Date:         Wed, 12 Jul 2006 10:13:09 -0400
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Sender:       Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
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From:         Rob Poretti <[log in to unmask]>
Organization: Sascom
Subject:      Re: Longevity
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In that case, we'll need geographic separation of our redundant archives...
Perhaps cold storage on Mars?

<vbg>  Thanks for the levity Steven!

Cheers!

Rob

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List 
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of steven c
> Sent: July 11, 2006 11:28 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Longevity
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Rob Poretti" <[log in to unmask]>
> > Actually, computer storage has reliability as a "reasonable" goal.  
> > But
> true
> > long-term storage in IT circles actually revolves around failure
> detection,
> > redundancy, error correction and eventual automated 
> migration.  These 
> > concepts are based on the knowledge that the hard drive 
> *WILL* fail.  
> > A
> hard
> > drive is not even a mid-term solution; but a managed hard drive 
> > "system"
> can
> > certainly be a long term one.
> >
> Of course, if one speaks of "true long-term" in its actual 
> ultimate meaning... that is, forever or as close as possible 
> thereto...we run into two vital questions for which we 
> don't...in fact, CAN'T...have answers?
> 
> 1) Will whatever format we use to store the data be 
> usable...for that matter, RECOGNIZABLE...by whomever finds 
> the device a number of millennia hence?!
> 
> 2) Will these future "mystery finders" be able to...or 
> capable of... comprehending that data we are archiving, 
> should they figure out how to access it (assuming they do?)?!
> 
> For example, suppose we carefully archive a number of musical 
> sound recordings, along with data thereon. Suppose the 
> finders are either extra-planetary aliens, or 
> much-further-evolved descendants of some species other than 
> Homo Sapiens (i.e. my usual "radioactive cockroaches") who 
> are incapable of receiving sound to the point they take no 
> notice of the airborne vibrations...and are telepathic to the 
> point they have no need for, or comprehension of, written language!
> 
> But, they are capable of perceiving infrared, find one of our 
> old TV remotes, and either assume it was used for 
> communication or is a weapon...
> 
> Steven C. Barr
> 
>