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

[steven c <stevenc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Karl Miller" <lyaa071@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> On Thu, 29 Jun 2006, Mike Richter wrote:
>
> > 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.
>
> It has always amused (frustrated?) me that in preservation circles 75
> years if often considered an adequate marker for longevity...
>
Well, 75 years is certainly "forever" with respect to all archival
formats EXCEPT shellac discs and (possibly) vinyl discs! It seems
like each "format generation" improves capacity...but significantly
reduces longevity!

> An to think I was hoping I would last longer than that...
>
Well, consider that's five years over your guarantee (three score and
ten...)
> As for "Diamonds are forever," I am fond of the phrase, "diamonds and
> styrofoam are forever."--not an original with me.
>
Styrofoam is only "forever" if you want it to go away! Since it is
crushable, it quickly loses enough of its original shape to be useless
for further use as packing (if custom-shaped to its contents). As far as
the ubiquitous "peanuts," they seldom survived an encounter with the cats
(though the resulting fragments were even worse to clean up!). However,
left alone outside it eventually becomes unrecognizable semi-shapeless
grey blobs of...well, "matter!" I don't think the stuff ever naturally
degrades...and, although it is flammable (or inflammable...take your
pick!) I suspect that burning it probably creates dangerous if not
lethal by-products and smells...well, we used to describe that sort of
thing as "it'd stink a dawg off a gutwagon!" where/when I grew up...

Steven C. Barr