information preservation

[USA64]

A thought provoking article on Hagerty about losing internet content. It might be worth a think on this site as we have seen, too often, some learned source suddenly vanish (or go sailing).
https://www.hagerty.com/media/opinion/w ... 80e7908bfd

[persiflage]

Very interesting article.
I recall reading of concerns of social historians that information that has historically been available to them, photographs, letters, documents etc. Stored and discovered in drawers, boxes and attics will become harder and harder to access as people pass away having stored all their history on an electronic device.

[69S4]

Very interesting article.
I recall reading of concerns of social historians that information that has historically been available to them, photographs, letters, documents etc. Stored and discovered in drawers, boxes and attics will become harder and harder to access as people pass away having stored all their history on an electronic device.

My wife (and me by proxy) have been dabbling in family history research for the last decade or two, and even with the advent of digital records of what were originally paper files its not been easy. With so many recent sources (of interest mainly to our grandchildren I'd guess) being digital only and locked behind 'permission' walls I doubt they'll even have as much information available as we do. The irony of course is that it may be available but just not to them.

My answer has been to leave my own records - by writing autobiographies, memoirs, books about our 'life' etc. History, as Churchill said, will be kind to me as I intend to write it.

[USA64]

I met a small-business owner who was telling anyone who would listen about his tax problem. He had been audited by the IRS and fined for not keeping records. He had the records but they were on 12" floppys and he didn't have the machine to read them. His frustration was palpable!
My reason for posting was to ask if there is a plan for this website continuing when -the man behind the curtain- leaves?

[h20hamelan]

And far too many sites have gone to big business platforms. More susceptible to hacking and problems, easier for administration etc.
And when Amazon or Microsoft etc buys it…

Off topic a bit, lotuselan wiki has a good start. That is obviously loads of time going thought the archives picking what one sees as important.