Re: [ARSCLIST] When you die...

["Steven C. Barr(x)" <stevenc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

see end...
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jim Lindner" <jim@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> I am sure I am missing something here - but if these are published  
> recordings - that have been digitized by others or preserved by  
> others because they are NOT unique - and available as access copies  
> elsewhere (on the net or not) and the music is available elsewhere -  
> and these particular recordings  were not owned by someone famous -  
> or have some artifactual value for some other strange reason - then  
> the value of them other then to yourself as a thing you collect  
> because you like to collect things is - - - what exactly?
> 
> I think we need to mentally get to the "emotional place" where not  
> every pressing of every recording that is extant is considered  
> valuable just because you happen to have it, particularly for  
> published works. Once the recording is accessible at a high enough  
> level of quality to suit most uses - and there is a preservation  
> quality recording elsewhere - safe - the other copies have little  
> incremental value for society as a practical matter. Two or three  
> copies - just in case - ok. 400 in the hands of individual collectors  
> - all the same. Sorry - but I dont see the value long term.
> 
> I know that this  is heresy on this list - but if nothing else it may  
> get some interesting discussion......
> 
>   at some point we need to be clear that these are NOT masters - have  
> NO artifactual value - are not unique - and so have very small value  
> - and high cost to keep for reasons that are at best very unclear.
> 
But...

Consider the OTHER possibility...!

What happens if NOBODY elects to keep and preserve a copy of a given
phonorecord, each owner thereof assuming "Well, somebody else will
keep a copy...!" Then, "down the road a piece," someone happens to
want a copy...either from some project or simply to hear it...! The
party starts searching...and discovers that, apparently, NO copies
of the recording have been preserved...either as artifacts, or as
digital/analog copies of the sonic content...! Net result...no one
will ever again know what that recording actually sounded like...?!
I.e., one part of history is forever lost.

Agreed that once the last of us strange folks who own and preserve
ancient phonorecords because we enjoy listening to the contents
thereof finally shuffle off this mortal coil, there may be no
logical reason to preserve the phonorecord artifacts...BUT...
there may well be future researchers/wothaveya that will want to
know exactly what Grey Gull 1234(a) sounded like...for a variety
of reasons...! Further, there may be others who want to know
what it LOOKED like...FELT like...possibly even SMELLED like...?!

Until we finally arrive at a technological point where digital
copies of solid objects can be saved as (HUGE!) files and
reliably reproduced therefrom, it will remain necessary to
preserve at least ONE copy of each such artifact...

After all, were it possible to preserve a digital copy of the
U.S. Capitol, does that mean the original could/should be
destroyed and replaced by a Wal-Mart...?!

Steven C. Barr