Greg Freemyer wrote:
I tend to think that optic media is more durable than magnetic media, for long term archiving; teoretically they should not degraded if kept safely. Magnetic fields get weaker in time, I think - but how on earth can a terabyte be saved even in dvds?
For long term storage (15 years) good-quality tape is still the best solution. Optical seems to degrade after a few years, but I'm not sure why. (FYI: the problem is much worse on ones that are burned. The mass-produced pressed ones last longer.)
If you want to store something for 100 years or so, the recommended solution is still micro-fiche (I think).
Or chiselled in stone. ;-) Actually, CD-Rs are durable enough for a business to store its' tax records. Then there's punch cards in Florida. ;-)