There are two keys things that I do, to help you control your all your digital files:

Your personal digital archive is made up of things you have created. You create these things as an idea, and you them make real. When creating photos or documents you should consider creating metadata: this is information about what you create. This is important, so years from now you can understand what you created, when it was created, and potentially people who are involved: such as in a photo.This information can be title or subject, dates, locations, and creator information added to the digital file.Let me help you protect your memories and important records. Please email me at mathew@digitalarchive.com.au , or call me on 0402707272. You can also visit my website for more information: www.digitalarchive.com.au

The digital files you have on your devices need to be evaluated for there long term survival.

Your born digital records such as photos have some issues to consider. One of these issues are that storage media is cheap which allows the accumulation of vast files with limited restrictions.So it can be challenge knowing how you can curate / keep what is really important from excess. Another concern you need to consider is that unlike paper records that can endure benign neglect: when stored in a reasonable conditions, these need extra periodic maintenance to keep them safe and usable. Let me help you protect your memories and important records. Please email me at mathew@digitalarchive.com.au , or call me on 0402707272. You can also visit my website for more information: www.digitalarchive.com.au

The need for people to address their personal records which can be photos, videos or written files - in the modern era takes on a more significant importance, this is due to modern personal records increasingly being born digital. As these digital records or digital objects are subject to degradation due to multiple factors such as bit level corruption. These need to be actively managed from the start if possible – but bit late than never is important to manage the risk to your memories.

Your personal records are important as cultural objects that will provide insight for family in future generations. They can understand your perspectives and experiences in your own era and environment.

The application of metadata to the photos and records within your personal digital archive will help you access your memories with ease.  This is information about information which is technical way of saying what an object is by applying information from titles, people who created it, or who or what item is about, to when and where it is created – it can be all those descriptive terms or only those that are relevant.

The purposes of an archive is long term storage but sometime access to records and photos is not great, on the other hand many digital repository systems such as your file directory like windows explorer is about easy access but not preservation. The creation of a personal digital archive is about both. So you can protect your memories, and access your information at will.

It can be the SIMPLE method of storing personal digital archive copies on multiple devices, storage and locations. These can be periodically checked with a simple checksum tool: you match the original amount of bits recorded from the last check. if they are different then this is bit level corruption – you can replace this copy with a intact one.This is periodical maintenance once you have created your personal digital archive. ORThe refreshing of stored copies can also be managed with a system that that stores multiple copies of the digital archive across networked computers in a clouds computing solution. The more COMPLEX solution that does this is called - Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe (LOCKSS), this system has built in features that automates checksum activities and replacing faulty copies that have bit level degradation - with intact copies. If you want to have a chat about this please email me at mathew@digitalarchive.com.au or visit my website for more information: www.digitalarchive.com.au if you would like my assistance. Thanks

The short term lifespan for digital media requires ongoing transfer of data from aging storage to new media to prevent data loss due to aging media hardware failure. For long term preservation you should consider multiple copies on multiple media types in multiple locations reduce the risk of losing precious memories and information. If you want to have a quick chat about this please email me at mathew@digitalarchive.com.au or visit my website for more information: www.digitalarchive.com.au if you would like my assistance. Thanks

An important step once records photos etc have been appraised to be preserved / kept is to make sure that file formats are widely used, well supported and open source if practical so that you may be able to access these memories and information into the future.

The risks due data corruption and hardware failure is an issue that cannot be benignly neglected. This means left on a shelf, in a draw for years. As the life span of digital files is short compared to physical medium like paper.

Your Personal digital archive is a digital collection that you have collected. This is your creation, by records you have created, received and used in your life. They are your memories and mementos from photos and videos.

Your personal records are important insight to your family in future generations. they can understand you, and your life from your perspectives and experiences within your own lifetime and era - this is your story you can share directly with great great grandchildren.

The failure of storage hardware due to age, or by disaster needs to be planned for so when disaster occurs not all you precious memories will be lost.

Your personal records are important insight to your family in future generations. they can understand you, and your life from your perspectives and experiences within your own lifetime and era - this is your story you can share directly with great great grandchildren.

Personal records such as important photos, videos, correspondence and documents in the modern era takes on a more significant importance, this is due to modern personal records increasingly being born digital - there is no hard copy photograph or paper records.

We all have stories that can be found by our future generations - if we protect those fragile digital files. The Digital objects on your PC, your Phones and memory drives tell your story. It is your first hand evidence of who you are, what you do and what it means to be you. mathew@digitalarchive.com.au you can start find out how.