I am a magpie for all things historical. I love to know why something is like it is or how a phrase came into use. It set me wondering about how people of the future would look at our plethora of information. No finding of hard copy diaries or writings, all electronic. Perhaps I should try to leave something electronic behind which might throw light on how an ordinary person lived in 2011. I am not talking about people in 50 or even a hundred years time but 500 years or more when my house may only be a mark under the ground showing up on an archaeological machine.
But how to save it? People leave time capsules buried for future historians to find because the artefacts may survive. Written words have survived thousands of years. But will they in the future have any machines left that will read our electronic words of today: and they say CD discs etc. will deteriorate. Yet they say that writings of the time are more useful than artefacts. Of course they will have photos and movies or at least some of them may survive. Yet I can see already how wrong the young historians are getting the history of the second world war from looking at films.
So how to leave it and where? I have been writings this ‘History for the Future’ for some months now and storing it on line as a file. If I don’t go to the files for a certain length of time I am told they will be wiped so what good is that? (If anyone has any ideas about this problem please contact me) Meanwhile I have decided to start this as a blog and write it for a year. Here I am on the 1st of January 2011 starting just that. I understand blogs stay on line as long as the place where you put the blog is still in existence. Later I may publish the blog on Lulu.com so there is a hard copy as well.
I am a 75 year of woman living a very quiet life in Devon with my husband. I am retired and he still works as he is younger than myself. I intend to write about life today as I see it, sometimes very close personal stuff and sometimes what is happening though my windows on the world, those being television, radio and internet. I don’t bother much with newspapers these days and only see the local give away and an occasional magazine. I do not set myself up as an expert of any kind but just like to write about – things.
I may bring in some personal memories as a matter of interest or to show how things have changed in my lifetime but my other blog -–New Thoughts-Old Memories tends to cover this more – if I can find the time to write it. I am still a busy housewife and have to look after my husband.
I see from trying to set up this blog I am not the first one to think of a project like this however I shall still have a go at it. Maybe I shall write something for today later on. For now - A Very Happy New Year to one and all.
But how to save it? People leave time capsules buried for future historians to find because the artefacts may survive. Written words have survived thousands of years. But will they in the future have any machines left that will read our electronic words of today: and they say CD discs etc. will deteriorate. Yet they say that writings of the time are more useful than artefacts. Of course they will have photos and movies or at least some of them may survive. Yet I can see already how wrong the young historians are getting the history of the second world war from looking at films.
So how to leave it and where? I have been writings this ‘History for the Future’ for some months now and storing it on line as a file. If I don’t go to the files for a certain length of time I am told they will be wiped so what good is that? (If anyone has any ideas about this problem please contact me) Meanwhile I have decided to start this as a blog and write it for a year. Here I am on the 1st of January 2011 starting just that. I understand blogs stay on line as long as the place where you put the blog is still in existence. Later I may publish the blog on Lulu.com so there is a hard copy as well.
I am a 75 year of woman living a very quiet life in Devon with my husband. I am retired and he still works as he is younger than myself. I intend to write about life today as I see it, sometimes very close personal stuff and sometimes what is happening though my windows on the world, those being television, radio and internet. I don’t bother much with newspapers these days and only see the local give away and an occasional magazine. I do not set myself up as an expert of any kind but just like to write about – things.
I may bring in some personal memories as a matter of interest or to show how things have changed in my lifetime but my other blog -–New Thoughts-Old Memories tends to cover this more – if I can find the time to write it. I am still a busy housewife and have to look after my husband.
I see from trying to set up this blog I am not the first one to think of a project like this however I shall still have a go at it. Maybe I shall write something for today later on. For now - A Very Happy New Year to one and all.
Below my first photo for this project of migrating Fieldfare in the rowen tree by my home. We love to bird watch.
No comments:
Post a Comment