Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/09/01

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Subject: Re: [Leica] PJ standards -- Like Caesar's wife
From: "Jack McLain" <jmclainaz@comcast.net>
Date: Mon, 1 Sep 2003 09:37:21 -0700
References: <de.3d716a9b.2c84c7e7@aol.com>

I would not bet on that.  I work with data generated for submission to the
FDA and other regulatory agencies in support of new pharmaceuticals.  Over
the past two decades this data has been collected and stored in ever
changing digital formats.  As each new generation or technology is adapted
the issue of "warehousing" this data, which by law, must be maintained for
proscribed periods of time, becomes a significant problem.

"Orphaned" technology, as the older media is referred to (cards, paper tape,
floppys, disks of all sorts), requires outdated technology to read it, and
the issue of transfer from one media to another raises the issue of
degradation and accessability of the orphaned technology.  In order to read
old IBM cards one must almost go to the Smithsonian to find a working card
reader.

I suspect strongly, that as digital photography continues to evolve (at it's
current rate or faster in the future) that this same problem will inhibit
the transfer of the millions of images that are stored in newspaper and
private PJ files.  The expense and time, not to mention the technical issues
(to insure ACCURATE digital transfers) will prohibit this from happening.
It's just too big a job.

Jack McLain
Tucson

- ----- Original Message ----- 
From: <Afterswift@aol.com>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Monday, September 01, 2003 9:03 AM
Subject: Re: [Leica] PJ standards -- Like Caesar's wife


>
> In a message dated 9/1/03 8:01:59 AM, bdcolen@earthlink.net writes:
>
> << Additionally, for all the moaning and debate here about
> the longevity of digital files, it is not only a good bet, it's a sure
> thing, that the NYT will convert its digital photo files from media to
> media, making them accessible far into the future; you're not talking
> here about some photo hobbiest at his home in Akron, with his home PC
> that he may not update in time to preserve his own archives.
>  >>
>
> Time will hand down the final verdict and there will be no appeal.
> --
> To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html

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In reply to: Message from Afterswift@aol.com (Re: [Leica] PJ standards -- Like Caesar's wife)