[ARSCLIST] "Forever" is hype (was Re: [ARSCLIST] Why sticky shed happened)

[Mike Richter <mrichter@xxxxxxx>]

Mwcpc6@xxxxxxx wrote:

> I think there have been some issues with color prints, with people who paid 
> substantial amounts for photography of weddings and graduations that were 
> advertised as "forever" and now are nearly blank sheets of paper. Right now I'm 
> reviewing 16 mm prints that are just magenta shadows, soon to disappear 
> completely.
>
> We should be grateful that we have ways of recovering at least something from 
> the degraded magnetic recordings.
>
> Mike Csontos

In advertising language, "forever" means 'for a long time' and "long" is 
left undefined. The ultimate case for me is "Diamonds are forever" with 
its variants. Of course, diamond is unstable anywhere near room 
temperature and pressure; it is decaying into graphite from the time it 
is dug up. But it will last many human lifetimes before the breakdown is 
noticed, so long life becomes eternity for the huckster.

We've been through this with all sorts of media and will probably 
continue until someone has credible life test to report. Unfortunately, 
by then whatever medium has proved its longevity will be obsolete (at 
best) or unproducable. Although 78s can still be pressed - and they are 
- I've not heard of anyone doing so in shellac. I'm not persuaded that 
longevity data for Berliner's or Edison's recordings apply to Historic 
Masters' vinyl 78s.

Hmmm - maybe there is a real 'forever' in this business. As things are 
going, perhaps we should coin a new slogan: Music copyright is forever.

Mike
--
mrichter@xxxxxxx
http://www.mrichter.com/