It is not as easy as that Joan. There is a lot of reports that the paper we now use is acidic and only has a life of 10 years likewise the ink we now use. I know it will last much longer then that but it is hardly the media one would trust with our years of hard work. Then we have to get a copy to each of our loved ones. This is a point that has just come home to me. as I have had a very good friend die. & his wife and children are not at all interested, in his years of work. Luckily I was asked to format his drive, so I was able to save most of his work. & I got his wife's permission to send his tree to the LDS. but what do I do with the rest, until his grandchildren come of age? (That is if I am still around then) Regards Arthur ----- Original Message ----- From: "Joan L. Asche" <jasche45133@aol.com> To: <GEN-COMP-TIPS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, September 02, 2004 8:56 PM Subject: Re: [Gen-Comp-Tips] WHAT DO WE STORE OUR GOODIES ON. > 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.

Paper works for me. After having just lost all of my data from a computer crash and not having a working CD ROM or zip drive to back it up -- had I not had a paper copy I doubt I would still be doing this hobby, and would not have started over. So needless to say, I trust paper. Since none of my family is interested in being the keeper of family history, I sent a backup copy to my cousin who is also interested in our family history. She had to have a paper copy because she doesn't own a computer and has no plan to purchase one in the future. She has done all of her research the old fashioned way and keeps her family tree written in ball point pen. Believe or not, there are a few people in the world who do not own computers or have internet accesss. I have in my possession a photocopy of a serveral page, well-documented manuscript done several years ago by a now deceased distant relative who typed all of his research on a old typewriter on paper. Since mine is an ongoing and ever growing hobby I update my paper copy often. What will happen to my research after I am gone is anybody's guess but I doubt by that time it won't much matter to me anyway. :) Arthur & Stella wrote on 9/3/2004, 3:10 AM: > It is not as easy as that Joan. > > There is a lot of reports that the paper we now use is acidic > and only has a life of 10 years likewise the ink we now use. > I know it will last much longer then that but it is hardly the > media one would trust with our years of hard work. > Then we have to get a copy to each of our loved ones. > > This is a point that has just come home to me. as I have had > a very good friend die. & his wife and children are not at all > interested, in his years of work. > > Luckily I was asked to format his drive, so I was able to save > most of his work. & I got his wife's permission to send his tree > to the LDS. but what do I do with the rest, until his grandchildren > come of age? (That is if I am still around then) > > Regards Arthur > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Joan L. Asche" <jasche45133@aol.com> > To: <GEN-COMP-TIPS-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Thursday, September 02, 2004 8:56 PM > Subject: Re: [Gen-Comp-Tips] WHAT DO WE STORE OUR GOODIES ON. > > > > 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. >

Dear Joan, I too, trust paper. I have my research on CD plus the Computer and also paper. Marie

Thanks. Joan Marie Young wrote on 9/3/2004, 7:05 AM: > Dear Joan, > I too, trust paper. I have my research on CD plus the Computer and also > paper. > Marie > >

Dear Arthur, May I suggest you send the family history data to the local family history society that relates to the main location of your late friend's work. Also you may find addresses of other people with interests in the work in the files, they may well be able to handle to care of the data and keep copies to hand on to the next generation. Best wishes, Chris. You asked: This is a point that has just come home to me. as I have had a very good friend die. & his wife and children are not at all interested, in his years of work. Luckily I was asked to format his drive, so I was able to save most of his work. & I got his wife's permission to send his tree to the LDS. but what do I do with the rest, until his grandchildren come of age? (That is if I am still around then) Regards Arthur --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.745 / Virus Database: 497 - Release Date: 27/08/2004