Tapes and close to a quarter-century.

[Ben Scott]

On 9/21/06, Tom Buskey <tom at buskey.name> wrote:
> Magnetic media will fade over time due to the earth's magnetic field.

  Everything wears out.

  Tapes, CDs, DVDs, HDs, and just about all other computer media
certainly wear out.  Magnetic patterns fade, dyes change color with
age, coatings gas out, plastic layers delaminate.  Almost none of this
stuff is designed to last for very long, and even the stuff that is
often doesn't fare all that well or is limited to a few decades.
Many manufacturers have trouble keeping stuff working for a five year
warranty.  "100 year media"?  Let's check back in 100 years and see
how much of it still works.

  Even paper doesn't last long if not preserved.

  Everything else wears out, too, of course.  Cars.  Roads.  Buildings.  People.

  They estimate the sun's going to be worn out in a few billion years
(give or take a few billion).

  Don't plan for "if it fails", plan for "when it fails".  Because it will.

-- Ben