In message , Mike Harrison
writes
On Fri, 14 Oct 2005 22:57:13 GMT, raden wrote:

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

I think CDs are now so widespread that there will always be something
to read them reasonably
available,

Really ?

Have you forgotten that the primary medium for sound reproduction for
more than 70 years was vinyl, yet how many people still have a
turntable, or that Dixons no longer sell video recorders which were the
almost exclusive means of recording video images for about 30 years or
that Kodak are bowing out of traditional film for cameras ?

Do you understand that the rate of change is speeding up and that, as a
mechanical, and thus inherently unreliable, means of data storage, the
CD format will go the same way.

In 50 years the only CD players you'll see will be those accidentally
dug up in time capsules


however the lifetime of the CD itself may be questionable, especially
in possibly damp
environments.

--
geoff