Dec-09-2010, 08:36 AM (UTC)
Fortunately I think technology is finally at the point where it is possible to store backup copies cheaply and efficiently (unlike, say, ten years ago.) Many people are also converting older media into digital. Things are probably going to be very different this century onward as most media from the 20th century has been analog. Digital storage is a lot safer as many copies can be stored in multiple locations.
The way technology is evolving, I don't think there will be a problem conserving and converting digital media to be compatible with future media players. It's more of a challenge to preserve/restore the older analog stuff: things stored in hard copies that are prone to decay like old film and casettes. CDs, DVDs, and Blu-Ray discs won't last forever either, but most of the content has probably already been digitized and shouldn't be too difficult to find a copy.
The way technology is evolving, I don't think there will be a problem conserving and converting digital media to be compatible with future media players. It's more of a challenge to preserve/restore the older analog stuff: things stored in hard copies that are prone to decay like old film and casettes. CDs, DVDs, and Blu-Ray discs won't last forever either, but most of the content has probably already been digitized and shouldn't be too difficult to find a copy.