The algorithms are well understood, mathematically sound and all that.
For example if you put something in a ZIP file not one bit can be
changed, or it won't work correctly on the other end.
Probably someone who knows what he is doing took that decision for
them, and likely for good reason. It is easy to put holes into any
such statement without knowing all the details.
Storage space grows exponentially, so probably in a few years it won't
matter. I don't think any of the major picture formats will be
obsolete in the future to the extent that you can't open them.
There'll always be import filters and stuff that can deal with it.
I think it is a good thing that they digitise all that information,
although i think google will do a better job making it accessible to
me (considering that my tax money does not go towards the library of
congress that is to be expected). It's high time we got rid of all
that paper, and the associated waste and inefficiency of distributing
it.
ST
On Sat, Mar 14, 2009 at 4:26 PM, Jack Coats <jack@...> wrote:
> I agree, their perspective (with our money) is different. For them
> lossless archives
> are their goal. Loosing something with an algorithm that 'usually',
> 'theoretically',
> or 'mathematically' ALMOST works would scare them off.
>
> Any loss in their eyes is a loss forever. And each transition to a
> new technology will
> have that problem too.
>
> I'm not justifying them, just trying to understand them. Yea, wasting
> MY MONEY gets to me, so
> at least understanding why helps keep me from going postal on them!
>