Written in stone

  I was thinking about all the data storage devices I have had over the years. Isn't that what we would call a 45 RPM record these days? Yes, I think we would, a device to store audio files. Isn't it funny how those that collect records and are really "into" them are called audiophiles. Still files, just spelled differently. Of course back then we were just recording things, recording them to be played back at a later date. Those 45's were the first records I remember owning. That was due to the cost, a full album cost over five dollars! I still have some 45's and 33's in the attic. I keep them for sentimental reasons, just dusty old relics with no value other than an amusement. 

  I remember when they got replaced with tape. Well, there was tape before but only on those big reel to reel machines. I'm talking about eight track and cassette tapes. I bought an eight track player, a Pioneer to be exact, cost almost a hundred dollars! My Dad thought I was crazy. But that player was replaced in short order by a cassette player. That was quite the advance in technology, especially the Sony Walkman. Music anywhere, any time. Now prior to that I did have a portable record player. I found that gem of electronic wizardry at Billy Blakes department store. It would play either by plugging it in or six D cell batteries. Not only that it was a stereo! It came with two speakers that could be removed from the carrying case and separated for that true stereo sound. Yes it was a pretty sweet piece of electronics alright, came in an attaché case like James Bond would carry. 

 Time rolled on and Cd's came into vogue. Now I didn't buy a Cd player right away, it was a few years before I splurged on that new technology. It was amazing though Now I have stacks of Cd's. I can still play them, with the disc drive in my personal computer. Thing is, I never do as I can just go to Spotify or You tube or any number of streaming services to listen to whatever I feel like. I can see no reason why anyone would be buying albums, that's what us old people call them, when you can listen for free. It isn't like you have to listen to the radio for hours, finger poised over the record button, to get your favorite song. But I understand people are still buying them. Guess it is one of those things I don't understand. 

 It isn't only music files however, I have Cd's of pictures. Fact is I still have some 4 and half inch disc drives. You remember them, the ones with the hard plastic cases. They replaced the floppy discs. I may even have a floppy or two, I don't know for sure. But they were replaced by sd cards and flash drives. I have a bunch of them around too. I'm still using sd cards for the most part. Just like the spies in the old films had before we knew such things existed. I guess the truth is such things didn't exist. Microfilm was the thing. I also have some microfilm in my briefcase from my Navy days. It was called microfiche however. I expect that isn't being used anymore. 

 Well I was just thinking about all of that. Now I'm told we live in the information age. All this stuff being recorded in some fashion. Thing is we will also be leaving the key to unlock all of our recordings. What I mean is future generations won't have to wait for the discovery of the Rosetta stone to figure out what is being said. Or, perhaps they will? It is something I think about. Will future generations have the technology readily available to decode our electronic files? I wonder if you had never seen a 45 in your life, never saw one being used, would you think to put a needle in the groove and spin it? If you have never seen a microfiche how long would it take to figure out you need to magnify the image to read it? And just what the heck is a cd? Would you think I need an optical reader to decode that? 

 Yes, I'm certain there will people in the future that know all about such things, but they won't be common. There are certain skills I have that kids today will never know because they will never have the need to know. That's what I'm thinking about. I can set the points on a car, or adjust the valves, skills no longer required for the average mechanic. I know what a cathode ray tube is, and have owned a bunch of them. Information and the storing of that knowledge. Man has always sought ways to do that. And today we still say, "written in stone" meaning it is permanent. A few thousand years on and that remains true and still the most permanent. We use a headstone to record our existence! That's the proof in that.