Linked by Thom Holwerda on Mon 10th Nov 2008 09:13 UTC, submitted by irbis
What stands a better chance of surviving 50 years from now, a framed photograph or a 10-megabyte digital photo file on your computer's hard drive? The concern for archivists and information scientists is that, with ever-shifting platforms and file formats, much of the data we produce today could eventually fall into a black hole of inaccessibility.
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RE[2]: open source data format
by irbis on Mon 10th Nov 2008 16:36
in reply to "RE: open source data format"
Member since:2005-07-08
Nope. Open data can still be locked away
Yep, but moving to open data formats and standards when archiving and preserving important documents is still a huge step, and among the most important steps forward in solving the problems mentioned. Proprietary, locked and old data formats are likely and by far the biggest problem in the whole issue.
Like the article says, many archives and national governments have moved from prorietary data formats to open data formats for this exact reason.
But, of course, for example, CDs and magntic tapes may still corrupt over time etc.etc.
RE[2]: open source data format
by RRepster on Tue 11th Nov 2008 17:47
in reply to "RE: open source data format"
Member since:2008-06-18
you're so right kroc. Even a very recent format is unusable: an archive from WindowsXP's built-in backup tool for example can't be used in Vista. If a format from one generation can't even be used then indeed we're looking at a black hole.
Isn't this basically why the ODF project exists? AFAIK it only supports openoffice like apps but is their goal (at least) eventually to include all kinds of data like email, IM's even backup archives? Or is there perhaps another project with those goals?
Rob
Member since:
2005-11-10
Nope.
Open data can still be locked away by:
Disk encryption
Proprietary file systems
Proprietary storage hardware
Proprietary communication protocols
Being stored by some company that then goes under