Paper burns though.
Dan
Nerd/Boffin Technical corner. Page 58
Quote: Harridan @ August 2 2012, 11:45 AM BSTI find it really interesting that we still haven't discovered a more permanent and reliable information storage system than parchment paper. We've got re-writeable storage systems, but in terms of keeping information for extended periods of time writing it on parchment is still your best bet.
True. If you could still find a working one you could make a machine readable version using punched paper tape. For which in a blasted future you would only need a relatively simple machine to read, or can do by eye at a pinch.
Chiselled in stone or clay tablets, baked, seems a pretty good long term method, we would know very little about ancient Egypt without that technology.
Sorry, I meant how fail safe are they.
I guess they're prone to damage.
But, in theory, could data be kept on there indefinitely if kept in a safe place?
It's just uni assignments and shit, but obviously I need to keep them in case I need to resubmit anything.
Quote: swerytd @ August 2 2012, 11:47 AM BSTPaper burns though.
Dan
So do computers...
Parchment is actually made of animal skin so it is suprisingly resilient, and unlike stone inscriptions it is portable 
So that's my advice - hard copies on animal hide!
I'm so technical.
Quote: TopBanana @ August 2 2012, 11:58 AM BSTSorry, I meant how fail safe are they.
I guess they're prone to damage.
But, in theory, could data be kept on there indefinitely if kept in a safe place?
It's just uni assignments and shit, but obviously I need to keep them in case I need to resubmit anything.
>But, in theory, could data be kept on there indefinitely if kept in a safe place?
I would not TRUST a memory stick to to that. The signals are actually recorded as electrical charge on a tiny capacitor, so what you ask is roughly the same as saying how long will a balloon stick to the ceiling after I charge it up by rubbing it on my pullover.
They were designed to be data transfer devices, not long term storage.
However having said all that I have some early sticks & they still seem to contain their data fine after many years.
So multiple memory sticks in a cool dark place might do the trick. Eventually gamma rays, which pierce anything, will wipe or damage the data.
Just email your documents to yourself, assuming that you use a web based email account. Create multiple email accounts with different companies.
^^Excellent idea^^
Quote: Lee @ August 2 2012, 12:34 PM BSTJust email your documents to yourself, assuming that you use a web based email account. Create multiple email accounts with different companies.
I do that sometimes. Means you can also use your snail's search facility which is handy.
In terms of cloud storage, I love dropbox. But that is partly because I got a load of free storage with my phone contract.
Quote: TopBanana @ August 2 2012, 11:58 AM BSTSorry, I meant how fail safe are they.
I guess they're prone to damage.
I had a USB thumb-drive go through the washing machine recently. Fortunately I had a bottle of methyl alcohol handy, so put the drive in a cup of that for 10 seconds, took it out and left it for a day and it still works fine, no lost data.
Quote: Lee @ August 2 2012, 10:46 AM BSTUse Windows or Google, simply for the fact that they are free and less likely to disappear. I've had cloud storage before that went out of business over night, so be careful who you use.
Seems no Cloud storage is totally safe: http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/consumer-security/apple-cloud-burst-how-hacker-wiped-mats-life-20120806-23orv.html
Does anyone know how to pixelate an image? I've tried both MSPaint and Photoshop but must be reaaaaallyyyyy thick as it doesn't work for me.
Pixelate or censor?
Pixelate. I have an image I want to use for cross-stitch and need to pixelate it.
To pixelate the whole or part of an image?
The whole of it. It's a cartoon drawing of a friend's face, I want to immortalise it in cross-stitch. 
I've tried an online program but it also didn't work, can't think why - it just kept on moving the image and wouldn't settle.