Digital storage material and time capsules

Will Jeffers <wjeffers [at] mfa__org> writes

>...  While storage
>media may be archivally stable for the length of time you propose,
>the availability of the requisite playback technology may prove to
>be the weakest link in your proposed service.  Your certainty in its
>availability may prove over-optimistic.

I must admit I agree with this statement. The CDs are likely to last
in your time capsule, but trying to find the right hardware and
especially the right software to read them as well as to render the
digital data will be tough. If you "encapsulate" (no, not in Mylar!)
all the information required to interpret the digital information
you might have a chance, but this is more complicated than it
sounds. See the PADI web page on Encapsulation for more up to date
information <URL:http://www.nla.gov.au/padi/topics/20.html>.

Deborah Woodyard
Digital Preservation / PADI
National Library of Australia


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 13:46
                  Distributed: Tuesday, March 7, 2000
                       Message Id: cdl-13-46-011
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