Sustainability session 3 - iPRES HH2

Title: Around for Decades, Gone in a Flash: How we dealt with Flash objects and the National Archives of the Netherlands

Author(s): Remco van Veenendaal, Lotte Wijsman, Jacob Takema and Marin Rappard

Abstract: In 2020, Adobe announced that they would end support for Adobe Flash Player. Initially, we (the preservation team at the National Archives of the Netherlands) assumed we had only a few or no Flash objects in our digital repository, but this assumption turned out to be incorrect. The discovery of Flash objects in our holding led to the start of a research project to answer several questions. Through a series of dedicated meetings, we formulated a strategy focused on preserving ongoing accessibility to our Flash objects through emulation. We were curious to find out if we had Flash objects, where they were located, and which solution would help us render these objects. This was done with the use of the three preservation functions (Watch, Action, and Planning). After locating the Flash objects, we were able to test potential solutions. The results were then applied to our situation at the National Archives. This led to the development of conclusions and several pieces of advice accompanying those.

Type: Long Paper

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Title: Policies, Risks and Strategies: A File Format Debate

Author(s): Sam Alloing, Valentijn Gilissen, Leslie Johnston, Kate Murray, Micky Lindlar and Tyler Thorsted

Abstract: The digital preservation community has been developing approaches to preserving the meaning of digital content for a number of decades. But questions still remain as to the most accurate, practical, timely and cost effective way of keeping our data usable. Collating and presenting file format policies from several organizations triggered a lively panel discussion in early 2023. This panel session will build on the success and popularity of that debate by bringing in new voices and topics raised by the audience. This subject is a critical one to understand if we are to be successful in preserving our data for future generations.

Type: Panel