Re: Representing futuristic English


"R. L." <see-sig@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:7bt2h1prc71k4bbkj45bprlufsj55ij6kv@xxxxxxxxxx
> On 27 Aug 2005 21:15:14 -0700, "Constantinople"
> <constantinopoli@xxxxxxxxx>
> wrote:
>>
>>Neil Barnes wrote:
>>> On Fri, 26 Aug 2005 10:43:56 -0700, Constantinople wrote:
>>>
>>> > Deterioration is of course an issue. However, as it happens my vision
>>> > of
>>> > the future is one in which we keep transcribing what we have to new
>>> > media, same as we kept transcribing the classics of antiquity, so that
>>> > even if the originals are deteriorated we still have copies.
>>>
>>> And a fine vision it is too - I'd like to believe it.
>>>
>>> However, the presence of the Gutenberg project suggests that any bulk
>>> copying will be done on an ad-hoc basis and not from any formal basis;
>
>
> The more ad hoc copies in different formats on different media, the more
> likely at least a few will survive and multiply.
>
>
>>A few days ago I did an "ad hoc" copy of 80 gigabytes of data from one
>>hard drive to another. As time goes by "ad hoc" includes more and more.
>>I extrapolate that technically speaking, before very long a single
>>individual will be able to do a single "ad hoc" copy that contains
>>every book ever written.
>
>
> Aside from the odds of getting all the books copied and together in the
> first place, that idea sounds strangely believable. It's easier just to
> copy all than to cull out what you don't want. There are already
> ad-supported sites with lots of public domain stuff up, and iirc Black
> Mask
> has large packages on CD. I can see theGlobal Library Of Everything
> turning up as a prize in breakfast cereal....
>
> Tho I suppose people will keep writing new books faster than anyone can
> keep up with them except Chinese lemmings marching into the sea.
>
>

The reason the knowledge of the world can be given away in your morning
cereal is because it's yesterday's knowledge and a whole new world of
knowledge has been written since yesterday.

JamesE


.

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