Sometimes I fear that we will be known as the generation without lasting records.
Let me explain. I can go on the internet and actually read the entire works of roman engineers. Not just as passed-on history, but the real, actual words. That's because they were carved in stone and survived millennia.
Much of subsequent history is on parchment and paper, and that manages to survive pretty well also. Sure, libraries burn, and the print runs of monk-copied literary works were generally rather small.
But compare that to the way we've been keeping records since computers took over. Years ago I began calling it "double encryption," referring to the fact that not only do computers mean we will need to have the media words are written on, but also the key, i.e. hardware and software, to decrypt and present them.
So plenty of wisdom recorded in WordStar or MultiMate will languish on 5-1/4 inch disks, never to be retrieved again. Equally disturbing is that backups are sort of a myth. I have tons of backups. But I doubt that a backup on some 50 megabyte tape cartridge of late 80s vintage that goes into some long forgotten reader will be of much use.
Sad thing is that disk drives die. They are like light bulbs. Some last longer than others, but they all die eventually. I usually try to keep copies of my documents on multiple machines, so that they have a better chance of survival. But some don't. Eventually, the last known copy of some deep thoughts I collected perhaps back in the mid 80s will be gone forever.
These days I, like most, try to keep the "My Documents" folder on Windows neatly organized and backed up. With varying success. Multiple copies usually means multiple revs and versions. And there's stuff you'd rather not have on multiple machines.
Our words will vanish without a trace, any trace. And I am not sure how humanity will eventually get a permanent handle on the issue of electronic records.
Let me explain. I can go on the internet and actually read the entire works of roman engineers. Not just as passed-on history, but the real, actual words. That's because they were carved in stone and survived millennia.
Much of subsequent history is on parchment and paper, and that manages to survive pretty well also. Sure, libraries burn, and the print runs of monk-copied literary works were generally rather small.
But compare that to the way we've been keeping records since computers took over. Years ago I began calling it "double encryption," referring to the fact that not only do computers mean we will need to have the media words are written on, but also the key, i.e. hardware and software, to decrypt and present them.
So plenty of wisdom recorded in WordStar or MultiMate will languish on 5-1/4 inch disks, never to be retrieved again. Equally disturbing is that backups are sort of a myth. I have tons of backups. But I doubt that a backup on some 50 megabyte tape cartridge of late 80s vintage that goes into some long forgotten reader will be of much use.
Sad thing is that disk drives die. They are like light bulbs. Some last longer than others, but they all die eventually. I usually try to keep copies of my documents on multiple machines, so that they have a better chance of survival. But some don't. Eventually, the last known copy of some deep thoughts I collected perhaps back in the mid 80s will be gone forever.
These days I, like most, try to keep the "My Documents" folder on Windows neatly organized and backed up. With varying success. Multiple copies usually means multiple revs and versions. And there's stuff you'd rather not have on multiple machines.
Our words will vanish without a trace, any trace. And I am not sure how humanity will eventually get a permanent handle on the issue of electronic records.
