Re: [ARSCLIST] Hard disk drives and DAT

[Don Cox <doncox@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 28/03/07, Steven C. Barr(x) wrote:

> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "John Ross" <johnross@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>> This is not a problem that is unique to those of us concerned with 
>> preserving audio. Our colleagues who are producing digital archives 
>> of documents and other artifacts are dealing with exactly the same 
>> set of long-term storage problems, including the issues related to 
>> digital originals.
>> 
>> Therefore, it seems to me that it's essential that those of us in the
>> audio preservation and archiving community should not try to
>> independently invent our own methods. In terms of archival storage
>> and access, it makes no difference if the bits represent sounds or if
>> they're words and images.
>> 
>> It's not clear to me that the words and pictures folks are any
>> further along the path toward a solution, but they're out there, and
>> we should work with them to assure that the IT "experts" don't
>> control the process without participation from the content
>> specialists.
>> 
> Given my personal experience/observations in the field of audio
> preservation...I might suggest everything be transferred to shellac
> records! I have discs over a century old which appear to have suffered
> NO deterioration, even though stored under less-than-ideal conditions.
> 
> Two caveats: you can't drop them, nor allow them to be immersed in
> water for any significant amount of time!

I think an archival digital format that would last as long as Sumerian
clay tablets could be developed if the market was there.

It would have to use physical pits rather than dye or magnetism.
Possibly some kind of toughened ceramic material would be suitable.

Multiple layers, as on many consumer discs, would not be practical.

Regards
-- 
Don Cox
doncox@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx