings on some pottery.

While you can't always trust what is printed on the label, at least there
is something to look at...yet, with digitized information...what do we
have that can be used for authentification?

Karl