Evaluating Emulation and Migration: Birds of a Feather?

Abstract

Abstract. Evaluating the results of a digital preservation action, be it migration or emulation, is a complex task. The usual approach for migration is to evaluate object properties after the migration. For emulation strategies the result of the rendering of the object is evaluated. In this paper we argue that the change of object properties when migrating is not sufficient evidence if a digital preservation action is successful or not. Even for migration the rendering process of the digital object is crucial, and as such evaluating object properties is not enough. The difference in evaluation between emulation and migration as a strategy for digital preservation becomes blurred as migration results have to be compared based on the rendering of the target format and the environment used to render the migrated digital object. Evaluation of object properties when migrating will only validate a necessary condition for preserving significant properties, i.e. whether the information underlying a specific property is still present in an object after migration. It cannot guarantee that the rendering based upon the migrated object will exhibit a specific significant property. In this paper we show the view-path of digital objects and explain how emulation and migration actions affect it. We then compare the changes that occur in the view-path and show that these are at least as severe when migrating a digital object as when emulating its rendering environment.

Global Challenges of Digital Transformation of Markets: Collaboration and Digital Assets

“…The following categories can be proposed to describe the DO: Layer 1 of the DO of the product is the main benefit. Properties of a DO forming a product designed, aimed at satisfying a need [46][47][48][49]:…”

Emulation practices for software preservation in libraries, archives, and museums

“…The breadth of technical expertise needed is high for working professionals, and user demand for accessing obsolete software from collections is still unproven. While some early studies evaluating emulators exist (Guttenbrunner & Rauber, 2012; Hedstrom et al, 2006), the challenges of representing emulation as an access point and information service to users remain.…”

“…Although there is a robust literature on digital preservation of information objects in cultural heritage institutions (Corrado, 2019; Meyerson, 2014), software preservation with emulation is understudied and continues to focus on best practices for format migration, digital storage, and descriptive metadata for access (Guttenbrunner & Rauber, 2012). Emulation as a preservation strategy for scientific knowledge and digital cultural memory was first proposed in 1995 (Rothenberg, 1995), and since then has been used alongside migration and other data transfer techniques to provide access to digital objects in LAMs.…”