Dear Editor:
This e-mail is offered as an addition to other discussions in SurvivalBlog of this subject, such as, Preserving a Digital Library.
Having messed around with computers since the early 1970s and, having lived through multiple computers on multiple versions of operating systems, I settled on a simple filing system for digital content that I save.
As an engineer, I love to invent things but I don’t like reinventing wheels when there are so many about that can be used for my purposes. My filing system is exactly that – a re-purposing of an existing filing system invented in my home state of Wyoming. It is called the Yellow Pages. (see Wikipedia.). Ma Bell figures highly into the design. For those that don’t know who “Ma Bell” was, then do a web search on it.
But, I digress.
My filing system consists of only two folders on my computer. These are:
White Pages
Yellow Pages
So, if I were to have an article about George Washington, then I would save it in the following folder:
White Pages
W
Washington, George
Items that are not about proper names are essentially, subjects that might be found in a Yellow Pages. For example, articles on guns, security, food, etc., would be filed in a Yellow Pages folder. For example, if I have articles on the AR-15, I might save them under the folder:
Yellow Pages
G
Guns
AR-15
If the item to be filed is the name of a person, business, or place (proper name), it goes in the White Pages. Otherwise, it goes into the Yellow Pages.
One cool thing about this is that, if you decide to archive this “phone book”to DVD or Blu-Ray disc, it is easy to label them (Yellow Pages, G-P) and, if you are a thinking person, it is easy to find the disc containing articles on the AR-15 or reloading. This has worked for me for over twenty years. I have had good mileage from it. Your mileage may vary.
Thanks for all the great work of SurvivalBlog. – J.R.H.