Strong file format obsolescence Vs. weak software obsolescence

Presentation to the #dpcformats event

Transcript

1. Strong File Format Obsolescence Vs. Weak Software Obsolescence DPC – Event “Re:Format - What is file format obsolescence and does it really exist?” 23/6/2016 Euan Cochrane, Digital Preservation Manager, Yale University Library https://twitter.com/euanc
2. Overview 1. Definitions, definitions, definitions 2. Some questions 3. Some answers 4. My main point 5. Summary
3. Framing Question: What is the digital preservation challenge referenced by the concept: “File format obsolescence”?
4. What is digital preservation?
5. “Metadata is a love note to the future” @textfiles – Jason Scott
6. Metadata = data about data = data A note = a message/an attempt at communication
7. “Metadata is a love note to the future” = Data is an attempt to communicate to the future
8. Digital preservation is communicating to the future
9. “Communication (from Latin commūnicāre, meaning "to share") is the act of conveying intended meaning to another entity through the use of mutually understood signs and semiotic rules.” https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Communication&oldid=72 4377004
10. Digital preservation Digital preservation is “conveying intended meaning to another entity through the use of mutually understood signs and semiotic rules [data]”……... across time as well as every other barrier communication attempts to overcome.
11. Communicating to the future? File formats? Software? Obsolescence?
12. What is a file format?
13. A file format is a way of formatting a file to store information
14. File format = A way of storing data to enable the reproduction of an information experience at some point in the future Or….
15. What is an: “information experience”?
16. National Archives of Australia “Performance Model” http://www.naa.gov.au/Images/An-approach-Green-Paper_tcm16-47161.pdf
17. Information experience = The dynamic messages conveyed by a computer interpreting instructions from inputs to produce outputs
18. File format = A way of storing data to enable the reproduction of the dynamic messages conveyed by a computer interpreting instructions from inputs to produce outputs at some point in the future
19. Recap on how computers work
20. • Computers are stupid • Computers receive inputs and manipulate them to produce outputs and can do so dynamically
21. File format = A way of storing data to enable the reproduction of the dynamic messages conveyed by a computer interpreting instructions from inputs and producing outputs at some point in the future
22. File format standards
23. File format standard = A [standardized] documented method for storing data to enable the reproduction of an information experience (or “performance”) at some point in the future
24. File format standards •What is a “paragraph”?
25. Microsoft Word 1997-2003 (.doc) format Specification
26. Open Document Text (.odt) Format Specification
27. File format standards •What is a “paragraph”?
28. File format standards are for software developers Developers interpret file format standards to produce instructions for computers to enable them to process primary data files as secondary inputs (.doc, .ppt, etc) to ultimately produce information experiences
30. Software
31. What is software?
32. OAIS: Representation Information “The information that maps a Data Object into more meaningful concepts..…. A[n].. example is JPEG software which is used to render a JPEG file; rendering the JPEG file as bits is not very meaningful to humans but the software, which embodies an understanding of the JPEG standard, maps the bits into pixels which can then be rendered as an image for human viewing.”
33. Representation information and the OAIS http://public.ccsds.org/publications/archive/650x0m2.pdf
34. But software is just [a bunch of] data files
35. •Software is files •Software files have formats that adhere to file format standards (of a sort) •Software files are instructions for computers to use to (re)produce an information experience (etc) •Developers interpret file format standards to produce instructions for computers to enable them to process primary data files (.doc, .ppt, etc) to produce information experiences
36. Recap • Digital preservation is conveying messages to the future using data • File formats are methods for storing instructions to tell a computer how to reproduce an information experience or performance • Format standards document those methods and can be very complex • Software is made up of files that have formats and that provide instructions to computers
37. Rendering Matters
38. Evaluated how a sample set of digital files opened or “rendered” in different environments (different combinations of software, operating systems and hardware) i.e. examined the relationship between software files, data files, computers and information experiences/performances
39. Rendering Matters Results
58. Question: What is the digital preservation challenge referenced by the concept: “File format obsolescence?
59. Obsolescence “Obsolescence is the state of being which occurs when an object, service, or practice is no longer wanted even though it may still be in good working order. Obsolescence frequently occurs because a replacement has become available that has, in sum, more advantages compared to the disadvantages incurred by maintaining or repairing the original. Obsolete refers to something that is already disused or discarded, or antiquated.[1] Typically, obsolescence is preceded by a gradual decline in popularity.
60. Question: What is the digital preservation challenge referenced by the concept: “File format obsolescence?
61. Answer: File format obsolescence is when file formats go out of regular use
62. Answer: File format obsolescence is when file formats go out of regular use But so what?
63. Options for overcoming file format obsolescence 1. Get people to keep using the format (market your format!) 2. Be a luddite (Start a retro-format movement! .wp4 FTW!)
64. Options for overcoming file format obsolescence 1. Get people to keep using the format (market your format!) 2. Be a luddite (Start a retro-format movement! .wp4 FTW!)
65. Software obsolescence
66. Software is just data Software = Data that information experience creators assume message recipients have (or can easily get) access to
67. Software obsolescence Software obsolescence occurs when software data files are “disused, or discarded, or antiquated” and expected information experience users/message recipients/designated communities no longer have access to the software data files or are no longer able to get access to them
68. Being generous towards file format obsolescence • Strong file format obsolescence • When files exist that are formatted according to undocumented standards that are no longer supported by any software • Even when this is a “problem” (it is exceedingly rare) the problem is not with the formats, it’s with the software
69. • Strong software obsolescence • When information experiences/information objects/digital performances exist for which the software components no longer accessible by anybody • Weak software obsolescence • When information experiences/information objects/digital performances exist for which the software-data components no longer easily accessible by the designated community Software obsolescence
70. Overcoming software obsolescence (inaccessibility) 1. Developing, sharing and maintaining emulation solutions 2. Preserving software 3. Recompiling software
71. Summary 1. Digital preservation is conveying meaning to the future using data 2. Data are instructions to be interpreted by a computer 3. Software = data 4. Software content files can get lost and come become unusable and effectively inaccessible 5. The idea of a format obsolescing is a bit nonsensical -- It is the software that obsolesces, not the format 6. Strong file format obsolescence is exceedingly rare 7. We do have a significant problem with a weak form of software obsolescence 8. We have methods to overcome most weak software obsolescence
72. One last thing
73. Web & Mobile “formats”
74. Thank you! Euan Cochrane, Digital Preservation Manager, Yale University Library https://twitter.com/euanc