Message-Id: <mailto:199409020958.EAA14488@library.wustl.edu> Date: Fri, 2 Sep 1994 14:53:06 WST+8 From: Maggie Exon <mailto:MAGGIE@BIBLIO.CURTIN.EDU.AU> Subject: Re: More digital resolution To: Multiple recipients of list IMAGELIB <mailto:IMAGELIB@ARIZVM1.BITNET>
Tony Barry writes, re my suggestion that all electronically stored data presents problems if its future usability is to be assured:> The same applies to paper.
Actually not true, at least for pre-1850 paper and current permanent- durable paper. (In any case I did not advocate paper in any way).> At least with digital media it's far easier to
> copy than paper and an ortdr of magniture or more cheaper to store.
The first comment may or may not be true. If it is a question of transfer to a different kind of medium, there may be all kinds of mistakes which can be made involving subsequent access problems. It is true it is cheaper to store electronically but if later access problems are perceived then you still have wasted the storage costs.> No matter what media material is copies to it stlll needs to recopied.
Again, not so. For my doctoral research I used hundreds of original manuscripts dated from 1000 to 1550, most as clear as the day they were written. > You might as well pick on that's easiest - and mopst accurate.
This comment brings us back to the heart of my argument. It doesn't matter how easy it is to copy, if the copying isn't done, the information is eventually lost. It is not a technical but a managerial problem.
Dr Maggie Exon, Senior Lecturer, School of Information and Library Studies, Curtin University of Technology, PO Box U1987, Perth, 6001, Western Australia. Phone (09) 351 7215; Fax (09) 351 3152 email: mailto:maggie@biblio.curtin.edu.au