随身英语

Digital memories might not last forever “数字记忆” 可能不会永存

数码产品在不断地更新换代。虽然数字化为日常生活提供了便利，但随着数码产品逐渐老化、数字文件格式相继被淘汰，人们可能再也无法访问曾储存在电子设备上的 “数字记忆”，从而失去了一段段宝贵的人生回忆。本文探讨有哪些方法可以更好地保护自己免受因数字科技更新换代而产生的影响。

词汇：digital content 数字内容

Having thousands of photos, songs and films available at our fingertips would have seemed amazing just a few decades ago, but how long will these files last for and be available? Could the digitalisation of cultural artefacts now be putting a time limit on our memories?

The materials that phones and computers are made of can decay over time, impacting the data that they store. Images can still be seen in faded photographs, but when digital data degrades, it can quickly make it impossible to even open a file.  Also, as formats and devices become obsolete, it may become impossible to read files from previous decades.

Storing information in the cloud can also present problems. Large companies can still lose data. In 2019, social media platform MySpace admitted losing more than 12 years' worth of users' music uploads. The widespread use of streaming services for music, TV and film means that people no longer own the content that they watch and listen to, they just pay for the right to access it. If streaming companies decide to remove content, or go out of business, users will lose access. 

Licencing rather than buying content is an example of how our behaviour towards digital content has changed. Another example is that we take far more pictures than people did in the past. This means that, added to the challenge of keeping our data safe, people have to consider what to preserve and what can be discarded.

So, what can we do? Technology writer Jack Schofield said that "data doesn't really exist unless you have at least two copies of it", so it's important that we keep backup copies of what is important to us – probably more than one. Academic Paul Royster suggests that we should all take time to consider what content we personally believe is worth saving. Perhaps the answer is just to avoid digital altogether. Science and Technology writer Chris Baranaiuk calls for a cultural movement towards buying analogue copies of cultural content.

词汇表

digitalisation 数字化
artefact 人工制品
material 材料
decay 腐蚀
data 数据
faded 褪色的
degrade 降质
format （计算机信息的）格式
obsolete 淘汰的，过时的
the cloud （网络）云
upload 上传的信息
streaming service 流媒体服务，在线收听或收看内容的服务
content 内容
go out of business 倒闭
licence 授予
preserve 保存，保留
discard 扔掉
backup copy 备份，备用副本
analogue （相对数字而言）实体的

测验与练习

1. 阅读课文并回答问题。

1. What can physically happen to our computers and phones over time?

2. What is different in the way that a digital photograph decays compared to a physical photograph?

3. Why can some formats become impossible to read?

4. When can people lose access to content on streaming services?

5. What has changed in the way that we take photographs?

2. 选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。

1. _______ has made it much easier to share content with other people.

Formats                 Digitalisation                  Data                         Licenses

2. Hard drives can _______ over time, leading to corrupted files.

preserve                discard                           fade                          decay

3. Old devices can become _______.

obsolete                 decay                            degrade                    discard

4. Photographs, books and films are all kinds of _______.

digitalisation           content                          format                       licence

5. Storing your _______ on a cloud service can help preserve them.

analogues              formats                         uploads                     streaming services

答案

1. 阅读课文并回答问题。

1. What can physically happen to our computers and phones over time?

The materials that phones and computers are made of decay over time.

2. What is different in the way that a digital photograph decays compared to a physical photograph?

Physical photographs can still be seen, even when the colours have faded. Digital photograph files may quickly become impossible to open.

3. Why can some formats become impossible to read? 

Formats can become obsolete over time.

4. When can people lose access to content on streaming services?

Streaming services can decide to remove content, or they can go out of business.

5. What has changed in the way that we take photographs?

We take far more photographs than people did in the past.

2.  选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。

1. Digitalisation has made it much easier to share content with other people.

2. Hard drives can decay over time, leading to corrupted files.

3. Old devices can become obsolete.

4. Photographs, books and films are all kinds of content.

5. Storing your uploads on a cloud service can help preserve them.