week 12

This week’s readings focused on two aspects of digital history:  copyright laws and preserving digital history.  Copyright laws have been a part of nation since its beginning in the late 1700s.  Although it has evolved with the changing times, it still has its place in our lives.  Digital Historydescribes the various ways in which the Web differs from material objects in regards to copyrights.  The biggest challenge concerning copyrights and the Web is the amount of and nature of material on the Internet.  For example, copyrighting sound clips may cause a source of confusion.  Some sound clips can be used for a certain amount of seconds and some may not.  Other issues are protecting intellectual property and sharing intellectual property in the public domain.  Ideally, I think that sharing research and ideas can lead to a cooperative effort which will better the researcher’s end result.  Although posting research can surely lead to plagiarism and/or nonsensical feedback, I believe there are places on the Web to provide a safe haven for researchers seeking serious feedback. 

Issues concerning preserving digital history was another subjects our readings addressed.  The articles we read emphasized the persistent need for a easily upgradable archiving programs.  From the articles, there seems to be no realistic solution.  With the advances in technology comes the constant need for upgrades.  I feel as though this problem will be solved in only a matter of time.  With every year that passes, computers and technology become more  integral in our lives.  Universities will be more inclined to integrate computers into subject areas and more students will become familiar with the issues surrounding the digital humanities.  I know it may not seem like a strong argument, but I can look back at my lifetime (even though I am only 28) and see how prevelant computer and technology has become.

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