Re: Why do rubber bands perish?

From: N:dlzc D:aol T:com \(dlzc\) (net_at_nospam.com)
Date: 07/23/04 

Date: Thu, 22 Jul 2004 17:12:30 -0700

Dear Edward Green:

"Edward Green" <spamspamspam3@netzero.com> wrote in message
news:eca320d0.0407221548.7e4608d0@posting.google.com...
> "N:dlzc D:aol T:com \(dlzc\)" <N: dlzc1 D:cox T:net@nospam.com> wrote in
message news:<kKGLc.15050$Wv4.8565@okepread03>...
...
> > I worry about disspation of magnetic domains on tape and disk. I
wonder if
> > it might not be fruitful to have a utility that simply re-records the
> > media, to enhance the "image" stored there.
...
> I've also mused from time to time that we are now on the threshold of
> completely recored history. Right now we have photos from the civil
> war, grainy films from the First WW, better films from the second, and
> so forth. The characteristic limitations and degradation of these
> media gives this events some of their "historical" flavor. But we are
> now in an era where there is essentially no technical reason virtually
> perfect recordings of images and sounds could not persist for
> thousands or tens of thousands of years -- mudulo above assumption
> about preservation. There will be some loss, and a continuing tension
> between preservation and neglect, but essentially, baring global
> catastrophe, people 1000 years hence will be able to view some events
> today as if they were on the evening news.

One wonders if the amount of recorded history doesn't become a barrier to
advancement/hardiness. Not to get religious, but the Tower of Babel, and
the decrease in the human lifetime from 900 years to less than 100 could be
examples. Perhaps the advancement of search engines will be all that will
stand between civilzation as we know it and the next "blight". However,
since the amount of information seems to be tied closely to the number of
people on the planet, then perhaps these "losses" were simply effects of a
drop in population.

> I suppose this alone will eventually lead to information overload --
> one lifetime will be too short to even watch all extant episodes of
> the Simpsons.

All good things must come to an end. If they rerun them as often as Mash
episodes, we could be good through the 21st cetury, even if they stopped
this year.

David A. Smith

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Why do rubber bands perish?
    ... One wonders if the amount of recorded history doesn't become a barrier to ... advancement/hardiness. ... the decrease in the human lifetime from 900 years to less than 100 could be ... > one lifetime will be too short to even watch all extant episodes of ...
    (sci.chem)
  • Re: Why do rubber bands perish?
    ... > One wonders if the amount of recorded history doesn't become a ... > barrier to advancement/hardiness. ... and the decrease in the human lifetime from 900 years ...
    (sci.physics)
  • Re: Why do rubber bands perish?
    ... > One wonders if the amount of recorded history doesn't become a ... > barrier to advancement/hardiness. ... and the decrease in the human lifetime from 900 years ...
    (sci.chem)
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