M-DISK - Longterm backup DVD (10,000 years?)

Harry Lime

Harry Lime

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http://www.mdisc.com/

The M-DISC is claimed to have a lifespan of one thousand years. It uses inorganic materials that do not oxidize at all or at a very, very slow rate.

It can be read on a standard DVD drive and LG and Hitachi seem to offer drives that can burn these disks at a reasonable cost.

I seem to remember reading somewhere that the US Library of Congress now uses this disk.

If their claims are true we now may have a solution to the permanence problem of digital photography and content in general.
 
Very interesting. Thanks for posting. I wouldn't be surprised if services start popping up offering to back up your files to these disks (via the "cloud").
 
v_roma said:
Very interesting. Thanks for posting. I wouldn't be surprised if services start popping up offering to back up your files to these disks (via the "cloud").
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Apparently you can burn your own backup on a compatible drive (LG, Hitachi). You can buy disks directly from their website and they have links to sites that sell burners.

This is very intriguing if their claims are true.
 
Thanks for the postings sound interesting, but as someone who used to work in an archive and heard similar claims before I am a bit cautious about their claim of 1000+ years. Is it more durable than a DVD I believe that, is it more durable than a rosetta stone disk doubt it. But still a very interesting thing.
 
DominikDUK said:
Thanks for the postings sound interesting, but as someone who used to work in an archive and heard similar claims before I am a bit cautious about their claim of 1000+ years. Is it more durable than a DVD I believe that, is it more durable than a rosetta stone disk doubt it. But still a very interesting thing.
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Do you have a link with information about the Rosetta Stone disk?
Are these the ones made from glass?

thx
 
I love technology, but . . .

I love technology, but . . .

. . . . what do I do when, 500 years from now, the files don't load into RAM ?

I am half sarcastic, but half serious . . . 1000 years ? . . . what happens when it doesn't work ?
 
In 500 years, IF there are still humans living on Earth, I suspect we will have an imbedded brain chip for processing and storage and we will bump heads together to transfer information.
 
The issue of longevity is not in the durability of the media but if it will be supported. Even now we're starting to phase out optical media. Every year fewer computers include a cd/dvd drive. Just as computers no longer include 5.25 floppies, 3.5 diskettes, SCSI drives, or even IDE drives. Even once popular formats like Iomega Zip and Jaz or SyQuest EZFlyer drives can barely be found. You have to continually transition your archive to modern mediums.
 
tjh said:
In 500 years, IF there are still humans living on Earth, I suspect we will have an imbedded brain chip for processing and storage and we will bump heads together to transfer information.
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In 1000 years the humans are likely to be hybrid biological and electromechanical devices. These disks will be considered too bulky to directly insert in the brain slot, but a conversion device might still be available.
 
swoop said:
The issue of longevity is not in the durability of the media but if it will be supported. Even now we're starting to phase out optical media. Every year fewer computers include a cd/dvd drive. Just as computers no longer include 5.25 floppies, 3.5 diskettes, SCSI drives, or even IDE drives. Even once popular formats like Iomega Zip and Jaz or SyQuest EZFlyer drives can barely be found. You have to continually transition your archive to modern mediums.
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Exactly. it's a multifaceted problem.

Film on the other hand only requires a light source and lens...
It won't last 1000 years, but Estar based film should be ok for the next 300 or so.
 
The disc may indeed last that long, no one will be able to read it (as others have pointed out)
Books, film and paper will and has proved that they can indeed last many years and their strong point is they are low tech real time access.
Interestingly enough I do some work for a film archive and they put some of the stills onto FICA which is supposed to last 1000 years also.
Below is some film which has had the FICA treatment and been vacuum packed.
81764689.jpg

A certain part of me feels OK 1000 years how do you prove that? So just if its going to last longer than a lifetime you might as well say 1000 years-if not come and see me for a full refund. :)
 
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