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Your Data and Cyber Business After You're Gone
Reader Mountain Splash writes "The New York Times has a decent thought-inspiring article questioning what happens to our stored data and who owns the rights to it after we die. I have to admit that, while this dilemma had already crossed my mind many months ago, I've been rather slow to do something about handling it. While considering the same, though, what I did do was start a very detailed list of my many various emailboxes, IM monikers, cyber buddies, and yes, passwords (complete with encrypted hints to be stored separately). I have also already approached my roomie and my sister about following up with that list for me as a last wish if and when the inevitable should occur. Just wondering if everyone else has done the same or similar... Anyone gone so far as to have already filed their information along with their will with their family lawyer?"
Yeah, I think so. 599 comments on the subject. Let's just all refer to that, shall we?
HERE
Make that HERE
We may not need every minute detail from someone's files, but the family or associates might want stuff like family pictures, scientific research, family tree data... stuff like that. I don't hold on to everything, but I'm hoping taht people will look at my photo work (semiPro) in the future... but hopefully this won't be an issue for me for several score of years to come.
For the easiest method of transferring ownership of anything digital or otherwise I use a "Living Trust". A safe is used to store my documents in typed or witten format (a good locksmith can crack it when needed) and a trusted friend to manage the trust. This way I can die in peace knowing that my loved ones will not be ripped off by the greedy probate process.
This will really do your employer good. Not. It's not like anyone but you can go down to your safe-deposit box and grab all this stuff... They'll have to wait until probate!
"Who are in control, they are not in control of anything - they don't even control themselves!" - Glen Beck
Same was broached on Coupling. Jeff's Steve's "Porn Buddy". I'm pretty sure my brother would perform this function for me, but not out of any altruistic sense of duty...
I think that as a culture, we need to learn how to let go of things.
I read this poem by Tom Clark in Andrei Codrescu's "Up Late":
Credit to A9.com for finding the quote.
In a way, I think holding on to every minute detail of someone's life devalues the things of importance they left behind. Do you think they really want to be remembered by their tax returns? Would they have wanted their grandchildren to inherit their file of meeting notes? If someone wants to leave important digital information to posterity, they should put that intent in their will, and (*gasp*) maybe even make a hard copy of it.
Perhaps your family won't be interested, but historians might.
Tax forms can learn a lot about society, I would think.
Let me give you an alternative pov. As a historian, it is precisely these things that you devalue that others value. For instance only recently I was researching an incident during th 1856 presidential election, and a university professor in the South (specifics aren't terribly important for my point). This professor left a copy of all his letters, and they were quite extensive to Duke University library upon his death--these letters are personal, to his sisters, wife, children, etc. And they offer an incredible window into the issues and the time.
Now clearly this was his choice, but as you say, in previous times it was more difficult to make copies. Today we take it for granted that stuff will be around forever--this isn't the case, and it's kinda scary how much might be lost.