T3D Re: TECH-3D digest 531

[Brian Reynolds <reynolds@xxxxxxxxx>]

In reply to Bob Weir's discussion of the cost of archiving a
collection of information Michael Kersenbrock wrote:
> You raise some good pragmatic points.  "Analogue" forms only
> require commitment for the storage facilities, while digital archives
> require periodic copy/conversion processes.
> 

You better do more than periodic copy/conversions.  You also have to
verify that the media is still good.  It does no good to have a budget
to copy/convert a set of data every X years only to find that the old
media has failed and you can no longer read it.

> I'd forecast that the digital storage media and associated processing
> technologies will continue to grow exponentially (doubling every
> however many years) while that which to be stored is a more linear
> and therefore a slower growing base which to be stored.  So at
> some point the world's library may be able to be held in one hand
> in a portable unit -- and actually stored in it, not by remote access.
> And it may be copyable in moments.  Fantasy, yes, but also I think
> a reasonable extrapolation of digital storage history.
> 

Except that the amount of information to be stored in such a world
library is already growing faster than that.  Think about it.  In the
period between 1909 and 1939 aircraft speeds went from 40mph to
400mph.  In the period from 1949 to 1969 we went from sub-orbital
ballistic rockets to landing men on the moon.  In order for computer
storage technology to grow exponentially the knowledge about such
technologies has to grow at least that fast.

-- 
Brian Reynolds                  | "Dee Dee!  Don't touch that button!"
reynolds@xxxxxxxxx              | "Oooh!"
http://www.panix.com/~reynolds  |    -- Dexter and Dee Dee
NAR# 54438                      |       "Dexter's Laboratory"


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End of TECH-3D Digest 535
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