with a preserved copy.

Once the essential elements have been defined, the preservation programmes task is
to find, and continue to find, combinations of data, software and hardware that will re-
present those elements as accurately as required.

17.9 The relationship between data and software

There is always a dependent relationship between data and software: all data require
some kind of software in order to be presented in an understandable form to a user.
The degree of dependency has important implications:
Some objects are relatively independent of specific software; eg basic data
sets, plain or tagged text such as ASCII could be presented using a range of
quite basic software tools
Some objects depend on more complex but generic or widely available
software; eg HTML, standard image formats such as TIFF and other formats
designed to work on interchangeable platforms
Some objects depend on specific application software and are not designed to
work outside their original operating environment although manufacturers
often provide tools that allow them to be read or used more widely; eg word
processing formats, spreadsheets, some databases, drawing and GIS mapping
formats
Some objects essentially are software; eg executable files, software
programmes
Many complex materials contain combinations of objects with different levels
of software dependency.

The degree of software dependency may limit the choice of strategies that are
available. For example, data- or document-type objects may be effectively
presented by a range of software, while software objects may have far fewer options
for retaining access once their original operating environment has been lost.

17.10 Choosing appropriate strategies

There is, as yet, no universally applicable and practical solution to the problem of
technological obsolescence for digital materials. Several approaches have been
proposed but it is unlikely that there will be a single solution that offers a cost-
effective means of access for all materials, for all purposes, for all time. At this stage,
it is reasonable for preservation programmes to look for multiple strategies, especially
if they are responsible for a range of materials over extended periods.

It is important to take active steps now, even small ones, which will preserve access
for the manageable future, while also planning for whatever long-term approaches
appear to be the most practical.

The current front-runners as long-term strategies appear to be: the use of standards for
data encoding, structuring and description that can be expected to remain recognisable

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