File Format Significance - Draft Section

File Format Significance - Draft Section

Significance (draft)[wikitext]

File formats act as containers for digital content. Just as a song's audio information can be "held" in a cassette tape or CD, an .mp3 also holds audio and the information required to play it.  And like cassette tapes or CDs, digital file formats face risks that can impair long term access to the content they hold.  The three main risks to digital file formats are 1) format obsolescence, 2) proliferation of formats, and 3) lack of format support.   

To address these risks, it is important to use file formats that are robust and well-supported.  In the following lists, cIRcle has identified the file formats we have the most capacity to support.  By providing your digital content to cIRcle in one of the preferred file formats, you are taking steps to ensure the long term accessibility and preservation of your content. 

ClaireSwanson (talk)16:26, 15 September 2022

I like this little significance section!

KellyGauvin (talk)23:09, 20 October 2022

Me, too!

Tkstephe (talk)19:26, 7 November 2022

With the addition of the text, it makes me question how we present the "preferred" formats and then list "acceptable". In reality, we would convert the "acceptable" formats to a preferred format. I think it could be helpful to clarify this somewhere so it's not confusing.

Tkstephe (talk)20:10, 7 November 2022

Maybe a clarification on this can go in the ! box as it more explicitly mentions the importance of submitting in a preferred format?

We could add a sentence that says something along the lines of - "Should you submit files in an acceptable format, please be advised that the cIRcle Office may convert your files to a preferred format on your behalf. Please see Section 3.4 of the cIRcle Non-Exclusive Distribution License (Version 3.0) for more details."

ClaireSwanson (talk)22:29, 7 November 2022

What if somewhere in the intro section we explain that we are listing Preferred formats [brief definition] and Acceptable formats [brief definition]. And then add your sentence (slightly modified) "Please be advised that the cIRcle Office will convert your files to a preferred format on your behalf. Please see Section 3.4 of the cIRcle Non-Exclusive Distribution License (Version 3.0) for more details."

Tkstephe (talk)00:38, 9 November 2022

I added this which I think clarifies what I was after:

The following guide lists Preferred Formats (formats that support access and preservation) and Acceptable Formats (formats we accept but convert on your behalf for preservation and access). Please see Section 3.4 of the cIRcle Non-Exclusive Distribution License (Version 3.0) for more details.

Tkstephe (talk)23:55, 8 December 2022
 
 
 
 
 

considering this thread done

ClaireSwanson (talk)18:42, 9 January 2023