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Re: [ARSCLIST] Longevity
In that case, we'll need geographic separation of our redundant archives...
Perhaps cold storage on Mars?
<vbg> Thanks for the levity Steven!
Cheers!
Rob
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
> [mailto:ARSCLIST@xxxxxxx] On Behalf Of steven c
> Sent: July 11, 2006 11:28 PM
> To: ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Longevity
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Rob Poretti" <r.poretti@xxxxxxxxxx>
> > Actually, computer storage has reliability as a "reasonable" goal.
> > But
> true
> > long-term storage in IT circles actually revolves around failure
> detection,
> > redundancy, error correction and eventual automated
> migration. These
> > concepts are based on the knowledge that the hard drive
> *WILL* fail.
> > A
> hard
> > drive is not even a mid-term solution; but a managed hard drive
> > "system"
> can
> > certainly be a long term one.
> >
> Of course, if one speaks of "true long-term" in its actual
> ultimate meaning... that is, forever or as close as possible
> thereto...we run into two vital questions for which we
> don't...in fact, CAN'T...have answers?
>
> 1) Will whatever format we use to store the data be
> usable...for that matter, RECOGNIZABLE...by whomever finds
> the device a number of millennia hence?!
>
> 2) Will these future "mystery finders" be able to...or
> capable of... comprehending that data we are archiving,
> should they figure out how to access it (assuming they do?)?!
>
> For example, suppose we carefully archive a number of musical
> sound recordings, along with data thereon. Suppose the
> finders are either extra-planetary aliens, or
> much-further-evolved descendants of some species other than
> Homo Sapiens (i.e. my usual "radioactive cockroaches") who
> are incapable of receiving sound to the point they take no
> notice of the airborne vibrations...and are telepathic to the
> point they have no need for, or comprehension of, written language!
>
> But, they are capable of perceiving infrared, find one of our
> old TV remotes, and either assume it was used for
> communication or is a weapon...
>
> Steven C. Barr
>
>