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The problem with these analog formats is inherent generation loss, and the inability to make use of error correction codes. While yes, that is true, there is a
by namibj 6y ago
The problem with these analog formats is inherent generation loss, and the inability to make use of error correction codes.
While yes, that is true, there is an argument about formats as wide-spread as CD-R, DVD-R, and BD-R/BD-R-DL. Readers for these are made by many companies, and information on how to make them is wide spread. They're also just sufficiently-precise mechanics with rather trivial optics.
Does your CD drive also read DVDs? I'd guess so.
Archive team is (thankfully) doing a good job. Go support them, and the Internet Archive!
I do not hold that belief you worry about. I'd like to collaborate on that front, not actually targeting immediate accessibility like the internet archive, but rather comparably to what that mine does. Well, maybe with less focus on active, short-term retrieval, and more on just waiting until it's feasible to keep it on active HDDs.
- Piskvorrr 6y agoThere's an orthogonal problem: does your DVD drive read CDs? I mean, sure it does, on the abstract level of compatibility; but the _material_ of the physical data carriers degrades. Audio CDs from the 1990s are still listenable (as there's far more error correction going on in the ear of the beholder), but data CDs? Not good, and getting worse. And that's not to mention magnetic tapes, where the charge fades even faster...
- namibj 6y agoBaFe tapes don't seem to have issues with "data fading". And BD-R uses phase-change recording, which is very, very stable and not affected by fungi or other ways the dye tends to rot/degrade in CD-R/DVD-R. Modern, high-coercitivity magnetic data tape only really has issues with hydrolysis of the binder that holds the magnetic particles to the PET film. This is prevented by very, very dry storage under about 15 degree Celsius. See e.g. this chart: https://i0.wp.com/clir.wordpress.clir.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2017/02/figure_10.gif https://i0.wp.com/clir.wordpress.clir.org/wp-content/uploads... Further reading: https://www.clir.org/pubs/reports/pub54/estimation_of_les/ https://www.clir.org/pubs/reports/pub54/estimation_of_les/