Re: Content for the deep archive (time capsule)

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Stewart Brand
Mon, 16 Feb 1998 13:15:33 -0800


At 12:21 PM -0800 2/16/98, Brewster Kahle wrote:
>For 10k books for 10k years, that is 75 2" disks for $200k. Can we make
>additional copies cheaper (as I recall they were working on that).
>
>detail: at 150 pages/book and $0.15/page that is $22.50/book. For 10k
>books that is $225,000 for the collection. at 20k pages/disk, that is
>133books per disk, or 75 disks. I would shoot for 10k books because 1k
>will be difficult to select.

Good if we've got the funds.

Some reasons to go with 1,000 books for starters...

* Discussion of THE 1,000 books is likelier to be a lively ongoing
discussion, for the "Living Canon."

* We can proceed with 1,000 sooner rather than later, and get some proof
of concept of the 2-track strategy out bouncing in the real world. To me
this is more important than content.

* 1,000 books is ten times cheaper to micro-permatize than 10,000.
Besides being dramatically easier (and quicker) for us, it would appear so
to others, and invite traffic, which is the point.

* 75 disks seems like a lot. It doesn't feel so miniature.

* 10,000 books will piss off more people than 1,000 when they're not
included, because more will feel like they're a contender.

A reason for 10,000, however...

* It's an impressively huge number, an enormous-seeming volume of storage.
It pushes an envelope.

Maybe we could do a quick 1,000, and then that experience and public
interest (or not) will tell us how and whether to proceed with 10,000.


  • Reply: Danny Hillis: "Re: Content for the deep archive (time capsule)"
  • Reply: Danny Hillis: "Re: Content for the deep archive (time capsule)"