Russell McMahon wrote:

> So: One drive reads one disc, one reads both. 

Yes, besides the media itself, the reading methods change. Probably a good
idea to keep your older drives around for a while, and to check your older
media with your newer drives. 

> ButI can't utilise the data on one due to format creep.

Also probably a good idea is to create an at least mental list of the
formats you use for long-term backups and follow their development. Avoid
proprietary formats that require readers that are not available as separate
installs, if possible on multiple platforms. Or make sure that you
regularly "refresh" the format of proprietary data by loading it in the
appropriate application, transform it into the always latest version and
re-archive.

I'm a fan of harddisk storage. I don't see anything as convenient in that
price range. Even considering the potential mechanical problems... can be
solved by duplicating the data every 5 years or so on a second, new drive.
All the re-formatting that will be necessary over time (if you think in
decades) can relatively easily be done on harddisks (at least when compared
to any -/+R/W media).

> I wonder if anything will read Jpg 50 years from now ? :-). 

You'll know quite some time before no readers will be available anymore
that the format will be dying. Image batch converters can take care of
that... Just don't think that data or formats last forever.

Gerhard

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