Memories and Knowledge

 I've begun the process of digitizing my VHS tapes. These tapes are mostly the grandkids from the age of four to about twelve or so. A relatively brief period in time before technology changed. I was still using tapes when digital recorders were available, that's what grandparents do. We are always a set behind in technology. At least I wasn't going around with a Super 8 camera and lighting. This will be a long process, very time consuming. A great deal will end up on the "editing" room floor I'm sure of that. I will pack all those tapes, with the equipment to play them back away when I'm finished. 

 When I went looking for these tapes, I knew they were in a box in the attic somewhere, I also found a box full of CD's. These CD's range from music to video games. I was amazed at the number of them I have. I don't know what to do with them. The music ones are still fun to listen to although it is easier to just go to you tube these days. Any song, by just about any artist available at your fingertips. So, for me that recorded music is rather obsolete. Still, I can't bring myself to simply throw them out. That would be like throwing out a book, something else I can't bring myself to do either. It doesn't matter how many times I've read that book I just can't throw them out. And, truth be told, I don't like giving them away either for some reason, they seem personal to me. Strange, I know. I'm thinking I'll locate a player for them and pack that with them. All the video game ones I'm not sure about, will they play? I guess they might but I'm no computer wiz. I think I saw a disc in there for AOL! Yes, remember when you used to see them everywhere, for free. You've got mail! Well, I think I have an installation disc for that service. 

 It's funny if you think about it. I was at the Walmart and they have a big bin in the middle of the aisle filled with CD's. Movies and music all five dollars or less. Across from that is a display of 331/3 RPM Vinyl Records. The price on those, upwards of twenty dollars. They have a player on the shelf too, a small turntable in a "suitcase" type case, retro, a throwback and nostalgic. The cost on that, over sixty dollars. I'm not seeing many video cameras on display. I suppose most people are just using their phones. I expect they still make them but I'm just not seeing them like I used to. Old technology except for "professionals" these days. It's all pretty funny really. The go-pro cameras enjoy popularity, they are pretty cool, but for everyday people are just using their I-phones. My granddaughter was getting a new phone and I asked her why, she said, it has a better camera. I asked why not buy a camera? That was met with, oh Grandpa. 

 I have stopped burning discs. Remember when that sounded so cool, I'll just burn a disc. I had a pretty fancy setup at one time. I had the tech to burn not only the disc but the "label" directly to the disc. I had to buy special discs for that, but it was cool, much better than the paper labels. I've switched to using SD cards. Those are very convenient and affordable. Higher end flat screen smart tv's come with a slot for those cards too. I was feeling pretty up to date doing that. Turns out thumb drives have some advantages over the SD cards. Then all you need is a USB port. You can find them in cars these days. I have an aftermarket GPS/Radio/ Media center in my car. I could play the thumb drive through that system! I remember balancing a portable record player on my lap while my friend drove the car. We've come a long way. Did you know in 1956 a factory installed record player was an option on some Chrysler/Dodge cars? Yes, they were, very high tech. The eight track player replaced that option. That happened just ten years later in 1966. 

 I have discovered that I am not able to play all my CDs or DVDs however. It's a technical issue with knowing the format or program that created it. The computer will ask, do you want to search the web for a program to run this application? I've said yes only to discover I am still clueless with the options presented to me. I just put them back in their cases and save them. 

 Now a great deal of our stuff is stored in the cloud. I pay a fee every month for cloud storage but don't really understand why. A bunch of my files is there, I can access them but rarely do so. I'm guessing there is a way for others to access them as well. I just wonder how you would find that stuff. Occasionally I will get a comment on this blog and wonder how that person ever stumbled upon it. I wrote about the Duggan man years ago and still hear about it to this day. I guess if you search Duggan Bros. my blog appears somehow, I don't know. Will future generations be able to search the cloud for me? Or, if the servers in the sky, the data banks are destroyed somehow will that result in the loss of all that data? Would it be like the Burning of the Library in Alexandria! That happened in 46BC, and we still bemoan that loss today. I wonder just where is this cloud and how secure is it? I've read where I can send all my digitized stuff to the cloud and my videos to You Tube. There they will be preserved forever. Memories and Knowledge. That is what man has tried to preserve, to pass down from generation to generation. It's why cavemen drew pictures on the wall. That will never change, only the method used to preserve it, whatever it is.