Synthetic Stone DVD Claimed To Last 1,000 Years 416
Lucas123 writes "A start-up launched a new DVD archive product this week: a disc that it says will hold its data for 1,000 years. The company, Cranberry, says its DiamonDisc product, which can be used in any standard DVD player, is not subject to deterioration from heat, UV rays or material rot due to humidity or other elements because it has no dyes, adhesives or reflective materials like standard DVD discs, and its discs are made from a vastly more durable synthetic stone. Data is laid down on the platter much in the same way as a standard DVD disc, but with DiamonDisc the burner etches much deeper pits. Cranberry said it is also working on producing a Blu-ray version of its 1,000-year disc."
Presumably... (Score:5, Insightful)
... they also make a DVD player that lasts 1000 years?
Curious... (Score:5, Insightful)
I have to wonder, did some journalist fail at accuracy, or are these things actually pretty painfully unexciting in terms of temperature resistance?
Re:1,000 years? (Score:5, Insightful)
Also, it may not be vulnerable to humidity in a controlled environment, but in the outdoors, a few seasons of freezing/melting and it'll be shot. Water beats rock every time.
I really don't care if my archival storage can stand being left outside for several years, because I don't intend to do that. I'd be quite happy if it were at least as durable as a book, which if well made and with reasonable care can last at least a couple hundred years, possibly over 1000 under ideal conditions. So what if it can get ruined if it's left in the rain? If I care enough about the data, I just make a few copies and put them in different places and hopefully if I've chosen well at least one will survive. Right now it's not at all clear that typical CD's and DVD's are even as durable as cheap pulp paperbacks.
Re:1,000 years? (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Presumably... (Score:5, Insightful)
By the way: if you think this is an interesting thought experiment, you'll love A Canticle for Leibowitz [barnesandnoble.com] by Walter Miller.
Re:What the bets the first release will be... (Score:2, Insightful)
Lol, yeah well most likely in a 1,000 years you'll be saying, "Crap! It was real - all of it was in that Book! Now what do I do?"
If I'm alive in 1000 years, I'll be happy to have lived so long (assuming it wasn't 900 years bedridden), and if I find I'm wrong (I'm currently an atheist), I'll gladly change my ways (God says you only need to repent before death to be accepted in to the kingdom of Heaven).
On the other hand, if I'm dead before I realize I was wrong, then either:
1) I'm in heaven. I'd like to think this it what would happen. I live a good life (I'm kind, honest, generous, fair, etc), and I'd like to think God is more interested in rewarding good people that in stroking his ego over not being worshipped (however, the bible gives evidence to suggest that may not be the case).
2) I'm in hell (or someplace else that's not heaven). If I end up there, despite the type of life I lived, then I'd have to think that heaven was run by a spiteful and vengeful God on a power trip. He'd be a brutal dictator, punishing anyone who doesn't do exactly as he says. He's more concerned about being treated with reverence than he is that his people are treated well. In that case, despite the popular depiction, I'd have to believe the place I ended up was the better option.
If you're actually interested in buying these... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Curious... (Score:3, Insightful)
When the outside temperature hits 115 degrees with full on sun, the inside can hit 150+ within 10 minutes or so. Make it nice and black inside, and surfaces will probably be hitting 160. Soooo.... yeah. Don't leave stuff inside the car in Arizona or Death Valley.
Re:1,000 years? (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Nonono... Blackadder explained it all (Score:5, Insightful)
Anyone who hasn't seen Blackadder, I recommend you find a way to do so.
Re:Serious reply (Score:3, Insightful)
Do not presume upon the mercy of God.
I certainly wouldn't (if he existed) - by all accounts he's clearly a psycopath.
Re:If you're actually interested in buying these.. (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:is this a joke ? (Score:3, Insightful)
The Library of Congress cares, which is who spurred the research into this media. And you should, too, if you want any portion of our culture preserved for future generations.
The widespread contempt for creating anything of lasting value I see almost everywhere today speaks volumes about both this generation's shortsightedness and its selfishness.
Re:What the bets the first release will be... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:What the bets the first release will be... (Score:3, Insightful)
The concept of hell is fascinating because its origins are not really biblical at all. There are literally only a handful of passages in the entire Bible on which we pin this whole concept of eternal damnation, and their interpretation is questionable at best.
Hell comes from the blending of Roman and Greek understandings of the afterlife into Christianity theology/mythology i.e. post-Constantine. It makes sense: culture shouldn't change just because the state suddenly changes religion. The problem is that after several generations of indoctrination, many treat these little historical quirks as if they were important (nigh unquestionable) points of doctrine, rather than curiosities.
Re:What the bets the first release will be... (Score:3, Insightful)
or think courtroom justice: you were caught breaking a law, God is the judge... who is your advocate? If you accept Jesus as your advocate, he stands before the judge and says "he's guilty, but I volunteer to pay the penalty in his stead." The judge then metes out justice, but Jesus stands in your place, taking the punishment of death, while you remain free
This is scapegoating, not justice. If a human judge allowed the punishment of an innocent "in the stead" of a guilty party, we would not call him fair, just or wise. But your cosmic super-judge (who by any logic should be held to higher standards of ethical practice) can do exactly that?
The underlying message here is that your god is unable to forgive even the slightest transgression, has to demand mortal punishment, and yet isn't too picky about who exactly gets punished. Thinking a little further, surely an omniscient/potent creator knows exactly the consequences of his creation, and could hypothetically create a slightly different world, where the way things work out means that people sinned a little less. Then he wouldn't need to punish so much.
I want to lay this out in logical steps, to be sure I'm understood...
1. An omnipotent creator can create any one of the infinity of possible worlds.
2. In each possible creation, people would freely choose different actions (some moral, some immoral) over the course of time.
3. As there are infinitely many possibilities, every possible set of events and actions occurs in (at least) one possible world.
4. An omniscient creator knows exactly what choices will be made in each possible creation.
5. Following from 2 and 3, there is a possible world where everyone freely makes a good moral choice on each occasion.
6. Following from 4, an omniscient creator knows this hypothetical world exists, and (following from 1.) can create exactly that world - one where everyone would, of their own free will, act perfectly morally.
7. People do not act perfectly morally, of their own free will or otherwise.
Therefore 8. Our world was either not created by an omnipotent/scient creator, or possibly was created by such a being who does not want us to act morally.
Leibniz followed essentially this logic, and concluded that we must be in the best of all possible worlds (i.e. 3 is false, not all possibilities are actually possible, but we are in the best one that is possible). I see the same reasoning and take it as a reason to not believe in god. To relate it all back to the topic of cosmic justice, it either implies that there is no grand judge at the end of it all, or if there is... is it really fair to demand that we "get saved", when it was known to the judge in advance what our actions would be, and he selected those actions out of the myriad other possibilities?
Re:What the bets the first release will be... (Score:2, Insightful)
Anyways, not trying to start a conflict or anything, i believe all paths lead to god eventually, even the self-serving path. The bible talks to much of the right hand path and downplays the left for my liking. I think understanding will only fully happen when we accept all that humanity is capable of.