Hi Amalyah et al,

I think this would be an important session for anyone involved in digital
archiving.  Perhaps we could even have a mini exhibition of media storage
in the exhibition hall?  We had an exhibition here some years back which
dealt with 40 years of computing at the University of Glasgow and one of
the most commented on exhibits was the range of storage devices we had,
 from giant 4 foot disks which in the 60s stored 250K to Jaz cartridges etc,
which were then one of the lateest things.

Cheers,

Jim.

At 3:39 pm +0200 26/2/02, Amalyah Keshet wrote:
>    Just a  thought:   Perhaps the Digital Imaging SIG could  propose a
>session on the longevity (or lack thereof) of digital storage  media, for
>the 2002 annual conference?   The theme of the conference will be "In it
>for the  long haul --- technology programs that go the distance,"  so this
>would be  an appropriate issue.  Each SIG is to come up with at least one
>session  proposal -- and proposals are due on April 5.  See:  
>http://www.mcn.edu/2002cfp.htm     amalyah keshet
>head of image resources &  copyright management
>the israel museum, jerusalem    www.imj.org.il
>board of directors, museum  computer network   www.mcn.edu     (From
>ImageLib):   > I thought the Kodak Gold Ultima disks were  virtually
>indestructible and was disappointed when Kodak stopped distributing  them.
>After looking around for a replacement, I switched to Mitsui, the only
>other manufacturer I could find that offered a disk with Phthalocyanine
>dye and  a gold reflective layer. They're supposed to be coated for
>durability. Mitsui  will send you samples on request and they've been very
>fast with shipments.  <http://www.mitsuicdr.com/>
>>
>> At one point, Mitsui offered an "archival" gold disk, but their
>>representative tells me that those were discontinued and now all Mitsui
>>gold  disks are manufactured to the same standard.
>>
>> I think Mitsui  claims 100 years for their disks, but I think people
>>also need to know how a  disk stands up under every day use and abuse. So
>>for the past few years, I've  handed out Kodak disks (with digital images
>>on them) on the first day of my  digital imaging class. I would ask
>>students to "stress test" them, and then a  few weeks later, when we
>>discussed the longevity of digital media, we'd pull  them out and compare
>>notes.
>>
>> The Kodak disks survived 25 days  under water (which I thought would
>>open their laminated surfaced). They've been  buried  in a garden, placed
>>on the rear package shelf under a car window  (which is hot!), tied to
>>car bumpers, played with all day in a kindergarten  class  .. you name
>>it.  The only things that never failed to  destroy  the disks were deep
>>scratches and nail polish remover (no surprise  there).
>>
>> I'll let you know how the Mitsui disks fare later this  year.
>>
>>
>>
>> Robert Leopold
>> Archives &  Collections Information Manager
>> Department of Anthropology, National  Museum of Natural History
>> Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.  20560-0152
>>
>> Visit us online: www.nmnh.si.edu/naa
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Jim Devine
Head of Education and Digital Media Resources
Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery
University of Glasgow
Glasgow
G12 8QQ
Scotland

Tel: ++ 44 (0)141 330 3691 (Direct)
      ++ 44 (0)141 330 2689 (Digital Imaging Studio)
      ++ 44 (0)141 330 4221 (Museum)
Fax: ++ 44 (0)141 330 3617
email: [email protected]
web: http://www.hunterian.gla.ac.uk
        http://www.gla.ac.uk/museum/people/jdevine/jim.html



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