h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Are they worth the effort and time and not least, money? Most people don't bother printing their digital pix out..they just 'lose' them in the hard drive somewhere...what does this do for future viewers of our lil masterpieces? I mean, we can find some fantastic gems in the loft from departed members of the family with faded photographs waiting to be discovered..but..will we be able to do the same with our digital memories? Who will find them? Who will care? This really worries me actually...

I'm kind of in between thoughts on this subject at the moment. Because I can see so many advantages of digital cameras and the pics they generate but I'm also nostalgic enough to hold the thought of, in my dottage, sitting in front of the warm glow of a fire- surrounded by grandkiddies- flicking through the family albums. When I think about it though, I wonder how many folk actually ever do this. And I wonder if my thoughts along this line come from simply not expecting things to change.

Digital pics are a relatively new experience for most folk...and with any new experience comes new learning curves. I really think it's simply a matter of learning how to deal with this new medium. If we don't want our precious memories lost, then we'll create albums on CD no? I'm pretty sure that the digital picture is not a passing phase of this technological world we are walking into and that eventually everyone (save the real photo buffs) will use this way of preserving their memories. Not at all good news for someone who is in the photograpic printing business eh?

You ask, "Who will find them...who will care?". Well,for my part,my family will find them, because "I" care. Like I said, I'm nostalgic but I'm also a realist. "The times are a-changin'". Best we prepare for that now huh?

Penny

My worry about digital stems from the lack of serendipity, (I think that is how it is spelt)..about finding old photographs. You see, you can rummage around old cardboard boxes and find a gem..but digital? Some forgoten plastic cd may not inspire anyone to take the trouble of loading it up and searching the files..if the relevent pc is to hand and the files are not corrupted and they are still in a format recognised ect ect..all maybe too much trouble...so they could be lost forever. Another worry is the fact that people delete unwanted pictures..deeming them 'no good'...yet it has been shown over and over again..the simplest picture deemed of no worth at the time, can be hugely important after a period of years..and nobody can predict which one will it be. But, if we digitaly erase everything we at the time think unimportant... what could we lose? Or rather, what will future generations be unable to discover...