Rapid changes in technology make preservation of digital content a challenge. Taking into account the huge amount of data to be filed, the amount of time to accomplish with this task and more over the period of time we need to store such information, we have to value objectively a problem up to now widely underestimated and that is the conservation for long periods of time of digital information. This subject takes us to consider two aspects,the first is technological obsolescence and the second the 'temporary instinct' of the so- called 'permanent supports'. The biological clock of ICT beats smaller time slices compared to those considered worldwide in the field of cultural heritage. Digital formats becomes suddenly obsolete and disappear. An extraordinarily long-lived solution, such as the PC/DOS in great favour for over twenty years, represents a short-lived apparition if compared to the time spent in state owned archives. Computer systems are aging, media on which information is stored are disintegrating; the magnetic technology diskette survives without problems for thousands of hours but not enough to be considered 'permanent' for those aims. Which are the long-term implications if we rely on current digital technology to preserve our cultural memory? Long term preservation of digital archives is an issue not only for cultural content but even for e-government and social services. Electronic devices are disappearing because some key components are no more available on the shelf so the only chance is update the devices if possible or have a look at vintage market, if any. On May 2004 a panel on long term preservation of digital content was held in New York on the occasion of the World Wide Web Conference1. Later on, on September 2006 on the occasion of an event held in Asolo a set of recommendations was issued. The present section provides the basics about critical issues and concerns related to long term preservation of digital content.

Digital fragility and our legacy to future generations

RONCHI, ALFREDO
2007-01-01

Abstract

Rapid changes in technology make preservation of digital content a challenge. Taking into account the huge amount of data to be filed, the amount of time to accomplish with this task and more over the period of time we need to store such information, we have to value objectively a problem up to now widely underestimated and that is the conservation for long periods of time of digital information. This subject takes us to consider two aspects,the first is technological obsolescence and the second the 'temporary instinct' of the so- called 'permanent supports'. The biological clock of ICT beats smaller time slices compared to those considered worldwide in the field of cultural heritage. Digital formats becomes suddenly obsolete and disappear. An extraordinarily long-lived solution, such as the PC/DOS in great favour for over twenty years, represents a short-lived apparition if compared to the time spent in state owned archives. Computer systems are aging, media on which information is stored are disintegrating; the magnetic technology diskette survives without problems for thousands of hours but not enough to be considered 'permanent' for those aims. Which are the long-term implications if we rely on current digital technology to preserve our cultural memory? Long term preservation of digital archives is an issue not only for cultural content but even for e-government and social services. Electronic devices are disappearing because some key components are no more available on the shelf so the only chance is update the devices if possible or have a look at vintage market, if any. On May 2004 a panel on long term preservation of digital content was held in New York on the occasion of the World Wide Web Conference1. Later on, on September 2006 on the occasion of an event held in Asolo a set of recommendations was issued. The present section provides the basics about critical issues and concerns related to long term preservation of digital content.
2007
Establishing Memory: Building an Archive for our Great Grandchildren
digital preservation; digital memory; heritage; legacy; Long term preservation of digital content; Collection Management strategies; Risk Management; Disaster planning and recovery for digital files
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11311/661208
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