Computer help: How do you future proof your digitally archived documents?
- 5/1/09 10:39 AM
reality...
by scottwilkins - 5/2/09 5:31 AM In reply to: rackem up by DADSGETNDOWNWhy was it useless? Seems to be very appropriate.
To Future Proof....
by MarkinTO - 4/24/09 9:39 PM In reply to: How do you future proof your digitally archived documents? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
On many occasions, I've had to "save things" for long-term use.
If I was really worried, I would 'include' a version of the software used to create the documents/images. More often than not, they can be installed simply and/or RUN in 'compatibility mode'.
I also have kept "alive" many, many software packages which I still run today (that are in excess of 15 years old) and still run fine under XP but were DOS based platforms (with NO problems).
Just, include a copy of the software, on a disc (CD/DVD) so that people can either install it, or copy it (as in the case of really old software) and they will be able to RUN it. Even if they have to "create their own short-cut" to the main program that created the original image/file/or sound file! Just tell them to RUN the xxx.exe version of the original file.
I use this technique with a very old (1989)image processing software package, to re-size, re-name, batch convert and it works perfectly and extremely fast, even on my new 8Meg-Pix images.
MP3, AVI, Etc., will not be going out of style anytime soon!
Mark
Great advice, but...
by rbsjrx - 4/24/09 10:04 PM In reply to: To Future Proof.... by MarkinTOI have, for example, research files which were generated by proprietary software on an old Pr1me minicomputer running PrimOS. Your advice would do me no good since even if I had a tape with the program on it, I don't have the obsolete computer or OS to run it.
Believe it or not, one day Windows and/or PC's as we know them will be just as obsolete. When that day comes, all you can hope to do is preserve the data in an accessible form - which is how I interpreted the original question. Most of the replies in this thread miss that crucial point.
Old file follow-up...
by MarkinTO - 4/24/09 9:50 PM In reply to: How do you future proof your digitally archived documents? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Be sure to include ANY available "file-converters" that are available.
Such as the Word-Perfect to Word, the Word D.O.S. to either Word-Perfect or MS-Word, MS-Office to Windows (1999-2007)converters and the such!
Many people got machines with MS-Works installed which is NOT compatible with either Word-Perfect or MS-Office!!! It was a "cheap on the fly version" that no software can understand (due to crazy formatting embedding).
These packages are 'freely' available on the net.
The 'imported' text might look somewhat crazy (the viewed version will look fine) but, at least people can copy or re-format your documents for future use!
Mark
Keep files in their original formats
by mjd420nova - 4/24/09 10:43 PM In reply to: How do you future proof your digitally archived documents? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I keep files in their original formats and make two copies in two types of media. I keep one copy on CD-R disk and another copy on DVD-R disks. The CD's become an archive library, available easily in a bookshelf storage file. The DVD's I keep in a firesafe. Most of the files that are kept in older type file formats are checked to be sure thay can be opened by the newer versions before archiving. All audio recordings are kept in the .WAV format, photos in .JPEG format and videos in .MPG3 format. This helps to insure they can be retrieved by just about any programs used for those media.
Related issue for future-proofing
by selimap - 4/25/09 12:14 AM In reply to: How do you future proof your digitally archived documents? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
A similar issue is what happens after your death or incapacity to web sites and accounts you have built up.
For example, I have put considerable effort into building a Flickr site which is becoming an archive of family images, covering several generations. It’s a ‘Pro’ site, i.e. paid for monthly. Of course, I have all the images backed up – though we must wonder how long particular media or formats will be usable, as the questioner asks. But the comments and descriptions are only held on Flickr.
Flickr’s lawyers tell me that in the event of my death, the account will be terminated and closed, and cannot be transferred under any circumstances. Not even if I leave an amount in my will to pay for it forever, and specific instructions for transfer of ownership. There will be no facility to transfer the images and structures (albums etc, comments etc) to another account, and there is no way that I know to download these to backup today.
I really like the facilities on Flickr; it suits me very well. But this issue worries me, I want the site to be accessible to my children and others. I think other photo sharing sites have similar Terms and Conditions anyway, so this is not a question only relevant to Flickr, I’m just using it as the example.
Of course, Flickr can only close the account if they know I am dead. If I make sure the family know the user id and password, it could no doubt carry on for some years, though after the first fifty or so they might get suspicious. And that doesn’t seem the right approach.
If Flickr goes out of business, there is also a risk to this collection. But we might hope someone would take it over and continue or transfer the facilities.
I suppose some members may advise building and hosting my own web site, but I really don’t have time to learn how to do that and maintain it. And I like being on a site that si widely searched and referenced.
Flickr
by kriswa - 4/26/09 6:51 AM In reply to: Related issue for future-proofing by selimapif you are really determined to preserve it, there are probably tools that can duplicate/sync your images and other data to your home PC or to other similar websites. even if the right tool doesn't exist right now, it will inevitably appear before long. those kind of web2.0 sotes are growing and growing rapidly, and as soon as the technology we (ie. a majority of internet users) have in our living room catches up, most of these issues (lifespan of media, file format compatibility, accessibility, etc) will largely become a thing of the past.
I would expect that to be within the next ten years or so, given the accelerating pace of technological change.
How do you future proof?
by white-bread - 4/25/09 1:28 AM In reply to: How do you future proof your digitally archived documents? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Think about the term: "future proof."
If you truly want to protect something from the future, you would immediately destroy it.
Do you mean to say,
"I would like to know if there will be backwards compatibility with the formats I am currently using."
Future proofing digital information
by Nebuchadnezzer - 4/25/09 1:33 AM In reply to: How do you future proof your digitally archived documents? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Print it all.
If God had given Moses the Ten Commandments on a floppy disc, they would have been useful for a very short period of time !
Yeah...
by zsuprise - 5/1/09 6:08 PM In reply to: Future proofing digital information by Nebuchadnezzer... and the 3,000 years between Moses coming down from Mt. Sinai and the invention of the floppy disc drive would have been VERY different!
Forever data
by wcrutcher - 4/25/09 4:14 AM In reply to: How do you future proof your digitally archived documents? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I have asked this question myself and continually search for the correct answer. More than understanding what data format will be alive and well 10 years from now, I think it more important to consider what media to use to archive the data.
Data stored on quality CD or DVD media most likely will survive over a long period of time if stored properly. They need to be kept in a cool, fireproof place and flat to avoid warping. I am told that the adhesive on labels may damage a disc. I use a felt tipped pin to label discs. I store them in a fire proof safe. To be really secure, you should store a second copy in a second offsite secure location.
I am currently banking on PDF as a long lasting format. I think RTF (rich text format) will likely also be readable years from now. I don't think any format used now for accounting or spreadsheets will be readable years from now, as often the format changes between versions of software.
When companies make computers without optical drives it makes me worry if there is any "permanent" way to archive data. I used to store data on floppy discs.......
PDF is the best option available at present
by kriswa - 4/25/09 5:16 AM In reply to: How do you future proof your digitally archived documents? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
PDF is widely regarded as the most flexible, open and cross-compatible file format. you can archive virtually any kind of data in PDF files, and the current version of Acrobat Standard integrates with many common applications allowing you a quick way to archive all your files in a relatively future-proof, secure format. you can quickly archive even your email folders in one click, with all the attachments openable in the PDF file you end up with.
don't be fooled by the lure of companies such as Microsoft trying to tell you there files are open or future-proof, there's no evidence to support their claims, and continues to be a legal bone of contention around the world.
there are other formats in the wild such as XML, out there that have attempted to give a universal format, but none are widel recognised as yet, and so compatibility is still in doubt, let alone future proofing.
at worst, even if Adobe disappeared today all your PDFs would still be openable in another decade or more with the huge number of programs available that utilise it now as evidence. also, add to the fact that it is inherently complete and cross-platform, it's a sure winner.
until we have the holographic optical solid state storage of scifi movies, there's no guarantees.
I predict that PDF-type files will be vastly different in 20-40 years from now, you'll still have little trouble opening them, something like JPEG and HTML files were 20 years ago (not suggesting you use either of those).
Best about PDF...
by rbsjrx - 4/25/09 7:15 AM In reply to: PDF is the best option available at present by kriswa...is that it is an open standard (ISO 32000-1:2008). Although Adobe holds patents to PDF, it licenses them for royalty-free use in software complying with its PDF specification. PDF is built upon an earlier Adobe technology, PostScript, which long ago passed into common usage. The difference is that PDF is a file format while PostScript is a programming language. PDF incorporates a subset of PostScript, a method for embedding font information, methods for embedding graphic objects, all along with data compression.
Postcript vs PDF
by kriswa - 4/26/09 7:05 AM In reply to: Best about PDF... by rbsjrxPostscript is largely redundant to end users, (excepting those still living under a rock or using outdated linux software).
PS is inaccessible but those using specialised printers, or very specific software (which probably won't be the case in 10-20 years).
PDF is guaranteed to be superseded like everything else, but it is at present the best bet for future-proofing your data.
It's worth noting though that PDFs are not editable like the original files -- you should still save a copy of your proprietary files (XLS/DOC/PPT/IND/PSD/DWG/etc) if there's any likelihood you will need to alter those files later. The editable files will be inherently problematic, but you may be able to update them later to a newer format if the need arises, and you still will have the PDF for insurance.
"Postscript is largely redundant to end users, (excepting those still living under a rock or using outdated linux software).
PS is inaccessible but those using specialised printers, or very specific software (which probably won't be the case in 10-20 years)."
This is a troll, right? It's understandable, though, You might be amazed at how much of what we read in print was prepared using tools that generate LaTeX (this is especially true of technical books). LaTeX, BTW, isn't Linux software - it's Unix software, first introduced in 1985, based on Donald Knuth's TeX typesetting language. Since LaTex is a type setting language, it may created with a number of tools. The important point is that since it's the most widely used typesetting language, used for books and newspapers everywhere, it's hardly "outdated". Typesetting for publication and word processing are related, but different. There's no indication that LaTeX is going away anytime soon. It's integral to the publishing infrastructure, in much the same sense that COBOL is integral to the business infrastructure. The difference is that there have evolved superior alternatives to COBOL, while LaTeX is still the typesetting language of choice.
"It's worth noting though that PDFs are not editable like the original files -- you should still save a copy of your proprietary files (XLS/DOC/PPT/IND/PSD/DWG/etc) if there's any likelihood you will need to alter those files later. The editable files will be inherently problematic, but you may be able to update them later to a newer format if the need arises, and you still will have the PDF for insurance."
Only a minor quibble here... First of all, although it's not particularly easy to edit PDF files, it is possible and there are tools to do it. Second, the whole concept of document archiving is that you want to retain the original, so editability is often not a concern.
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