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Archiver > TMG > 2000-02 > 0949398110


From: "Bruce W. Fairhall" <>
Subject: TMG-L: Data Storage for the Future
Date: Tue, 01 Feb 2000 20:41:50 +1100


The December 1999 issue of DESCENT, journal of the Society of Australian
Genealogists, has a draft paper on electronic storage of submitted
family data which raises a subject that could be worth discussing here.

That paper suggests submission to the Society Library in formats for
five software programs (both GEDCOM and TMG are not included), and this
data is then to be converted for use in the Society's library with a
common "front-end viewer" (as yet unstated). Issues such as copyright,
data updates, accessioning, indexing etc are covered.


MY QUESTIONS TO THE LIST MEMBERS:

* How are YOU ensuring your data is preserved for the future? After
all, none of use want to see all our work lost in a cleanout of the
study after our death!!

* What alternatives to paper copies have you considered, given that
paper does not always have a long life, due to water, termites, fire
etc?

* Where is your data to be stored?

* Assuming that copies of TMG are not available, how can your data be
accessed by family members and others in the future?

* GEDCOM does not export all fields from TMG (such as name changes ETC),
so how can the data in those fields be safely stored and available for
sharing?

* What arrangements (eg. by notices on archived materials etc) have you
made for your research material, including TMG data, in the event of
your sudden disablement or death?

* Should we prepare a READ ONLY version of TMG, held separately, and
periodically save a copy of our data to that location for use by
others? A CD Writer would be ideal for that purpose, but these are a
little expensive for many users at present. How else could this end of
accessibility be achieved?


I am not suggesting every LIST member answers these questions, but would
be interested in a discussion of the topic for the mutual benefit of us
all.

--
Happy surfing!!

Bruce Fairhall

PHONE: 02 4571 1019 (International: +61 2 4571 1019)
EMAIL:
HOME PAGE: http://www.ros.com.au/~fairhall/index.htm
GOONS: Member 2257 (Fairhall, Fairehall, Fairhale, Fayerhall)
(and some interest in Fairall as well !)

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