Re: [ARSCLIST] When you die...

[Don Cox <doncox@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 28/10/07, Steven C. Barr(x) wrote:

> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Don Cox" <doncox@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> The value of any 78 lies in the likelihood that better methods of
>> transferring the sound to digital will be developed in the future, so
>> it is worth while to preserve the originals.
>> 
> Now...here I shall VEHEMENTLY disagree...!
> 
> The above suggests that ONLY the sonic content of a phonorecord is
> worth preserving...! Consider that a 78rpm phonorecord, as a physical
> artifact, states and/or implies MUCH more than its sound...!
> 
The label and other physical aspects do have value, obviously, but I
think they are small compared to the music. What we want is to hear, as
nearly as possible, what those musicians did in the studio (or concert
hall) that day.

IMO that is 96% of the value.


> Consider that a "digital copy" of a physical object is nothing, more
> or less, than what that identity implies...a COPY! If that were
> sufficient, I should be satisfied were the technology in place to
> clone Ecru (my cat...!) in case of his demise...?!
> 
Bad analogy. The cat is equivalent to the musicians themselves - the 78
is equivalent to a film of the cat. While the actual physical roll of
film does have interest as an artefact, a very good transfer of the
moving images and sound will preserve the evidence about the cat.

> Consider that it is highly likely that digital technology will
> eventually reach a point where it will be possible to create and save
> digital copies of solid objects (NO idea of how, or whether, this will
> work for living beings...?!). Also, there are "collectables" where
> current non-digital technology makes it possible to create
> effectively-exact copies of items. In every case, the "repro"(duction)
> version is worth considerably less than the original (even if it would
> be virtually impossible to identify any differences between the
> original and the copy...?!)
> 
> See my earlier post about digitally-copying the US Capitol, and then
> demolishing the original in favour of a Wal-Mart...?!
> 
> Steven C. Barr
Regards
-- 
Don Cox
doncox@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx