6 ms·

I really hope this isn't the end of the Wayback Machine. The IA being a centralized entity with an agenda not everyone agrees with was a problem not explored en

I really hope this isn't the end of the Wayback Machine. The IA being a centralized entity with an agenda not everyone agrees with was a problem not explored enough until it was too late.

datapolitical 4y ago
Someone would spin up a nonprofit and buy the assets and keep it going
- themitigating 4y ago
  Would it be more difficult to get funding during harash economic times?
- Kye 4y ago
  It's already a nonprofit. The shell game works for for-profit corporations. I don't think it'll work when the kind of companies that usually play that game are the ones after them.
  - mistrial9 4y ago
    specific assets of a non-profit must be transferred to another non-profit, with some oversight about costs. It is possible and does happen.
    - mdale 4y ago
      The internet archive does facilitate mirrors under the LOCKSS (lots of copies keeps stuff safe) philosophy.
- samdcbu 4y ago
  If it was shut down due to a civil injunction for copyright violation, I don’t think the Internet Archive would be able to transfer the Wayback Machine’s data to anyone else without defying that injunction and risk being held in contempt. Someone would need to immediately begin trying to mirror the entire Wayback Machine’s archive, ideally hosting the mirror in Luxembourg or the Netherlands.
  - password4321 4y ago
    Archive Team Archive Team, assemble!
  - brutusurp 4y ago
    Hopefully this is already happening...
robinsonb5 4y ago
Indeed, the Wayback Machine is an invaluable resource, more and more so as older sites drop off the net. But hosting, for example, multiple complete MAME ROM sets (and the existence of turnkey - albeit non-commercial - products which download them automatically) is in a completely different category from the Wayback Machine - and it would be a shame if the former was endangered by the latter.
- Ekaros 4y ago
  I think there is quite a bit difference between archiving stuff. And making it publicly available. The first one make lot of sense, even if technically the content does not follow copyright laws. But there is important cultural history with it that should be considered. But on other side, maybe access should be limited in someways.
  - ghaff 4y ago
    The problem is that an Internet Archive where you you have to show up at some building in the Bay Area during office hours to access the archive is quite a bit less valuable than the archive in its current form.
    - Ekaros 4y ago
      I'm not saying in person, but at least some type of vouching before sharing the material.
      - ghaff 4y ago
        The details don't really matter. Having to say present research credentials from some university, even if virtually, isn't a whole lot more inclusive.
ClumsyPilot 4y ago
how would this painstaking work be performed by a decentralised entity? Human beings have agendas, I am not sure why you expect them to be machines or politically neutral. This is normally understood when one donates to a charity.

I really hope this isn't the end of the Wayback Machine. The IA being a centralized entity with an agenda not everyone agrees with was a problem not explored enough until it was too late.

datapolitical 4y ago

Someone would spin up a nonprofit and buy the assets and keep it going

themitigating 4y ago
Would it be more difficult to get funding during harash economic times?
Kye 4y ago
It's already a nonprofit. The shell game works for for-profit corporations. I don't think it'll work when the kind of companies that usually play that game are the ones after them.
- mistrial9 4y ago
  specific assets of a non-profit must be transferred to another non-profit, with some oversight about costs. It is possible and does happen.
  - mdale 4y ago
    The internet archive does facilitate mirrors under the LOCKSS (lots of copies keeps stuff safe) philosophy.
samdcbu 4y ago
If it was shut down due to a civil injunction for copyright violation, I don’t think the Internet Archive would be able to transfer the Wayback Machine’s data to anyone else without defying that injunction and risk being held in contempt. Someone would need to immediately begin trying to mirror the entire Wayback Machine’s archive, ideally hosting the mirror in Luxembourg or the Netherlands.
- password4321 4y ago
  Archive Team Archive Team, assemble!
- brutusurp 4y ago
  Hopefully this is already happening...

robinsonb5 4y ago

Indeed, the Wayback Machine is an invaluable resource, more and more so as older sites drop off the net. But hosting, for example, multiple complete MAME ROM sets (and the existence of turnkey - albeit non-commercial - products which download them automatically) is in a completely different category from the Wayback Machine - and it would be a shame if the former was endangered by the latter.

Ekaros 4y ago
I think there is quite a bit difference between archiving stuff. And making it publicly available. The first one make lot of sense, even if technically the content does not follow copyright laws. But there is important cultural history with it that should be considered. But on other side, maybe access should be limited in someways.
- ghaff 4y ago
  The problem is that an Internet Archive where you you have to show up at some building in the Bay Area during office hours to access the archive is quite a bit less valuable than the archive in its current form.
  - Ekaros 4y ago
    I'm not saying in person, but at least some type of vouching before sharing the material.
    - ghaff 4y ago
      The details don't really matter. Having to say present research credentials from some university, even if virtually, isn't a whole lot more inclusive.

ClumsyPilot 4y ago

how would this painstaking work be performed by a decentralised entity? Human beings have agendas, I am not sure why you expect them to be machines or politically neutral. This is normally understood when one donates to a charity.