I think generally, though. preservation isn’t going to be a case of there being some ultimate final form that will preserve materials for all time into infinity… As long as we live in a capitalist system that demands constant “innovation” (whether we need it or not), then new formats (whether it be in computing or analogue sound recording) are going to replace it, and then they’ll stop making compatible readers or older media (like how most lappys no longer have DVD drives, etc). I don’t know if there is an answer to media going out of usage, but as long as it’s the case, that means investing in legacy media in public institutions so older media can be played (including computers), and transferring information onto the latest format as well. The format something is in matters, but preserving the information matters to. We should do both, me thinks.
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