As a result, we wish to preface any Recommended Practice with a glossary of terms that might help bridge the analog-digital domains. National Archives and Records Administration, 1993. We try to stress that the adoption of a UPF framework would benefit all types of digital information. One of the points we try to emphasize in our presentations to archivist groups is that the UPF would help carry on the traditional practices of archivists and librarians by providing a robust, easily expandable framework for digital materials. We also realize that many variations of these practices have evolved, and that no two archives will follow the same guidelines.
Storage technology evolves at a dizzying pace.
Recently, for example, we have looked at PaperDisk from Cobblestone Software , technology that prints digital information on plain paper through a common laser or inkjet printer, then reads it back into a computer through a standard flatbed or hand-held scanner. The potential for this type of technology is enormous. Paper lasts a long time, but imagine using this technology with material that has an even longer lifespan. We have also heard about using DVD as an archival storage medium.