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Problems in Computer Conservation

Posted by michael on from the don't-make-em-like-they-used-to dept.

sobachatina writes "The Computer museum at The University of Amsterdam has an interesting page with examples of the problems that they run into maintaining 20+ year old hardware such as rubber rollers from card readers melting or mold growing inside CRT terminals.I hate it when I get mold growing inside my monitor!"

2 of 256 comments (clear)

  1. CDR - advances in durability? by sploxx · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Interestingly enough, the old technology is not considered the best, at least not as a backup medium. This is the thing most of the preservation efforts go and should go into.

    Admitted, paper lasts very long, there is enough ancient evidence :)

    But look e.g. here http://www.osta.org/technology/cdqa13.htm,

    they say that CD-Rs last 50-200 years(!)
    Compare that to magnetic tapes, discs, etc.

    But the final solution for very important data may well be the engraving into gold-plated aluminium, as the NASA did it for pioneer 10...

    It seems that mechanically changed media (stones, CD recordables etc.) have the longest lifetime.

  2. Re:Insert stoner response here by iggymanz · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Hemp (the fiber of which used to make rope, and the leaves of which is used make hippies & the early BSD's) paper can last 1,500+ years