List
I agree with Mr. Ritner regarding digital image. We took a digital shot of a
very tiny figure in a c.1760 painting that was the only know representation
of this type of British soldier. The general consensus was that he was
wearing a black leather helmet with a black bear ruff attached. By
converting it to gray scale and blowing it up so we could study the
individual pixels we were able to determine that it was not a ruff but an
evergreen bough, probably spruce from the formation. The dark green so close
to the black looked black to the human eye whereas the digital saw it for
what it was intended to be.

Also would it not be better to store information in more than one media. We
have not found any method of storing things in any media that does not have
a limited shelf life. The pyramids are being damaged by carbon monoxide and
Stonehenge by visitors feeling the rocks.

I deal in recording wood constructed Dutch barns that despite all our
efforts will someday only exist in our records or maybe a lucky one inside a
museum someplace. We store our information both digitally and hard copy and
in two different locations and if a better method comes along we will use
that also.

Rolland Miner
Director
NWDB2000