long term preservation of digital images

[overall]

Group,

We know that slides and negatives can last for decades. But how long can an image that is made up of zeros and ones on a hard drive last? It seems like the image would be vulnerable to mechanical or electronic failure of the drive. Is the best way to store a digital image to have it printed on high quality paper and save that? Is it best to store images on a dvd?Is there such a thing as making a slide from a digital image?

I solicit advice from those of you who are well versed in digital photography. I know very little about it but it seems to be the wave of the future.

Thanks in advance,

George

[Anonymous]

I know little about it, but I think Multaple copies of a certain CD of images, copied to a new disk every, say 10-20 years, could last extremely long. I work with photographs from 100 years ago, and we hope to be putting them on CD because they are rapidly deteriorating. Digital storage is becoming the norm with even historic photos.

[edblysard]

Overall,
Copy them to CD..
Best bet is a CD thats readable and writable, CD-RWs, you can buy them at just about every radio shack.
Of, if you have saved quite a few files, and just want to store them, use data CDs, just like the ones you use to make music CDs, CD-Rs I just picked up a 100 pack at Costco for 25 bucks.
Major difference is that the CD-Rs, once you put the data (images) on them, you cant go back and add to them, or erase the disc.
Most programs for CD-R close the disc after you put the data, music or images, on them.
Depends on what program your computer uses, some do, some dont.
My system, allows you to format the CD-RW so you can keep adding images, and they hold a lot, I havent filled one up yet.
All the images I want to keep forever, I copy to this disc.
Junk and snapshots not so important, I copy to the CD-Rs.
I use the CD-RW for backup to the hard drive.

Ed

[Anonymous]

Today = CD are your best bet. Tomorrow = ?. As tech changes you need to stay with the pace. A digital image is very easy to save, remember its just 1's and 0's they will never fade.