4th July 2007, 05:17 PM
Interesting link indeed, not exactly news though.
The problem of this legacy data disappearing into a "digital blackhole" is plainly the consequence of the massive growth and now almost universal use of business computing over the last 10 -15 years.
Lots of small software companies produced business software with their own proprietary file formats in the early years. As they've gone out of business or been acquired by their more successful competitors these formats have disappeared. The end user moves on to the new best buy piece of software and often doesn't need to stump up the cash to convert three year old unused data sat on their computer hard drives.
It is obvious that this situation is long gone, file formats today are stable and the ones in common use have usually been in use for a decade or more.
There has been a massive learning curve for those using work stations and whatever other bits of digital kit now employed during their standard working day. Part of the learning curve has involved developing an awareness that data backup is vital. This provides a short term archive and this procedure is now almost universal.
What we need to ask is how many heads have nodded sagely during conversations concerning the need for management of legacy data, while time, money and willingness to do it have been lacking.
I'd suggest that many of the reasons given for doubting the archivabiblty of digital data - that digital data is not as archivally stable, or that it's stability is unproven or that current media are unsuitable etc. are avoiding the real issue.
The real issue is that unlike b&w negatiives you can't file digital data away and forget about it, it needs active management, and this means investment of time and money.
Happiness depends on ourselves.
The problem of this legacy data disappearing into a "digital blackhole" is plainly the consequence of the massive growth and now almost universal use of business computing over the last 10 -15 years.
Lots of small software companies produced business software with their own proprietary file formats in the early years. As they've gone out of business or been acquired by their more successful competitors these formats have disappeared. The end user moves on to the new best buy piece of software and often doesn't need to stump up the cash to convert three year old unused data sat on their computer hard drives.
It is obvious that this situation is long gone, file formats today are stable and the ones in common use have usually been in use for a decade or more.
There has been a massive learning curve for those using work stations and whatever other bits of digital kit now employed during their standard working day. Part of the learning curve has involved developing an awareness that data backup is vital. This provides a short term archive and this procedure is now almost universal.
What we need to ask is how many heads have nodded sagely during conversations concerning the need for management of legacy data, while time, money and willingness to do it have been lacking.
I'd suggest that many of the reasons given for doubting the archivabiblty of digital data - that digital data is not as archivally stable, or that it's stability is unproven or that current media are unsuitable etc. are avoiding the real issue.
The real issue is that unlike b&w negatiives you can't file digital data away and forget about it, it needs active management, and this means investment of time and money.
Happiness depends on ourselves.