Re: [ARSCLIST] Lennick's "EFREM"...?--was Mass Digitization

[Karl Miller <karl.miller@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"Steven C. Barr(x)" <stevenc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:     ----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Karl Miller" 
> Fine, but where are you going to put it all?
>
***As it happens, our rapidly-improving technology, along with the (so far) reliability of "Moore's Law," seems to be answering that problem (except for preserving the originals, if they aren't/weren't digital...!). 
   
  Our rapidly improving technology has not yet solved the challenges of mass digitization or long term, reliable mass storage. And, according to Moore, "It can't continue forever. The nature of exponentials is that you push them out and eventually disaster happens."
   
  I am not a scientist and my math stopped after a year of calculus, but as I look at the basics of information theory, and the statistics on the growth of available information, coupled with statements that suggest that there is a theoretical limit to storage, perhaps even on the molecular level, I am left to wonder...
   
  And speaking of wonder...I wonder if there are any mathematical studies which relate the methodologies we currently use for the control of information (metadata), to the efforts expended to create information we catalog. It seems to me that it takes more effort to catalog our collection of digital images than it does to take the photo. We have not only the concern of the storage of the metadata and the "file" but also the code to translate it all, with none of it being stable. As long as we continue to "upgrade" our code, we are likely to have a need to "upgrade" our file formats. 
   
  There are some interesting developments, things like the rudimentary image analysis software from Samsung and the work being done in music information retrieval. And while it seems that navigation tools are more important than attempts to "control" information, I cannot help but wonder if we are not creating yet another layer of unstable proprietary code to add to the pile of "stuff."
   
  Further, it seems to me that even if we can "save it all," there is a real question in my mind, if we should. We already have the term "information pollution" (Nielsen). And then we have my garage piled high with over 25,000 recordings recently acquired from the widow of a deceased friend...
   
  Karl