MONITORING FILE FORMAT OBSOLESCENCE IN REPOSITORIES: An applied method | IDEALS

Abstract: The Dutch Digital Heritage Network (DDHN) wants to improve the monitoring of file format obsolescence. The Preservation Watch group researched on how institutions can monitor the life cycle of file formats in their repositories and how the monitoring could be implemented on a broader scale. Monitoring file format life cycle implies there needs to be a way to measure format obsolescence or helps an institution to identify when a file format is getting obsolete. The applied research identified the needed information and used a known model to search for trends and is applied in widespread areas. The model was compared with a naive method to evaluate the more complex method. This approach was tested in different types of repositories and used different file formats to research the robustness of the approach. This paper will investigate the possibilities and shortcomings of this method and further research that is required.