Dark Ages II

Today, most of the world's data is stored in media and formats that are frighteningly ephemeral: Web sites and email stores that are here today and gone tomorrow; magnetic media that isn't proven to last; document and e-book formats that quickly become obsolete. In Dark Ages II, Bryan Bergeron shows why our data is at far greater risk than we've ever imagined -- and envisions a frightening future, where so much critical information is lost that civilization itself is at risk. Bergeron then offers specific, realistic solutions -- for individuals, companies, governments, and societies. Dark Ages II covers every aspect of the looming crisis in data storage: risk factors associated with today's magnetic and optical media; the economic and management issues that lead to the loss of huge data repositories stored on Web sites and in email repositories; fast-changing document and media formats that quickly make old documents inaccessible; and more. After projecting the potential impact of massive data loss, Bergeron offers step-by-step techniques you can use to solve the problem in your own home, organization, or enterprise. This book is essential reading for everyone who depends on digital data, including business decision-makers, libraries and educational institutions, policy-makers and government officials, and virtually every individual.