GM> JE> But that is the problem - it will not stay in one piece.

GM>Quite a few of the early movies were copied onto more stable
GM>stock which was around from the early 1930's IIRC. But movies
GM>made as late as the 1960's are deteriorating fast due to fading
GM>of the dyes, and I believe there are a large number that have
GM>been lost to that effect.

GM>I saw an excellent documentary a few years ago about the "repair"
GM>of 'My Fair Lady'.

GM> GM>But how long will CDs and DVDs last? Does anyone know?

GM> JE> I believe it is projected to be many many years - which
GM> JE> seems logical considering the way the CDs are made and the
GM> JE> way data is recorded on them.

GM>Since the surface of the CD or DVD is covered with a layer of
GM>clear plastic, diffusion in the plastic or surface crazing could
GM>easily make them unusable.

Could, but I do not think it will happen that way. Even my
earliest CDs are still clear as a bell. In this day and
time, I would think the CD manufacturers would have given
that a lot of thought and took steps to avoid such
happenings.

GM> GM>And if the technology changes would anyone be able to duplicate
GM> GM>it to play them in, say, 100 years time?

GM> JE> Only if those "anyones" had enough foresight to do the
GM> JE> equivalent to what we are now doing with home movies, VCR
GM> JE> tapes, etc.

GM>Quite often there is stuff stored away, maybe forgotten for
GM>years, to be later discovered. And that is where the problem
GM>lies.

GM>There are a lot of books detailing the techniques for making and
GM>replaying movies on film, the same with disk recordings, and the
GM>descriptions are comprehensive enough so that anyone with some
GM>technical skill and a reasonable workshop -- even a home one --
GM>could make a player for either medium.

GM>I venture to say that someone could build a magnetic tape
GM>reproducer for reel-to-reel or cassette merely from a description
GM>in a book.

GM>Even examining the recording medium either directly or with
GM>simple equipment would tell a lot about how it was to be
GM>reproduced, and a reasonably skilfull person could re-invent the
GM>equipment to play it.

GM>But the same cannot be said of video tapes, and even less of CDs
GM>and DVDs. A description in a book would get you absolutely
GM>NOWHERE in resurrecting the technology required to play those
GM>media. For someone who had never seen one before, looking at the
GM>medium with a high powered microscope MIGHT tell them something
GM>about how it is to be replayed, but I doubt that it would help
GM>much.

GM> JE> No, they just bundled up ALL the tapes - which included
GM> JE> quite a number of National Geographic and other purchased
GM> JE> tapes - mostly for our grand kids viewing when they come
GM> JE> over..

GM>Strange. They don't usually go to that much trouble. they usually
GM>just take whatever seems immediately to be attractive to them,
GM>usually stuff that has a known resale value.

Really not so strange. We were missing two pillow cases and
a large recycling bin. They just dumped what they "thought"
they wanted in those and carried them off. They trashed the
steering column in my car trying to get it started but
failed. Had they got the car started we would have been
missing much much more. They would have piled the car full
and drove off - emptying it somewhere then dumping or
burning the car.

Jay


---
 þ OLXWin 1.00b þ I'm writing a book. I've got the page numbers done already.