Thanks for that Teresa. I have backed all my data threefold One for each of my adult children. Hoping one survives. But my point is we require some kind of a standard. The problem as I see it, doesn't stop with the dye, there is a glue problem. & we have all heard of exploding CD's, or scratched CD's, or even the programs the data is written on. e.g. I have several files I wrote back in the days of ATARI on a long lost program. they are now useless as I can't read them. And who says that CD's will be around in 20 years remember the 5.5" floppies? how many of us could recover data from them? It seems to me we are progressing backwards? (If that makes any sense) I pulled out my grandfathers WW1 paybook the other day, that had gone through the trenches, & who knows what. from 1914. and would you believe it? it is as legible as the day it was written in 1914. & I can't even recover data I wrote 15 years ago. (Well I could but it would cost me an arm & a leg). We have to think foreword. & make our data as easy for our descendents to read as it is for me to pick up granddads paybook. or we are wasting our time. FOOD FOR THOUGHT! Arthur South Oz Ps I am a born pessimist. but I would love to hear some alternatives. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Teresa" <terry3112@dodo.com.au> To: <GEN-COMP-TIPS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, September 02, 2004 12:40 AM Subject: Re: [Gen-Comp-Tips] WHAT DO WE STORE OUR GOODIES ON. > Adelaide, 1st September 2004 > > Dear Arthur, > > Apparently National Archives are using magnetic tape, according to the article > in Family History magazine, and expect this to last about thirty years. I > don't know how expensive this system is, it might not be within my means. > However it may be worth considering until something better comes along. > > Regards, Terry > > > ==== GEN-COMP-TIPS Mailing List ==== > Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites of the Internet: > http://www.cyndislist.com > > ============================== > Gain access to over two billion names including the new Immigration > Collection with an Ancestry.com free trial. Click to learn more. > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=4930&sourceid=1237 >

Maybe this sounds stupid but why not paper? Every so often update a hardcopy and store it in binder where the family can find it. This way family members not familiar with computer/or the programs I use still have access to the family history. Arthur & Stella wrote on 9/1/2004, 7:18 PM: > Thanks for that Teresa. > > I have backed all my data threefold One for each of my adult children. > Hoping one survives. But my point is we require some kind of a standard. > The problem as I see it, doesn't stop with the dye, there is a glue > problem. > & we have all heard of exploding CD's, or scratched CD's, or even the > programs the data is written on. e.g. I have several files I wrote > back in > the days of ATARI on a long lost program. they are now useless as I can't > read them. > And who says that CD's will be around in 20 years remember the 5.5" > floppies? how many of us could recover data from them? > > It seems to me we are progressing backwards? (If that makes any sense) > I pulled out my grandfathers WW1 paybook the other day, that had gone > through the trenches, & who knows what. from 1914. and would you believe > it? it is as legible as the day it was written in 1914. & I can't even > recover > data I wrote 15 years ago. (Well I could but it would cost me an arm & a > leg). > We have to think foreword. & make our data as easy for our descendents to > read as it is for me to pick up granddads paybook. or we are wasting our > time. > > FOOD FOR THOUGHT! > Arthur South Oz > > Ps I am a born pessimist. but I would love to hear some alternatives. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Teresa" <terry3112@dodo.com.au> > To: <GEN-COMP-TIPS-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Thursday, September 02, 2004 12:40 AM > Subject: Re: [Gen-Comp-Tips] WHAT DO WE STORE OUR GOODIES ON. > > > > Adelaide, 1st September 2004 > > > > Dear Arthur, > > > > Apparently National Archives are using magnetic tape, according to the > article > > in Family History magazine, and expect this to last about thirty years. > I > > don't know how expensive this system is, it might not be within my > means. > > However it may be worth considering until something better comes along. > > > > Regards, Terry > > > > > > ==== GEN-COMP-TIPS Mailing List ==== > > Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites of the Internet: > > http://www.cyndislist.com > > > > ============================== > > Gain access to over two billion names including the new Immigration > > Collection with an Ancestry.com free trial. Click to learn more. > > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=4930&sourceid=1237 > > >