Digital art as a case study of the problems associated with the preservation of records in the current technological environment

Abstract

From a traditional point of view, a record is preservable because it has a stable content and a fixed form. This perspective has been dramatically modified by a digital environment, whose main features are instability and dynamism. One of the main concerns for current archival science is the definition of the requirements to preserve this kind of records. In the same way, we should address the inability to preserve the whole of digital records; rather, we merely would be able to provide them with continuity. Our objective is to explore the concepts digital preservation and digital continuity. With this aim, this text, first of all, outlines an overview of techniques for digital preservation, both in use and in progress. These are grouped in the following way: standards and best practices; technologies; media and formats. Secondly, it selects a sample of objects, coming from digital art, an environment lacking in regulated processes and rigorous methods of preservation. This selection assumes the following assertion: technologies used to generate objects in digital art are very similar to technologies used to generate records for e-government and e-governance, in such a way that the findings applied to an environment can be applied to the other one as well. In order to carry out our choice we incorporate progressively dynamic, multimedia and proprietary objects. We analyze technical properties in these objects, from the point of view of their authentic preservation. In the light of the above outlined techniques, we make a decision about the possibility of their preservation. Where preservation is not possible, we use the concept of continuity, that is to say, if we are not able to preserve an object in its current form, are we able to guarantee, at least, that it will be still usable in some way? We foresee we will be able to obtain from this exercise the following results: some objects, presumably, those more static and less proprietary, will be preservable with the current techniques; we will be able to provide some others, possessing a higher level of dynamism, with continuity, even in a form different to their current one. Finally, some objects, probably those that are more proprietary, will not be preservable and will not have continuity. From this exercise we foresee we will obtain two conclusions: on the one hand, archival Scire. 14 : 2 (jul.-dic. 2008) 65-85. ISSN 1135-3716. 66 Alejandro Delgado Gómez science must assume that the whole of digital objects is not preservable, although most of them will be provided with continuity, in order to ensure their usability; and, on the other, in a difficult technological environment, this continuity should be provided by the use of a number of standards, best practices, media, formats and technologies. We hope we will be able to provide a list of some relevant means, as a final recommendation.