14 Jan
2004
14 Jan
'04
3:32 p.m.
At 01:20 PM 1/14/2004 -0800, you wrote:
even if we save the raw files, how will we view them in
50 (or
even 5) years?
--
The short answer:
You won't
--
The reason will be no one will have preserved the data describing
the file formats, since it is "proprietary"
And you won't be able to simulate the systems, because the data
needed to simulate it is proprietary also.
--
Two example systems I can think of right now:
Schematics or chip designs done on products by Daisy Systems (dead, dead,
dead)
or
Mechanical and electrical CAD designs done on Calcomp electronic drafting
systems
based on the Xerox D-machine.
To further this depressing story, even if you were to save a room full of
old computers to run the actual software on, in time they would break down
and the integrated circuits inside would be no longer available for repair,
assuming that you were able to secure copies of the proprietary hardware
manuals that would be needed to maintain the systems...
--tom