The gold standard in data storage?
Found on The Register on Thursday, 26 June 2008
A lot of things can happen in 200 years, but one thing data storage disc manufacturer Delkin Devices guarantees won't occur is data loss. That's because the firm's launched a Blu-ray Disc reputedly capable of retaining content for two centuries.
Delkin does state that its patented "phase-change" recording materials allow the discs to withstand the effects of UV light, heat and humidity.
First of all I doubt that Blueray discs will be still used in 200 years; new PCs these days don't even come with a floppy drive anymore. Remember that floppies aren't even 40 years old yet (8" that is, the 3.5" floppies are only 26 years old). The same fate is shared with other storage mediums, like VHS and Betamax. Next thing is that the industry has made similar claims when CDs and DVDs entered the market. I have CD-Rs which are about 5 years old, each stored in a slim case in a dry and dark place at room temperature. Most of them produce read errors now. If you want reliable storage, get a RAID NAS and copy the data every decade to new mediums.