Re: scanning to cd-rom

From: Henry Miller (hank@black-hole.com)
Date: Sun Jan 21 2001 - 11:27:55 PST

  • Next message: SCC: "Re: scanning to cd-rom"

    Well, CDs are probably better then 2 years if carefully stored, but even
    still that leave you with either regular migration every couple years or
    face lost pictures. With digital it is often the case that there is no
    loss then suddenly nothing, where as with normal pictures loss is slow.

    Black and white pictures on archival paper will lastt 500 years or
    more. color should never be considered more then 20 years.

    Digital media has not proven itself to last long, and it faces the danger
    of unrecoverable loss without notice. If you want to go to digital, make
    several copies, and store them in different places, and keep your copies
    fresh.

    For color prints much the same thing, though you can wait a little
    longer. Get quality prints, not nessicarly something a drug store can
    provide. Note that a printout is not the same as a photo, many printers
    give more then a few years before the ink fades.

    If you don't mind black and white, then archival paper needs only a little
    protection. (Face it, you care about your grandpa, but not your great 6
    times grandpa, so you don't even need the best protection) Just keep the
    prints from flood, fire, chemicals (A few older photo albums), and light
    (except when viewing) and you should have a photo for life. I'd make
    extra copies while I'm at it, but there is no need for re-coping.

    If I were a betting man I'd put money on you wanting to preserve color
    photographs in color. In that case there is no solution that we trust to
    last. At least not without budgets like Bill Gates.

    On Sun, 21 Jan 2001, SCC wrote:

    > Hi everyone.
    >
    > I want to scan some old family photos before they disintegrate completely. I
    > read somewhere that recordable cd's only have a life of around 2 years. Does
    > anyone have any advice on keeping permanent photo archives?
    >
    > Thanks, Steve.
    >
    >
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