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The UK's V3 news site reports that the Vatican library considers open source file formats to be the only reliable way for humanity to preserve its history in the digital age.
Vatican Library CIO Luciano Ammenti said that, in order for the manuscripts to be readable, the Vatican Library opted for open source tools that do not require proprietary platforms, such as Microsoft Office, to be read.
"We save it as a picture as it's longer life than a file. You don't rely on PowerPoint or Word. In 50 years they can still just look at it," he said.
"Normally people try to use the TIFF format [when archiving]. This has several problems. It's not open source and it doesn't update. The last time was in 1998.
"On top of this it's 32-bit and not ready for 3D imaging, which limits the information it can preserve - what the script's made of etc. So instead we use the FITS format. FITS is open source, 64-bit, 3D ready and updated regularly. It gives all the information you need on the image."
What formats have you found best for archiving? Which have given you problems?
(Score: 3, Insightful) by zafiro17 on Friday May 08 2015, @04:34PM
The summary says they like FITS because it's continuously updated, and don't like TIFF because it hasn't been updated since 1998. On the contrary, I'd have more confidence in a format that's remained unaltered for nearly 20 years, and be worried about a format that file nerds are constantly tinkering wth and 'improving.' Only a matter of time until FITS 13.23 becomes non-backwards compatible, 14.2 becomes XML with SOAP extensions, and format 16.2 comes with embedded systemd.
Why not choose a format that's well supported and stable, and hasn't been tinkered with? I don't see the problem with TIFF, since it has open-source readers and a well-known specification. Or does it not?
Dad always thought laughter was the best medicine, which I guess is why several of us died of tuberculosis - Jack Handey
(Score: 3, Interesting) by dyingtolive on Friday May 08 2015, @06:22PM
Perhaps the concern is something that's not being actively developed might lose the focus of the mainstream at some point in the future, and thus readers/writers fall into obscurity (except for that token hypothetical one that is barely being kept alive by that one guy and it kinda sucks?)
I mean, I'm just guessing at the root of the concern here. I don't profess to know.
Don't blame me, I voted for moose wang!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 08 2015, @07:52PM
They should use PCX format. That hasn't been updated since 1991. Or even better, use Sun Raster format. That hasn't been updated in 25 years.