Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Digital Dark Ages?

Posted by michael on from the scp-is-your-friend dept.

angkor writes "The digital dark age--Will all the information from this computer age slowly vanish as our delicate hardrives expire? That's what it looks like. Better start printing everything out."

2 of 422 comments (clear)

  1. It's OK to be wrong. by eclectric · · Score: 5, Informative

    Actually, historically, a "Dark" age (there have been several... the so-called "Dark Ages" is merely the longest series of them in Medieval times) is a period of time *during* recorded history when the historical record is in pieces or non-existant. While other problems can be applied to a Dark Age, these are usually causes, but what defines a Dark age is the result: reduced historical record.

    There were 2 or 3 in the Roman empire, one that I believe lasted about 30 years. Several more cropped up before and after Charlemagne. A much smaller one is happening with books produced in a specific timeframe in the early 20th century (I disremember which). Because of the acid in the paper, they'll deteriorate and fall apart rapidly. Luckily, project gutenberg is making an effort in getting the info out of books this old.

    So, it's OK to be wrong.

    1. Re:It's OK to be wrong. by dvdeug · · Score: 4, Informative

      A much smaller one is happening with books produced in a specific timeframe in the early 20th century (I disremember which). Because of the acid in the paper, they'll deteriorate and fall apart rapidly. Luckily, project gutenberg is making an effort in getting the info out of books this old.

      Not completely. Project Gutenberg can only use books printed before 1923. When I go looking for books for Project Gutenberg, a lot of the ones in really bad shape (include acid damage) were printed between 1940 and the mid 1960s. I fear for the typewritten stuff, especially, as it's appropaching unreadability even if it's only 30 years old.

      The other major worry is films. They were produced largely on nitrate stock, which is highly volitile and wasn't even stored by the Library of Congress, and without immediate help in some cases (not forthcoming for copyrighted films) those left may be lost forever.