RE: [AV Media Matters] definition of 'archival'

[Peter Brothers <lists@specsbros.com>]

This question has come up frequently at both AMIA and in a number of
standards committees.  From the discussions, it is fairly obvious that there
is neither an accepted formal definition nor a generally accepted working
definition in the field.

In general terms, "archival" as it applies to media and format issues is
consistently used to mean "intended for storage usage".  The problem is that
users attempt to attach an intended storage duration to the term.  There is
no standard duration attached to the term nor, most likely, will there ever
be one.  Duration, as it applies to the term must be added as a modifier.

It is totally impractical to attempt to narrowly redefine a term that has
such a broad and varied usage base.  To reach consensus in the field and
reduce continuing confusion, we should try to standardize the modifiers, not
the word "archival".  If experts in the field consistently started using the
terms :"short-term archival", "medium-term archival" and "long-term
archival" instead of the vague non-time-related term "archival", we could
stop the fruitless arguments about the term itself.

ANSI, ISO and AES already have definitions for short-term, medium-term and
long-term as they relate to media and format duration so why not use them?

Peter Brothers
President
SPECS BROS., LLC
peter@specsbros.com
web-site: http://www.specsbros.com
TAPE RESTORATION AND DISASTER RECOVERY
SINCE 1983

>-----Original Message-----
>From: tony gardner [mailto:anthony.gardner@cec.eu.int]
>Sent: Thursday, February 01, 2001 10:28 AM
>To: AV Media Matters
>Subject: [AV Media Matters] definition of 'archival'
>The word comes up often.
>What is the formal or working definition of 'archival' in
>media/support and
>format terms and is it generally accepted?
>
>Tony Gardner
>European Commission
>Brussels