[pleb_nz]

But are digital records really more resilient to catastrophic societal and global changes? Physical records don’t need anything to exist and be read and only time and simple resources to duplicate compared with digital.

[stouset]

> Physical records don’t need anything to exist and be read

Surely you’re joking. Physical records are notoriously fragile. They default to having a single copy and require intentional effort to create and distribute duplicates. They are frequently lost to fires, fading, physical decay, and even just being misplaced for generations.

Digital records have their own issues, but implying with a straight face that the default state of physical records is persistence is a bridge too far.

[dylan604]

We have analog records from thousands of years ago, and we still have the technology to use them. I have digital formats from ~25 years ago that can no longer be read. I think the longevity speaks for itself.

Water and fire are equally destructive to digital or analog. Library of Congress has chosen analog vinyl for long term storage over any digital format. I think you're putting way too much faith in digital and totally discounting analog.

[pleb_nz]

You’re assuming straight line civilisation. That we’ll always be as we are or more advanced technologically speaking. But civilisation isn’t straight line and one day who knows. Physical records will still be accessible even when digital no longer are.