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Re: [netcdf-java] Utilizing NetCDF for Longterm archives

I am very happy to hear it. The definition of the file format sounds like the key to assuring the long term usability of a NetCDF archive since it transcends all issues concerning the future availability of specific hardware and software. May I assume that this simple solution will be available for releases beyond NetCDF-3 too? 



John Caron wrote:
Assuming you're talking about netcdf-3, the definition of the file format is only a page or two long, and software that reads it can be implemented by an experienced programmer in a day. thats what makes it a good long-term archive, possibly coupled with compression like zip.
So, I would recommend that the netcdf-3 file format definition be placed in any "time capsule" for when the intelligent cockroaches try to decipher the data formats of the previous civilization. Oh, I suppose that the C and Java source could be placed in it also. 

I wouldnt put it inside the files themselves, though.

Dan Wilkinson wrote:
I am participating in the planning for large future archive that will rely heavily on NetCDF, and this question came to mind. Should some sort of NetCDF software time capsule be included in the meta data to insure that the NetCDF data could be interpreted many decades hence? The prudent thing to do would be to perform a format migration every few years, however, I can see how very large volume archives might be neglected in that regard. 
Thanks,
Dan

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