Megan,

As I pointed-out earlier, you COULD do post-apocalytic readings of optical 
storage disks sans (high) technology, too! I will admit, however, that the 
level of eyestrain & headache involved per byte of data returned is gonna be 
much higher than with microfilm ;) Good God! For-heavens-sake, forget the 
pessimistic post-apocalytic vision presented in The Canticle for Leibowitz 
and think more along the lines of the movie Brazil! *chuckle*

Any system involving wet-chemical processes (as in the making & developing 
of microfilm) is already deader than Latin ... and will never be 
resusitated. Arguing for the use of microforms as a viable storage solution 
is like arguing for a Model No. 1 Jarvik Heart transplant as a cureall for 
heart ailments.

~ Bob Skiles

From: "Megan Springate" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>

> Agreed! The nice thing about microfilm/-fiche, besides taking up a very
> small footprint and being generally archivally stable, is that no
> machinery is required to read it... even after whatever technological
> apocalypse may be coming, microfilm requires only a light source and a
> magnifying lens to access its content (I never, ever imagined I'd sound
> like a Luddite; I love my computer, I swear!)
>