Post 3
Reading about digitalization opened my eyes once again regarding the advances in technology as of recent. Although the idea of a computer typing out the words of a speech is not new, it is still interesting. With the latest technological advances transcending into media other than text and speech, it will be interesting to get a glimpse of the future. What is the next step for digitalization? Will a computer be able to watch a show, game or movie and type out a general description of the entire event creating a product similar to a novel? I also wonder if they will be able to do the opposite; translate a novel of the past to a digital image.
Regarding the OCR technology and current print formats. I have used scanners with OCR technology when trying to make an editable document in Word, but they proved unreliable. I assume that since then there have been many advancements in OCR technology. I wonder whether we will eventually stop using paper prints, but instead solely use digital formats, to make it easiest to transfer to the next advancement. Will we make the full transition from paper to disk or will continued paper use be prevalent?
I was thinking about the positives and negatives surrounding the digitalization of audio and video. I think that it is a duel edged sword. While digitalizing an old audio track may result in a better sounding, digitally remastered recording, it may also take away from the songs style. I believe that it changes the feeling of the audio, thus altering the meaning of it. Imagine a digital remastering of The Declaration of Independence. Who will know if that is the real notions of our founding fathers?
February 6th, 2006 at 1:57 pm
I think paper is going to stay. That is not just the archivist in me talking. Once a document is transferred to digital format, there is no guarantee it will be able to migrate over to the next generation of digital format. If the old format is not supported by the new, the item will have to be completely redigitized, either from the paper document or by being altered into such a form as is compatible with the new format. So, keeping at least one paper copy is a necessity, if only to assure it can be copied again in future if need be or to check for errors when the item migrates between formats.
February 7th, 2006 at 12:20 am
I had a similar experience in scanning and OCRing a word document and it seemed to fail miserably. I’m very much hoping that OCR software has improved as I’m banking on it for my final project.
February 7th, 2006 at 11:37 am
In a way liz is right paper is going to stay, but i htink in a more marganilized role. Today individuals, particularly our nations youth, are increasingly moving away from maintaining paper diaries an are postin gvirtual diaries on sites such as My Space or High Five. There is a whole generation of people who will have grown up in a world where their first instinct is to record their lives in a digital format. Now, oes this mean that there is going to be a shortage of primary documents for researchers in the future? No social and cultural historians will, instead of viewing or getting their hands on tangible documents, be viewing digital primary documents in many instances.
December 24th, 2006 at 11:53 am
hello, good idea…
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January 15th, 2007 at 6:55 am
very best idea make rules time!…
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