> I think that that's the answer, put the whole OS and db on a
> bootable cd or DVD. In 20 years they'll surely be no
> problem running the whole thing from RAM so media access
> speed should not be an issue.
You are correct. I thought that CD only had a shelf life of 5 to 10 years. This is true for new
unrecorded discs. But once they are recorded they are expected to last 70 to 200 years.
http://www.osta.org/technology/cdqa13.htm
Regards,
Richard Broersma Jr.