ABSTRACT
Anyone who has used computer systems for a significant amount of time has likely encountered the problem of an obsolete digital data file format. Some practitioners have coined the term “digital dark ages” to refer to the massive amount of digital data that is stored, but not currently accessible since it is in an obsolete file format or accessible only via obsolete hardware. Data file formatting is almost completely transparent to the user. The vast majority of people have no idea how data are organized and stored on their computer system. Digital data represents more than just numbers and characters. Modern digital data files contain binary form that represents images, video, and sound, among other entities. Preservation of data, long-term storage for record keeping, and historical archives all require access to data. Anyone can visit their community’s library and locate a book written one hundred years ago.
