Okay, they didn't use the expression "wear out" about files, but I catch your drift.

I never said that books last that long with or without maintenance. I certainly don't think they do! Preserving media for hundreds of years is very difficult no matter the format. I merely commented that access to older digital material may well prove difficult far into the future. I will admit that I was straying away from the original topic, which was a direct comparison between paper books and ebooks. I feel like the debate on whether we can play a Windows 7 game in 2022 kind of loses its point when we are talking about preserving things even further into the future, especially longer than the lifetime of the people who had fond memories of that piece of media. Yes, this was the example the other user made, and I agree with you that their difficulties can be overcome. But I think they have a point still. It's already not fully straightforward (as in install game, click & play), and it's only been 18 years. Games are a part of our cultural history and could prove very interesting to future historians and other social scientists. Will they be able to access them in hundreds of years? That's the real issue imo.

I have my doubts about us being able to preserve functional older computers for hundreds of years, but I would be happy to know that I'm wrong, as I get kind of stressed out at thinking of all the wonderful (in its way) old technology that will be forever lost.

> I understand your mini disc example and you’re right, but that’s a different problem.

Yes, that's why I called it an adjacent problem. My point was that physical media isn't necessarily better regarding future inaccessibility due to format obsolescence. Just a comment for those who love everything physical I guess :)

Word! However, it's certainly a good point that technophobic people who get anxiety just considering a procedure outside of what the Big Corporations tells you to don't own their files and never will. The Big Corporations are betting on most people being like that, and sadly, I think it's a pretty safe bet.

I believe you got a bit hung up on the article's phrasing of "wear out". Nobody in the world (hyperbole) thinks that software or electronic files "wear out" the way physical objects do. The person you replied to didn't say that either. It's just a comparison, maybe not a very good one. You can't accuse the other poster for making nonsensical arguments and then go on to attack something they didn't even say.

Anyway, yes, currently, there are ways to access older software and files. You might need to spend some extra time finding a workaround, but there will be one.

But what about in 50 years? In 100 years? ...300 years? When nobody who ever cared about those games or that software is still alive? The older these systems get, the more we need enthusiasts who are willing to spend their time to keep them alive somehow. Generally the people who do still engage with it are people who have a nostalgic connection to the time when it was produced.

There are of course also major drawbacks to analog media, and format obsolescence is also one of them for most formats outside of books. There are many physical formats, both analog and digital, that may well become completely inaccessible in our lifetime. When the last MiniDisc player dies, existing MiniDiscs will never again be played, for example. This is an adjacent but different problem to that of obsolete file formats/software. I mean, we'll have computers in the future too. But I think it's just way to early in the computing age to conclude that we will be able to access the currently existing files and software forever.

It was surprisingly easy once I tried doing it! The only caveat is that you do need to own a Kindle device, since Amazon won't give you a download link for your book files unless you have one (that's because the download is technically for transferring the files via cable to that Kindle device). I know you said you own one, but I just wanted to make that clear in case anyone who only reads Kindle books via the app is reading.

It's been a while since I did this, so I don't remember the exact details and locations for every menu etc. But I believe this info is enough for you to be able to google it.

Download Calibre, an ebook management software. Get the plugin called DeDRM (google how to add it). In the settings for DeDRM, add the serial number of your Kindle device (this is needed as a key for it to decrypt your books!).

Once you have done this, you can download the books and just drag and drop them into Calibre. Once you do, Calibre automagically removes the DRM and you are free to open them on your computer, transfer them to other ebook readers, and so on.

I think by plain text they meant .txt format, not paper books.