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This is based on archives dating back hundreds of years. We really need to spend time and effort on making sure that there will be comparable archives of our ti

This is based on archives dating back hundreds of years. We really need to spend time and effort on making sure that there will be comparable archives of our time. Databases are neat and all, but how can we make them last for hundreds of years..?

dboreham 9y ago
NSA has them in a dc in Nevada? <ducks>
eru 9y ago
Archaeologists are getting quite a lot of their data and clues from literal garbage. (See eg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midden https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midden ) We are producing quite a lot of very durable garbage these days: aluminium cans, plastic, etc. So even if archive.org and Google etc go under and we lose all their disks, we will leave plenty of evidence in the archaeological record.
- nerdponx 9y ago
  That's only for prehistoric record. In times when people were writing stuff down, we got a heck of a lot from what they wrote.
  - eru 9y ago
    Mostly agreed. Alas, people mostly write down the boring stuff like what kings reigned when and what laws they passed. The more interesting everyday stuff tends to be less well preserved in writing. (One of the reasons the cuneiform tablets with commercial and marriage contracts are so interesting.)
- astrodust 9y ago
  "These people really liked shiny aluminum platters and they kept them inside small, metal boxes. We presume it's some kind of ward against evil spirits because several of these were present in every home."
sandworm101 9y ago
Perspective. A Tudor ocean voyage was a big deal. It cost huge sums both in gold and lives. It was expected that at least some people would die on any long voyage. These were big events that had immediate impact on the societies that launched them. Most required government license, if not direct royal oversight. Today's ocean voyages do not compare. Our closest equivalent might be manned space travel. Those are very well documented.

dboreham 9y ago

NSA has them in a dc in Nevada? <ducks>

eru 9y ago

Archaeologists are getting quite a lot of their data and clues from literal garbage. (See eg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midden https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midden ) We are producing quite a lot of very durable garbage these days: aluminium cans, plastic, etc. So even if archive.org and Google etc go under and we lose all their disks, we will leave plenty of evidence in the archaeological record.

nerdponx 9y ago
That's only for prehistoric record. In times when people were writing stuff down, we got a heck of a lot from what they wrote.
- eru 9y ago
  Mostly agreed. Alas, people mostly write down the boring stuff like what kings reigned when and what laws they passed. The more interesting everyday stuff tends to be less well preserved in writing. (One of the reasons the cuneiform tablets with commercial and marriage contracts are so interesting.)
astrodust 9y ago
"These people really liked shiny aluminum platters and they kept them inside small, metal boxes. We presume it's some kind of ward against evil spirits because several of these were present in every home."

sandworm101 9y ago

Perspective. A Tudor ocean voyage was a big deal. It cost huge sums both in gold and lives. It was expected that at least some people would die on any long voyage. These were big events that had immediate impact on the societies that launched them. Most required government license, if not direct royal oversight. Today's ocean voyages do not compare. Our closest equivalent might be manned space travel. Those are very well documented.