StupidScript - 5:06 pm on Aug 12, 2004 (gmt 0)

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the web already an open archive?

What I mean is that it's all electronic information accessible from any capable computer in the world at any time. Unless the page content is useless, SOMEbody generally snags a copy for their own use on another server, and usually this activity is multiplied many times over for good content.

Is there some problem with works being "lost forever" on the web? Would this problem be made significantly less by making a new archive of all electronic data and storing it within a single storage system controlled by a single business entity?

What about the WayBackMachine? Not doing a good enough job?

I can understand a desire to digitize currently un-digitized content, like books, paintings, sculptures and such. But re-copying electronic documents onto yet another storage device seems to be the definition of redundancy. If the web exploded tomorrow, would his copies survive to be explored by future generations where the rest of the copies would not?

$ound$ like a $cheme, to me.