hard copy versus digital copy

sorry… i am, indeed, desperate to get more people to check out my blog by posting 2007 ‘sports illustrated’ swimsuit (minus the swimsuit here actually) model marisa miller, who has nothing to do with this entry other than wearing an ipod. i apologize… i am really not here to bring “sexy” back, but just think of ms. miller’s photo as me wishing you readers a post-happy valentine’s! anyways, i am currently in the middle of cleaning out my room and realized i have accumulated a ton of books, magazines, comics, dvds, cds, prints, posters, pictures and tearsheets. so, i am wondering were the future formats of media are headed and the accepted practice of archiving them for people who like to collect things. should media just exist in the digital realm to save physical space? i am thinking of converting a lot of my cds to mp3 files to import into my computer and possibly scan some tearsheets and turn into digital files. cds take up a ton of space, and it sure is convenient to have your entire music library on itunes in your mac (sorry pc users) or in an ipod. tearsheets and photos as digital files in your computer eliminates physical clutter or a cumbersome filing/archive system in your home. i think it is a matter of time before mpeg files are made available, so you could store movies on your computer and not own a dvd hard copy anymore.

but i still choose not to read a book/magazine/comic or view a print/poster on a computer yet. there is something about beholding a publication and turning a page at your own leisure, or enjoying the smell of ink, or feeling the texture of the paper, or stepping back and viewing a print on your wall. i guess i love the size of a graphic in its actual physical form and dimensions rather than scrolling left to right or up and down or minimizing its dimensions to see the entire image on my monitor. i do like the way things are now, which is to say you have a choice of a digital copy for music and photos but still have a hard copy of a book or print. i must say if you only had the choice of hard copies, it would eventually crowd you out of your living space. at some point, everything will probably be stored and run off your computer, which leads to the more profound question i am pondering… choosing between a cyberspace realty, especially since we are becoming more reliant on computer technology for social interaction, or a physical realty that involves collecting tangible memorbillia.