GM> JE> What happens when the tape get brittle and starts breaking?
GM> JE> I have some old reel to reel stuff that is beginning to get
GM> JE> that way.

GM>I have some reel-to-reel tapes from the 50's and early 60's that
GM>got brittle after only a few years. But I've had no trouble with
GM>stuff from the 70s and later.

GM> JE> Also movies will deteriorate much the same way.

GM> JE> The movie industry has lost quite a bit of their earlier
GM> JE> productions because of film deterioration.

GM>Many of the colour movies are deteriorating badly as the dyes
GM>fade. Fortunately the silver oxide in B/W movies is very durable
GM>and if the stock stays in one piece they should last almost
GM>forever.

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

GM> JE> Well the trick is to NOT leave the images on the memory
GM> JE> stick, etc. but to put the keepers on CDs or DVDs. That is
GM> JE> what I am in the process of doing right know - making DVDs
GM> JE> from VHS tapes for other people.

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

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

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

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

GM> JE> We lost all of out VHS tapes when we were burglarized this
GM> JE> last summer so I can't save mine now.

GM>Why the h*** would burglars want to take private videos? They
GM>probably do it to cause annoyance to the people they rob, just to
GM>show they can :-((((

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

Jay
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