wrote:

....
So what would you guys say is the best file type, media format and
media type to use if I want them to be easily accessible for decades?

As you have noticed there is no one best solution. I will suggest a few
ideas which you or other may or may not have considered.

Let's face the fact that a good archival quality print is going to last
100 - 300 years and will not require any technology other than our eyes to
view it and it can be copied by many different technologies now an in the
future.

Digital storage of digital images maintains the most data, even more
than a good print. However every time you change formats, you loose some of
that data.

Digital storage is not forever. CD's and DVD's are long lived. Well at
least the commercial ones are. Home burned disk are not the same. Some
last longer than others non meet the 100 year test, at least yet. and as you
have noted, it may well be difficult to find something to read them with 100
years from now.

Making new copies is always a good idea, and if you keep up with
changing technology with each new copy reading them should not be a problem.
However if you are like me, you just will not keep up.

Note: if they are really important, you need to make two copies and keep
one on site and another at a distant off site location. Things like floods
can cause damage within a large area.

I back up to a second computer on my LAN. That gives me two copies.
About every two or three years I try to get around to making a few CD's and
sending them to out of town relatives.




--
Joseph Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math