File-Formats for Preservation, Evaluating the long-term stability of file-formats Carl Rauch, Harald Krottmaier and Klaus Tochtermann Graz University of Technology, Austria

[ Source: Carl Rauch, VUT

Original: 9 years later: [ Source: Carl Rauch

Agenda Motivation The file-format evaluation process Summary

Problem A system for comparing various file-formats A defined set of criteria for assessing the preservation risk Requirements More than different file-formats New software products are unable to interpret obsolete file-formats The choice of reliable file-formats is done on an individual basis Solution Motivation A structured workflow for evaluating file-formats A file-format list for comparing file-formats in terms of preservation reliability

The file-format evaluation process Review Requirements Assign measurable categories Choose alternatives Evaluate file-formats and transform values Set importance factors Aggregate results

Review Requirements Reliability Technical character- istics Open specification Compatibilty Standard- isation Market character- istics Duration of guarantee Duration of support Market penetration No. of independent producers

Assign measurable categories Open Specification: Yes = 5, Partly available = 3, No = 0 Compatibility: Number of software systems compatible with the format: 1 = 1, 2 = 2, 3 = 3, 4 = 4, > 4 = 5 Standardisation: Yes = 5, Partly standardized = 3, No = 0 Duration of guarantee: 0 years = 0, > 0 years = 1, > 1 year = 2, > 3 years = 3, > 5 years = 4, > 10 years = 5 Duration of support: 0 years = 0, > 0 years = 1, > 1 year = 2, > 3 years = 3, > 5 years = 4, > 10 years = 5 Market penetration: users = 5 Number of independent producers: 0 producer = 0, 1 producer = 1, 2 producers = 2, 3 producers = 3, 4 producers = 4, > 4 producers = 5

Choose alternatives Drawing Exchange Format DXF/DWG Initial Graphics Exchange Specification IGES 3D Studio 3DS/MAX 3D Model 3DM Object OBJ

Evaluate file-formats and transform values

Set importance factors 14,29%

Aggregate results Source: VUT

Summary The process of Utility Analysis can be used to: Evaluate the preservation reliability of file-formats Compare various file-formats in terms of preservation reliability Create a broad list of file-formats as a reference for preservation projects