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Rosetta Disk Designed For 2,000 Years Archive

Hugh Pickens writes "Kevin Kelly has an interesting post about an archive designed with an estimated lifespan of 2,000 -10,000 years to serve future generations as a modern Rosetta Stone. The Rosetta disk contains analog 'human-readable' scans of scripts, text, and diagrams using nickel deposited on an etched silicon disk and includes 15,000 microetched pages of language documentation in 1,500 different languages, including versions of Genesis 1-3, a universal list of the words common for each language, and pronunciation guides. Produced by the Long Now Foundation, the plan is to replicate the disk promiscuously and distribute them around the world in nondescript locations so at least one will survive their 2,000-year lifespan. 'This is one of the most fascinating objects on earth,' says Oliver Wilke. 'If we found one of these things 2,000 years ago, with all the languages of the time, it would be among our most priceless artifacts. I feel a high responsibility for preserving it for future generations.'"

12 of 659 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Well that's embarassing by JohnHegarty · · Score: 4, Funny

    With the way things are going very soon the Bible will be the only book that's out of copyright....

  2. Genesis by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    That's a lot of Phil Collins - three Genesis albums!

    Surely a greater variety would have given a broader view of our world! Maybe some Elton John, and Boney M at least!

  3. WTF ? by daveime · · Score: 5, Funny

    replicate the disk promiscuously

    Only nerds too long in their basements would use this kind of terminology !

    The rest of us would say "make a lot of copies".

  4. Re:Well that's embarassing by inzy · · Score: 5, Funny

    What other texts do we have that has a similar chance of surviving? There are a lot of texts that are revered to some extent

    the man pages for emacs?

  5. Logical next step... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    This sounds great. Now we need one with a copy of Wikipedia on it, so that all human knowledge can be preserved as well.

    1. Re:Logical next step... by Ihmhi · · Score: 4, Funny

      Oh, that would be lovely. "Albert Einstein was a scientist who JASON MAYNOR SUCKS COCK developed one of the most important theories..."

  6. Re:Well that's embarassing by introspekt.i · · Score: 5, Funny

    No, vi.

  7. Re:Put it into deep space by bytesex · · Score: 5, Funny

    That's why you would hide it in an intuitive place. In the middle of the biggest crater on the moon, for example, inside a big, obviously artificial thing. A black monolith, say.

    --
    Religion is what happens when nature strikes and groupthink goes wrong.
  8. Re:You need a 500x microscope to read it by lordofthechia · · Score: 5, Funny

    Why not include the tool to read the document with the document?

    That's how they make their money! It's brilliant! Give away the media for free, then in 2,000 years, sell the 500x microscope "readers" for a *huge* profit! Just make sure the teaser text and critical reviews are readable by the naked eye.

    --
    Georgia Tech, the leader in Chia(tm) technology.
  9. Re:Well that's embarassing by Kent+Recal · · Score: 5, Funny

    The problem, as usual, is in the presentation bias.
    I got myself a copy of this rosetta thing and well, see for yourself:

    .
    ./1111_README.1ST
    ./1111_README.1ST/the_bible_-_a_popes_view.avi
    ./bible
    ./bible/hot_jesus_action.avi
    ./bible/maria_sweaty_xxx.wmv
    ./bible/12_hot_studs_uncensored.avi
    ./bible2-the-moses-incident
    ./bible2-the-moses-incident/gawds-bb2mi-TS-PROPER.rar
    ./bible2-the-moses-incident/gawds-bb2mi-TS-PROPER.r00
    ./bible2-the-moses-incident/gawds-bb2mi-TS-PROPER.r01
    ./bible2-the-moses-incident/gawds-bb2mi-TS-PROPER.r02
    ./bible2-the-moses-incident/gawds-bb2mi-TS-PROPER.r03
    ..
    ./bible2-the-moses-incident/gawds-bb2mi-TS-PROPER.r44
    ./TEH_BIBLE_DIRECTORS_CUT--GAWDS-SCREENER-DVDR-XVID
    ./TEH_BIBLE_DIRECTORS_CUT/gawds-bdc-dvdrip_1.avi
    ./TEH_BIBLE_DIRECTORS_CUT/gawds-bdc-dvdrip_2.avi
     
    ( 1417 lines snipped )
     
    ./.attic
    ./.attic/misc
    ./.attic/misc/old
    ./.attic/misc/old/test
    ./.attic/misc/old/test/deutsch
    ./.attic/misc/old/test/deutsch/human_rihgts.doc~

    Sad.

  10. Re:Well that's embarassing by CrackedButter · · Score: 4, Funny

    "All power to the engines". - Come on, brush up on your Futurama!

  11. Re:Should have used Harry Potter... by X0563511 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Sorry. I get confused in the morning sometimes, I guess I found my way into his kitchen by mistake.

    I'll try to avoid further kitchen-defecation.

    --
    For large sets, this will be our guide even unto death, for the LORD will work for each type of data it is applied to...