Re: The BIGGER Ramifications to History

Nathan,
Your message is very interesting. I understand the significance of your point about the difficulty of archiving data, and that the problem is the breakdown of the storage media plus the obsolescence of technology. Of those two factors, I would think the former would be much more of a problem than the latter since an archivist has control over maintaining a continuous upgrade of the technology. But I am really curious about the truth in claims of longevity of media.
Recently I have heard that regular CDs are only reliable for storage without corruption for a year or two, depending on heat, humidity, etc. I understand that there are archival grade CDs that are reliable for 50-100 years. However, most people I talk to seem to think that regular CDs last almost indefinitely and have never heard of archival grade CDs. They are also usually dumfounded when I suggest that regular CDs are only good for a year or so. What is your knowledge or opinion of this matter?
RK