Derek Jackson Assignment 1 Migrating Files Summary October 8, 2010 It is clear that migration not only alters files,

, but can alter files significantly from the first migration. The implications of this are many. One implication is that it is very important to keep a master file of the original if at all possible. This can hopefully keep us aware of fidelity and also insure that no matter what changes occur in migration the original will still be preserved in its authentic form. The audio example points out that it is possible to migrate a file while still preserving its key characteristics, and for access purposes it might be necessary to provide an mp3. Although altered digitally, it still remained a good facsimile of the object and would conceivably be a useful copy in some respects, although certainly not as an archival copy. In any case, it points out that migration, although not ideal, may be a useful tool, or necessary evil, when used intelligently. For example, in some instances there may be nothing that can be done with the original object if it is inaccessible in its original form but some master copy must be kept as close to the original source as possible, and migration may be the only option. Understanding migration would be vital to preservation in such an instance to ensure that the document remains viably authentic. Another implication is the importance of keeping documentation and metadata. Because metadata seems to be lost after the first migration it is important to document the original metadata so that it can be reapplied and also to ensure that important information about context and provenance, for example, are not lost. In my experience with the audio file, the metadata about the creator was lost after the first migration and so if this were not documented somehow it could potentially be lost. This also underscores the importance of keeping a master file that is as unaltered as possible. Documentation might also be useful when metadata is lost, or is irretrievable. Documentation might become the only source of contextual information available upon migration. One final implication that occurred to me is that this experiment also highlights the importance of preemptive action when working in digital preservation. By using more stable file formats that will hopefully be usable in the longterm, and also by saving a master while it is still accessible (as opposed to trying to pull old files from media that is no longer supported) one reduces the risk of having to migrate a file and therefore the risk of altering, perhaps significantly, the document itself. In any case it is clear that even the first attempt at migrating a file alters it. In some cases it might not be perceptible but the checksums verified that the files were altered. For me this means that when working with digital files it is important to be aware of how fragile and mutable they truly are. Their durability is an illusion that we cannot continue to abide.