Valburg (lkv1@psu.edu)
Mon, 25 Jan 1999 17:16:19 -0500
At 12:40 PM 1/25/99 -0700, you wrote:
>I have seen the term "Archival" applied to a number of printers and
>materials, but I doubt if you can find any manufacturer that would
>guarantee and put into writing that their inks will last. If you have the
>digital files, it does not matter how long the inks last.
>
I agree, with the exception that many who wish to sell such output are
doing so with a print replacement guarantee spanning a specified number of
years. For this kind of arrangement, it matters greatly how long the inks
last, as it will have tremendous impact on how much of their time and
resources are spent replacing prints in a few years, and calls into
question whether a replacement made on a newer "better" device (once your
current device has given up the ghost) can and should be considered
equivalent.
Archiving the digitized image, of course, has its own set of problems
dealing with the progressive obsolescence of storage technologies. You
better buy current technology and transfer all your old files often enough
that your latest storage medium hasn't yet become extinct. Multiple
redundancy may be the order of the day, both in terms of number and
medium, because the longevity of digital storage media - in terms of
readability - isn't firmly established. My photo CDs from two years ago
are/were supposed to last decades, but I already have some unreadable files
on disks which are pristine and properly stored.
Regards,
Mitch Valburg
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