collections are in the act of ....

[Michael Gochfeld]

Harry, 

I agree that scanning and electronic documentation of specimens is a 
valuable undertaking; that is if we assume that the collection catalogue 
has already been data-based (a valuable neologism). 

But as you say the permanency of electronic data is in question for 
various reasons. 

I have large quantities of data on punch cards (but alas, no punch card 
reader). I have 8" floppies for my PDP-8 which languishes in my son's 
basement.  

I have 5 1/4 inch floppies filled with text and data generated on a 
CPM-based operating system which we were assured in 1980 would be the 
state of the art. 

If you bought beta-max you know what I mean. 

Yesterday I went to order a new laptop with a very fast CD-rom drive and 
was told that was on it's way to be obsolete. 

So electronic media really need to be curated as vigorously as the 
specimens themselves. 

Mike Gochfeld

 
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