In message , Sim D.
writes
{*} contents would include the predictable items such as a selection
of that day's newspapers, written letters from each of the family,
brief history of the house and family, photographs videos CDs of music
and commentary from us all.

I'd steer away from (especially) video - they might have problems with
the Maxell lifetime guarantee in 1000 years time

The CD format is on it's way out, There is a DVD format war going on at
the moment with china (who makes most of the players) coming up with
their own format by 2008

Think back 20 years - hard drive formats have changed and the concept
of primitive mechanically stored media will be quaint and out dated in
another 20 as will 64 bit computing and the formats required to e.g.
view pictures

If you're going to do this, you really need to bury a laptop with PSU
and without battery



A video of a trip round the town and some
of the local shops. Maps, both national and local. Most of this would
also be duplicated onto a computer hard disk drive which I understand
preserve their data pretty well, and hopefully they will still somehow
be able to read. Currency, a few of the latest hi-tec gadgets [cheap
ones obviously] so they can have a laugh. The kids will also have
their own little 'secret box' which goes inside with things that only
they know about, which has excited them greatly

--
geoff