Post by glenn on Apr 3, 2008 13:22:51 GMT -6
in 1986 the BBC
for your pleasure did decree
a digital multimedia version
of the 11th century Domesday Book
writ on laser disks
proudly there for all to look
though only the BBC computers
could decode
two and a half million pounds it cost
uncounted hours of labour, all lost
when in March 2002
files went unread, the project crashed
experts in a state of rue
had no idea what to do
in praise of paper
much can be said
paper writ with ink
may get musty
but is not dead
the Public Record Office at Kew
keeps the original Domesday Book
one thousand years passed, 'tis hardly new
but still there it is to be read by me and you
**************************************
**************************************
(A short history of the digitalization of the Domesday Book can be found here:
www.csa.com/discoveryguides/cyber/overview.php
Apparently, a way to recover the digital files has been discovered:
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/2534391.stm
So perhaps all is not lost after all.)
for your pleasure did decree
a digital multimedia version
of the 11th century Domesday Book
writ on laser disks
proudly there for all to look
though only the BBC computers
could decode
two and a half million pounds it cost
uncounted hours of labour, all lost
when in March 2002
files went unread, the project crashed
experts in a state of rue
had no idea what to do
in praise of paper
much can be said
paper writ with ink
may get musty
but is not dead
the Public Record Office at Kew
keeps the original Domesday Book
one thousand years passed, 'tis hardly new
but still there it is to be read by me and you
**************************************
**************************************
(A short history of the digitalization of the Domesday Book can be found here:
www.csa.com/discoveryguides/cyber/overview.php
Apparently, a way to recover the digital files has been discovered:
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/2534391.stm
So perhaps all is not lost after all.)
